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!
Due to continued warm weather, Clean Lakes Alliance has made the decision to cancel all Frozen Assets events scheduled to take place on Lake Mendota. The decision was made after multiple days of drilling test holes in Lake Mendota, as well as speaking with experts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a local meteorologist, and local law enforcement officials. Events including skydiving, Kites on Mendota, snowshoeing, pond hockey, and the Mary B will not be at Frozen Assets this year.
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!
NEW! Join us for the first ever Frozen Assets Pond Hockey Tournament on rinks built right on frozen Lake Mendota! Come early for a stop at The Boathouse at The Edgewater for a brew from the beer garden and then gather round the rinks. Teams will play from 4 – 8 p.m., with the finals on Friday, February 3rd.
Friday Night Brewgrass Concert, 6-8 p.m.
Surprise! We’ve planned a pop-up Winter Friday Night Brewgrass concert. Summer concert goers wear their favorite flannel and get ready for Friday Fish Fry from the Icehouse at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m. – and don’t forget your favorite brews on tap.
Kites on Mendota – Night Fly, Dusk
For the first time, large show kites from the Wisconsin Kiter’s Club will dot the sky over Lake Mendota at night! These LED-lit kites will fly high in the air for a unique nighttime display.
Ice Sculpture Display Lighting, 6 p.m.
After a week of work, we’ll have the Art Below Zero sculptures finished and ready to light for the night!
All events are part of the nine-day Frozen Assets week celebration. The festival celebrates our community’s lakes as a year-round asset.
Wear your youth hockey jersey and skate for free as we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Head over to The Boathouse at The Edgewater to watch the UW Badger Women’s Basketball team take on Ohio State. This event is part of the nine-day Frozen Assets week, which celebrates our lakes as one of community’s greatest assets.
Our Tropical Tuesday skate will have you on island time! Grab a lei and feel the cool Lake Mendota breeze as you jam to Jimmy Buffet around the rink.
Warm up with our Lakeside Luau with the Madison Downtowners, Madison Magnet, Smart Growth, and NAIOP in The Boathouse at The Edgewater with some of our summer favorites including The Boathouse Margarita and the Mendota Colada, Hawaiian pizzas and our favorite steel drum duo. This event is part of the nine-day Frozen Assets Festival, which celebrates our lakes as a year-round asset.
It’s time for a Frozen Assets Sunday Funday! Head over to the Grand Plaza at The Edgewater for ice skating and the inaugural Ice Block delivery — each sculpture will weigh more than 1,000 pounds! These massive slabs will be the home to live sculpture carvings for the week, showcasing ice carvers from Art Below Zero.
Enjoy brunch from The Statehouse or join the watch party for NFL Championship games in the Boathouse.
Chill out with us on the Grand Plaza and Ice Rink for Night ICE 2023, an outdoor party featuring Milwaukee Bucks official DJ and Producer, DJ Shawna, live in the booth overlooking Lake Mendota from 7-9 p.m. Her talent has been heard as the NCAA Women’s Final Four Official DJ, the NBA All-Star Game, and the 2020 Official DJ for the Ryder Cup. She’s also opened for major acts such as Lizzo, Ani DiFranco, Shaq (AKA DJ Diesel), and Jonas Blue to name a few.
You won’t want to miss the sights and sounds of Night ICE, kicking off the festival week. Events kick off with opening DJ’s at 5 p.m. Warm up with a hot drink or cool down with a spin around the rink…you’re sure to have a “nICE” night!
If you’d rather start out your night inside, support the lakes and reserve tickets for dinner at The Statehouse, which will feature a three-course prix-fixe menu (menu below). Tickets are $150 with 50% of all ticket sales going to Clean Lakes Alliance.
1st Course
Organic kale & roasted apple salad, pomegranate, spiced pecans, cider vinaigrette
Or
Tomato basil bisque, miniature Wisconsin cheddar grilled cheese
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs
2nd Course
Petite cut prime rib au jus, truffled mashed potato, brussels sprouts
Or
Butternut squash ravioli, braised Swiss chard, parmesan broth, grated SarVecchio
Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, California or Ravel & Stitch Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California
3rd Course
Warm chocolate cake, hazelnut gelato, dark chocolate sauce, hazelnut praline
Winter Warmer Cocktail
Support clean, healthy lakes with Clean Lakes Alliance’s 12th Annual Loop the Lake Bike Ride, presented by Lake Ridge Bank. Loop the Lake is an at-your-own-pace bike ride around Lake Monona on Saturday, June 15th that raises funds to protect and preserve Greater Madison’s lakes. Make a day of it while you enjoy entertaining and educational activities at many parks along the route.
Registration includes:
Fun and educational stops (see information below)
Super soft t-shirt, compliments of Lands’ End
Food cart item
Free beer or seltzer, courtesy of Bell’s Brewery (21+)
