Isn't it ironic? Michigan winter festival cancelled due to snowstorm
The officials running Michigan's St. Joseph Ice Fest have postponed the popular ice carving contest due to an impending snowstorm.
Originally scheduled for this weekend, the event has been moved to Feb 25-27.
"Due to the inclement weather, the 2022 Ice Fest in downtown St. Joseph has been rescheduled to February 25-27," organizers said in a statement.
"Our ice carvers are coming from all over the country. With current and predicted road conditions, carvers are unable to make the drive. In addition, St. Joseph City staff and the Public Works department have notified us that with the predicted snowfall, they may not be able to keep up with the snow removal as needed for the placement of sculptures and prepare our city streets in the best way for residents and all event attendees."
So far, more than 30 cm of snow has fallen in southwestern Michigan, with more expected in the days to follow.
The storm has led to traffic snarls and closures - with some schools being forced to shut their doors for three days straight due to the snow.
The conditions are courtesy of a far-reaching storm that has contributed to widespread power outages, with upwards of 370,000 customers without service in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, and New York, Reuters reports.
Airlines cancelled more than 5,000 flights Thursday due to the conditions, and an additional 3,000 flights were grounded Friday.
Thumbnail: Custom graphic by Cheryl Santa Maria. Snow and road closure sign both by chrisdorney/Getty Images.