THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - A winter art festival will be going ahead in Fort Smith this year.

"We're going to make it a go," said Laurie Young, the manager of the Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre, which is sponsoring the new festival.

Laurie Young: Museum manager excited about festival opportunity. -

The outdoor event will feature ice art and snow sculptures.

An official opening has tentatively been targeted for March 4 or 5.

"We need forms built that we can fill full of snow and let them harden up," Young said. "We're going to see how fast this progresses, because this is our first year. We don't know how long some of this is going to take. That's why we're giving ourselves lots of time."

She said the festival's official opening might actually be earlier than the targeted dates.

The go-ahead decision was made at a Jan. 12 planning meeting.

Only two members of the public showed up for the meeting.

"The people we did have show up are very interested in participating and helping to undertake it, so we're good," Young said.

The event will be held at the museum's outdoor gallery, where a small skating rink will also be created.

Young said members of the public will be invited to try their hand at creating snow and ice sculptures.

The sculptures will then remain standing until they melt.

There is as of yet no official name for the festival.

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