[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RxFixskOoE]

Preparation for the The City of Warsaw First Friday event Fire and Ice began early this morning when several ice sculptures began work on the 46 ice sculptures planned for the evening’s festivities.

The sculptures, which are all created from 300 pound to 600 pound blocks of ice, began appearing early this morning and will be hosted by several downtown area businesses. (See original story.)

Ten members of the Michiana Ice Carvers group began carving in downtown Warsaw at about 9 a.m. today. Each business that sponsored a block of ice will be featuring its own unique sculpture, a few of which will a beer mug outside of Mad Anthony’s, penguins and frogs near Reinholt’s Town Square Furniture, and angel wings to commemorate a cancer victim. Each sculpture will be fitted with either colored pod lights or fire to really set them off.

Mike Evans, an artist with the group, began sculpting a massive diamond ring for Crownover Jewelry early this morning. Evans states that the jewelry store’s sculpture will feature a torch to give the ring a flaming effect.

Alfredo Arroyo, 74, from LaPorte, says he has been working with ice sculptures for the past 49 years. Alfredo is carving a “stock market bull” from a 600-pound block of ice. He anticipates the carving taking him roughly an hour and will stand at approximately 4 feet tall.

The Fire & Ice festivities will officially begin 5 p.m. and will run through 9 p.m.