A winter of warm weather meant a Frozen Assets like we’ve never seen before. While poor ice conditions meant nothing could be held on Lake Mendota, we still engaged with community members on The Edgewater’s Grand Plaza!
Ice on! Temperatures below zero, combined with cold water and low wind, helped Lake Mendota officially freeze on January 15, 2024, as declared by the Wisconsin State Climatology Office. Lake Mendota, the largest lake in the Yahara Watershed, froze a full 26 days after December 20th, which is the median ice-on date for the largest lake in the Yahara River Watershed. The January 15th freeze is the 3rd latest freeze date since monitoring began over 170 years ago. The latest ice-on date is January 30th, and that took place in 1932.
We had so much fun throughout the nine days of Frozen Assets 2023 and we hope you did too! More than 8,000 lake enthusiasts from near and far joined us for science demonstrations, musical performances, ice skating, food and drinks, ice sculpture carving, a chance to try new winter activities, face painting, networking, a chance to run or walk in the only 5K on a frozen lake in North America, and more! We THANK YOU for supporting lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa!
Lake enthusiasts from near and far joined us at Frozen Assets 2023 for science demonstrations, music, a 5K on a frozen lake, and more!
Join Clean Lakes Alliance on Saturday, February 4th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Frozen Assets! The family-friendly festival on frozen Lake Mendota and at The Edgewater helps connect the community with the lake through free winter activities.
Festival attendees can see skydiving, figure skating, dance, speed skating, science, and large show kite demonstrations. Festival goers can also try pond hockey, snowshoeing, and skating; meet Bucky Badger, see the Mary B. Iceboat up close, and more!
The day will start with the annual Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk on frozen Lake Mendota. Starting and finishing at The Edgewater, the run/walk is the only 5K in North America held entirely on a frozen lake. Registration includes a soft t-shirt compliments of Lands’ End and a post-race beer/seltzer (21+) compliments of Michelob Ultra. Kids 10 and under can participate for free with a registered adult.
Each year, this FUNraiser, FRIENDraiser, and FUNDraiser highlights the year-round value of our lakes, while raising money to protect our waters through lake improvement projects, educational programming, and our volunteer water quality monitoring program.
When the lakes freeze in Greater Madison, they become our largest parks. Clean Lakes Alliance hopes community members and visiting guests can interact with our “frozen assets” and appreciate their importance, even in the middle of the winter. For more information about Frozen Assets, including events and times, visit: cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.
Frigid air temperatures, combined with cold water and low winds, helped Lake Mendota officially freeze on December 25th, 2022. The declaration came from the Wisconsin State Climatology Office. Lake Mendota, the largest lake in the Yahara Watershed, froze five days after December 20th. December 20th is the median ice-on date for the largest lake in the Yahara River Watershed. The Christmas Day freeze date is over a month shy of January 30th – which is the latest date that ice-on has ever been declared (1/30/1932).
We had so much fun at the Frozen Assets Festival and hope you did too! Whether you participated in person or virtually, we THANK YOU for supporting lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa!
More than 10,000 attendees visited The Edgewater and frozen Lake Mendota over eight days this February, making 2020 our biggest Frozen Assets yet! THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, guests, volunteers, and event partners who made this year’s festival, fundraiser, and new evening events a huge success.
Get ready for a full slate of activities on ice and on land at the 2020 Frozen Assets Festival! Clean Lakes Alliance’s sixth annual winter festival is expanding to a full week of fun at The Edgewater in Madison, Wisconsin from Sunday, February 2nd through Saturday, February 8th.
Warm December and early January temperatures caused a delay in Lake Mendota’s ice-on date. However, the recent cold air temperatures combined with light winds and cold water helped Lake Mendota officially freeze on Sunday, January 12th, 2020, as declared by the Wisconsin State Climatology Office.
Join Clean Lakes Alliance for our 2020 Frozen Assets 5K and run or walk ENTIRELY on a frozen lake!
Take a break from the hilly pavement and bring your stride to the ice. In this 5K race, participants will run, walk, or snowshoe across the ice on iconic Lake Mendota with beautiful views of downtown Madison. The course will start and end at The Edgewater, right in the heart of the Frozen Assets Festival!
The event will be chip-timed for runners, or sign up for the walk pass for an untimed event. Awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers.
You may access the ice down The Edgewater outdoor stairs, indoors through The Edgewater, at the end of N. Carroll Street to the west, and from James Madison Park to the east.
By registering for this event, you agree to the Frozen Assets 5K Terms & Conditions of Entry. All entrants must read and agree to this declaration.
The sixth annual Frozen Assets Festival will take place on Saturday, February 8th at The Edgewater. As always, this family-friendly daytime event will be FREE and open to all. Learn more at cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.
Race organizers reserve the right to alter the course due to factors including, but not limited to, ice conditions and weather. If conditions are deemed unsafe, the event may be cancelled or moved to an alternate location. Participants will be notified of any changes ahead of the event.
If you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, email our Development Director, Laura Strickland, at laura@cleanlakesalliance.org.
Is there parking available?
Participants may park at The Edgewater parking ramp. You may also find street parking or use City of Madison parking ramps.
When can I check-in or pick up my bag?
Participant check-in and registration the day of the event will begin at 9 a.m. on Lake Mendota at The Edgewater.
What happens if ice conditions are unsafe?
Clean Lakes Alliance will make every effort to hold this event, while keeping safety in mind for all competitors. If conditions are deemed unsafe, the event may be cancelled or moved to an alternate location, with entrance fees being considered a tax-deductible donation to support our lakes. Participants will be notified of any changes ahead of the event.
What is the refund policy?
Registrations are transferrable and non-refundable. Thank you in advance for your donation to support our lakes!
