CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Despite warmer temperatures and light rain, Downtown Commons hosted its annual ice sculpting demonstration alongside a showing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Joshua Perry, who owns Burgasm Urban Eats, has a long history with ice sculpting, crafting this year’s tree in a short two hours. He learned the craft while serving in the U.S. Army. “When I was stationed in Hawaii, I got really big into ice carving,” he said. He competed in events across the United States and Alaska.
The tree stands several feet tall. The process starts with large blocks of ice, which are cut down to size using chainsaws. Perry and his team then use smaller tools, like Dremels and chisels, to carve and shape the details.
To join pieces or smooth edges, they apply heat or water so the ice melts slightly and refreezes, bonding the blocks into the finished sculpture. The warm weather created extra challenges while sculpting.
Perry explained that temperatures above freezing keep ice from bonding. “If it’s above 32 degrees, it won’t stick,” he said.
To manage the conditions, he worked with multiple coolers, dry ice, and tools to keep the blocks cold enough to shape and fuse. “Ideally, ice carving needs to be at least 25 degrees or below,” he said.
Each year, Perry volunteers on Fort Campbell to carve ice with soldiers and teaches a class. The ice for this year’s tree was donated by Fort Campbell.
| MORE: For more Clarksville things to do, check out the Holiday Fun Guide and the Clarksville Events calendar.