Discovery Green is a total winter wonderland
Frostival has officially kicked off the holiday season in Houston
Last Tuesday evening, Discovery Green was the place to be for a winter celebration. Lights were an explosion across the park and the dazzling display of the George R. Brown Convention Center, located across the street.
The annual winter festival, appropriately dubbed “Frostival,” featured ice sculptures, one in the shape of Houston’s skyline. There was another palatial sculpture fit for any ice queen or king, and the people were lined up to take a royal snapshot. One ice sculpture artisan was Reverend Butter, who is said to sculpt ice like butter. The artisans were competing for the People’s Choice Award and the most valuable prize of all: bragging rights.
Discovery Green now has two winter art installments. One is a walkway reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, The Enchanted Promenade. The giant peony bouquets light up with colorful LED along the limestone walkway from the Brown Foundation of Discovery Green. The artist, a French art studio named TILT, “focuses on the exploration of light and its interplay with art, architecture and space.”
The other winter installment is called the Firmament. Visitors can get a taste of the spectacular Northern Lights with the LED dancing colorfully. From San-Fransisco based artist Christopher Schadt, the 42-foot high, 52-foot wide canopy can gather underneath the lights to be amazed for hours on ends. The artist himself is said to be excited to see how his artwork will perform in an urban setting; Schadt said, “I created Firmament for the Burning Man Festival in 2015 and was overwhelmed by the number of people who crowded underneath it for hours.”
Another feature of this creative night was the art cars from the annual Houston parade. Across the park and along the streets were creatively whacky cars. This will not be the only chance to see them, though. Mark your calendar for April 8 of next year for the parade, where many more crazy cars and enthusiastic drivers will be featured.
A fun activity for everyone, if you’re willing to wait in line, was ice skating. ICE powered by Mountain Green Energy has opened for the season, and it’s ready to give Houstonians a close experience to a White Christmas. Check out the website linked to get hours and ticket prices, and know there are going to cheap nights at the ice rink. Try not to take swing of the local hand-crafted beer by Saint Arnold Brewing Company, but do stop by afterwards to get a hand-carved stein made of ice at the beer garden.
While the Frostival was only one night, many features of Tuesday night will be here to stay. The Enchanted Promenade will be in Houston until February 19, and the Firmament will take its leaves January 8. The last to get on the ice rink will be January 6, and hopefully Houston’s heat won’t come back soon.
To get a fun-filled winter experience, go to Houston Avenida with friends or family and enjoy. Happy Holidays, Houston!