USA - Using 27,000 cubes of frozen lake water, Minnesotans are working around the clock to construct the Ice Palace, the spectacular centerpiece of the 2004 St. Paul Winter Carnival. More than one million spectators will flock to the outdoor festival starting on 22 January. The event climaxes on 8 February with the National Hockey League's All Star Game.

The Ice Palace promises to be a feast for the eyes. It measures 240 feet wide, with turrets towering to 75ft high. A wall of ice surrounds the grounds with 20-foot high turrets. Adding to the spectacle is a fountain with a 20ft high flame, two stages for entertainment and an ice rink. The entire five-acre site is enhanced with nearly 500 High End Systems lighting products supplied by HES in Austin, Texas, and TLS of Huntsville, Ala. Lighting design is by Frattalone & Associates Inc of St. Paul, Minnesota. High End's Tim Grivas is lighting programmer and TLS' Chris Lighthall is head electrician and system integrator.

The lighting equipment list for the festival consists of 213 ColorCommand fixtures, 22 ColorMerges, 24 ColorPowers, 27 x.Spot Xtremes, 94 C16s, 27 Trackspot 2s, 15 Technobeams, eight Studio Beams, four EC-2s and 20 Dataflash AF1000 strobes, with control via two Wholehog III consoles.

(Lee Baldock)


Latest Issue. . .