Bummer! Iconic Wisconsin Winter Attraction Canceled Indefinitely

Fans of one popular Wisconsin winter attraction are being left out in the cold as the event's organizers announced this week they will not hold the event this upcoming winter season.

The company Ice Castles, LLC, which puts on winter events like the Minnesota Ice Castles in the Twin Cities area and the Wisconsin Ice Castles in the Lake Geneva area in Wisconsin has been making some changes to their Wisconsin event in recent years.

After operating it as an "Ice Castles" event like the one in Minnesota for a number of years, they pivoted to a new style of experience for the winter of 2023-2024 called "Winter Realms".

Last year's Winter Realms experience was a newly crafted experience from the minds behind the Ice Castles that offered what they called "an immersive winter experience unlike anything you've ever seen" that goes beyond the ice castles, slides, and tunnels of the Ice Castles event.

After one year of the new style of winter event, organizers say they are not going to be hosting any event at all in Wisconsin in the upcoming 2024-2025 winter season. Bummer!

Why won't Wisconsin have an Ice Castles or Winter Realms this winter?

Last winter's warm weather was brutal for winter events, activities, and festivals across both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Lake Geneva's Winter Realms was only able to be open for two weeks last winter, according to WISN-TV.

This was actually a similar fate to the Minnesota Ice Castles event, which was open for only a little over a week last winter.

This was the worst in a string of a few very difficult winters for organizers to safely operate the winter attraction, forcing them to make the difficult decision to scrap plans for any event in Wisconsin this winter.

They shared a message on social media this week, saying "Just like the icicles, our hearts are melting as we share that we won’t be returning to Wisconsin this year.".

Will the Ice Castles or Winter Realms ever return to Wisconsin?

The good news is that organizers have optimism about the future.

They explained on social media that they are "excited for new adventures on the horizon", saying "We can’t wait to bring the magic back in future seasons and create even more unforgettable moments with you."

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This leaves the door open for a return of this popular event, though they don't say when or in what form they may return to the Badger State.

In the meantime, Minnesota's Ice Castles are moving full-steam ahead for the upcoming 2024-2025 winter season, getting ready to open at a new Twin Cities area location this winter. You can learn more about those plans here.