CAMBRIDGE — The Cambridge Ice & Oyster Festival will return next month celebrating the winter holidays on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The free outdoor event runs Jan. 13 and 14 and is sponsored by the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina along with more than 40 other Eastern Shore businesses and organizations.
The event “will feature dozens of dazzling ice sculptures” as well as “wild and farm-raised oysters, craft beer and cocktails served at ice bars, hot chocolate, s’mores and other favorite foods,” according to a news release promoting the event.
Event hours are Jan. 13, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Jan. 14, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Inclement weather date is January 15).
The Ice & Oyster Festival grounds span the parking lots behind Chesapeake College in downtown Cambridge from Cannery Way (400 block of Race St.) to Blue Ruin Plaza with more sculptures on Race and Poplar streets. Live music will be featured at two stages.
“Throughout the festival site, 3D sculptures carved from more than 50,000 pounds of ice will be displayed while master carvers show off their artistry with live demonstrations. A polar lounge, giant throne, duck hunting blind and graffiti wall are among the many family photo opportunities carved in ice. Kids of all ages can try their skill at popular ice games, including corn hole, a mini golf putting hole and tic-tac-toe,” according to the release.
Oysters from the Shore’s top farms will also be featured — including Choptank Terrapin Oyster Co., Double T Oyster Ranch, Farm Creek Oyster Co., Hoopers Island Oyster Co., Madhouse Oysters and Madison Bay Seafood. .
The Cambridge festival will have two ice bars as well as the Hyatt’s “Chill Inn Polar Lounge” or one of three fire pits while roasting s’mores and sipping complimentary hot chocolates from Starbucks.
The event is produced by the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, Ice Lab and Choptank Communications with support from Downtown Cambridge and Pokeberry Cove Millworks.
Volunteers are also needed for the event. That includes positions for festival set-up and breakdown, ice game management (corn hole, tic-tac-toe and putting hole), drink ticket sales, bartending, and s’mores fire pit management.
Time slots range from 90 minutes to three hours. Sign-ups for multiple shifts and activities are welcomed. Volunteers will have access to the festival’s indoor lounge for the duration of the event where they can warm-up with a coffee, hot chocolate and snacks.
Sign-up and other event information are available through the festival website at
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