Ice Sculptures Big Attraction at First Night State College

STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - 93 ice sculptures cover the streets of downtown State College, and perhaps more interesting than the sculptures themselves, are the people who create them.

They're a popular site.

"The ice sculptures. We really enjoy coming down every year," Julie Brotherton of State College said. "We look at them, take pictures, we just really enjoy it."

For folks of all ages.

"Ice sculptures are great as usual. We love the Nittany Lion, that's new this year," Diane Curcilo of State College said.

Gary Glenn is a cook for Mount Nittany Medical Center. Now, he's putting down his spatula, and picking up his chisel.

"It's the Nittany Lion, what inspiration can you say," Glenn said.

Glenn is no stranger to ice sculpting. In fact, this is his 17th year designing sculptures for First Night.

"It gets you out of the kitchen," he said. "It's something different. You don't always get to carve multiple blocks this large and besides that, look around. Look at all of these people that get to come out and enjoy First Night. It's what it's all about."

Over the years, Glenn says his favorite, "I actually did it out of chocolate and ice both," he said. "It sat right up the street here. It was a fairytale theme. A dragon with a little boy sitting on the tail, reading a book."

That may be his favorite, but this year's piece is turning out to be a crowd pleaser.

"Feedback has been very good. I was under pressure carving the Nittany Lion in Happy Valley, but times have changed and I think I did it justice," Glenn said. "It's my rendition. I think it looks pretty good."