There was a definite artistic theme over the weekend, combined with sports at the annual Fire and Ice festival at Alton Mill Arts Centre. Artistry combined with outdoor fun. There was also plenty of food and entertainment, with proceeds going toward the Alton Millpond Rehabilitation Project. Art was a very important part of the weekend, but so was the annual Pond Hockey Tournament. The main event was the match between the Notables against the Not-So-Notables. Referee Bruce Carrick from Guelph handled the ceremonial face-off duties between former Toronto Maple Leaf star Gary Leeman and Jeremy Grant, co-proprietor of the Mill. There were a number of dignitaries on hand for the ceremony, including Town Crier Andrew Welch, Councillor Barb Shaughnessy and Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson.

Group Therapy and Hot Flashers were among the women’s teams playing Saturday.

The opening ceremonies Saturday morning featured the Choir from Alton Public School singing and signing O Canada, under the direction of teacher Ellen Laidlaw.
Photos by Bill Rea

Blacksmith Graeme Sheffield of Guelph was putting on demonstrations in the forge at the mill.

Andrea Bird of the Hive gallery was watching as her granddaughter Sloane Flannigan, 6, of Kitchener worked on an encaustic creation.

There were several ice sculptors hard at work with their chain saws, carving creations. John McCartney of Orangeville was carving a boot.

Kids were having fun on the super snow slide, including Tycho Coutts, 6, of Toronto. His parents were married at Alton Mill in 2009.

Once again, the Fire Sculpture was a major attraction once the sun went down. Erin artist Brian Oates assembled this creation in the Annex Courtyard, and then ignited it in front of a large crowd that had gathered. The work was called The Guardian. “Guardians come in many forms,” he said.