Frozen Assets Week
to
Edgewater Hotel 1001 Wisconsin Place, Madison, Wisconsin 53703

Enda Pärisma
Participants at the 2024 World Ice and Snow Sailing Championships.
Participants at the 2024 World Ice and Snow Sailing Championships.
An unfortunate pattern has developed in recent years around Frozen Assets Festival time: a deep freeze raises hopes of solid ice, followed by a week of warm temps. But this year activities have been a go for the Clean Lakes Alliance’s annual week of events, including the 2025 World Ice and Snow Sailing Championships. Competition continues through festival day on Feb. 8, which also features family outdoor activities (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) and the Frozen Assets 5K. Wisconsin Kiters Club is scheduled to fly show kites at dusk on Feb. 8 and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Feb. 9. Find schedule updates at cleanlakesalliance.org.
media release: Monday, February 3 – Sunday, February 9, 2025, The Edgewater & Lake Mendota
Daily events:
Monday, February 3
- Athlete practice for the Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships, 1 – 4 p.m. on Lake Mendota
- Opening Ceremony & Reception for the 2025 Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships, 4 – 6:30 p.m. $75; tickets here.
- Music and skating for a cause from 4 – 9 p.m. on the Grand Plaza Ice Rink at The Edgewater. Enjoy music and ice skating while raising funds for Clean Lakes Alliance.
Tuesday, February 4
- Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships first race signal, 11 a.m.
- Music and skating for a cause from 4 – 9 p.m. on the Grand Plaza Ice Rink at The Edgewater. Enjoy music and ice skating while raising funds for Clean Lakes Alliance.
Wednesday, February 5
- Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships first race signal, 10 a.m.
- Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk Early Packet Pickup from 3 – 7 p.m. at The Edgewater. Details coming about location inside The Edgewater.
- Music and skating for a cause from 4 – 9 p.m. on the Grand Plaza Ice Rink at The Edgewater. Enjoy music and ice skating while raising funds for Clean Lakes Alliance.
Thursday, February 6
- Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships first race signal, 10 a.m.
- Music and skating for a cause from 4 – 9 p.m. on the Grand Plaza Ice Rink at The Edgewater. Enjoy music and ice skating while raising funds for Clean Lakes Alliance.
Friday, February 7
- Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships first race signal, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk Early Packet Pickup from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at The Edgewater. Details coming about location inside The Edgewater.
- Music and skating for a cause from 4 – 9 p.m. on the Grand Plaza Ice Rink at The Edgewater. Enjoy music and ice skating while raising funds for Clean Lakes Alliance.
Festival events:
Saturday, February 8 – Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk & Frozen Assets Festival (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
- Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk Packet Pickup, 8 – 9:45 a.m. Pick up your packet on 5th floor of The Edgewater (immediately off entrance from parking garage).
- Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships first race signal, 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2:30 p.m.
- Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk, 10 a.m. Join us on Saturday, February 8th at The Edgewater to pick up your event t-shirt (courtesy Lands’ End), receive your free beer/seltzer, and participate in the only 5K in North America entirely on a frozen lake – your registration supports work to protect and improve water quality in our lakes.
REGISTER – 2025 FROZEN ASSETS 5K RUN/WALK
- Frozen Assets Festival, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Enjoy family-friendly activities on frozen Lake Mendota and The Edgewater’s Grand Plaza: dance and figure skating demonstrations, free skating and skate rental at the rink, and learn about the science of ice at our science stations. Find free hot chocolate on the Grand Plaza.
- Kites on Mendota, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. See large show kites fly high over frozen Lake Mendota off The Edgewater’s Pier.
- Kites on Mendota Night Fly, Dusk See large show kites fly high over frozen Lake Mendota off The Edgewater’s Pier.
Sunday, February 9
- Kites on Mendota, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. See large show kites fly high over frozen Lake Mendota off The Edgewater’s Pier.
Clean Lakes Alliance is thrilled to announce the return of the Frozen Assets Festival, a beloved community event celebrating Madison’s lakes in their winter glory. The festival will take place February 3-9, 2025, at The Edgewater and on frozen Lake Mendota.
This family-friendly festival is free and open to the public. It offers a packed schedule of winter activities, including ice skating, snowshoeing, interactive educational opportunities, and the popular Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk. New this year, the festival will host the World Ice and Snow Sailing Championships, a breathtaking spectacle in which athletes race across the ice using skis, snowboards, windsurfing rigs, kites, and sails.
“We launched this festival to help people celebrate our lakes during this magical time of year,” said James Tye, Executive Director of Clean Lakes Alliance. “In the winter, our lakes become our largest parks, offering incredible opportunities to connect with nature and our community.”
This year’s event marks the first time the Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships will be held in North America. Hosted by the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the World Ice and Snow Sailing Association (WISSA), the championships will feature elite and recreational racers competing in categories such as course racing, marathon, speed, short-track slalom, and kite freestyle. Madison is proud to welcome these world-class athletes and their thrilling sport to our frozen lakes.
“This event is about more than just fun on the ice—it’s about coming together as a community to appreciate and protect our lakes year-round,” said Caitlin McAleavey, Watershed Programs Manager at Clean Lakes Alliance. “Whether you’re racing, spectating, or just enjoying the view, you’re helping support a cause that keeps our waters clean and vibrant.”
Mark your calendars! Stay tuned for more details, including a live press event in early January to unveil the full schedule of activities.
About Clean Lakes Alliance
Clean Lakes Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and improving the lakes, streams, and wetlands in the Yahara Watershed of Greater Madison. Through community engagement, advocacy, and collaboration, Clean Lakes Alliance envisions a community renowned for its healthy lakes, lands, and waters.
For more information, visit www.cleanlakesalliance.org.