The 2025 International Ice Carousel Attempt

This time of year is always last minute, as most of us know. The big lakes are there, waiting for the early morning attempts. Assemble a group and head north when the call goes out. Sure to be a topic tonight.

Other ice happenings this weekend: The Northern Maine Ice Busters (NMIB) are at it again with another record-breaking Ice Carousel attempt. This year, they’re going international with a spinning disk in the middle of the St. John River, spanning the United States and Canadian border.

I witnessed the world-record disk at 1,777 feet in diameter on Long Lake, St. David, Maine, back in 2023. It was quite a sight—an incredible feat of manpower, technology, and machinery.

This year’s International Ice Carousel is ready to start spinning starting tomorrow at the earliest. Good thing our Passports (Cards) have RFID chips to keep track of our entry and exit as the disk spins in the middle of the St. John.

An International Feat of Ice and Engineering

The NMIB are gearing up for their most ambitious project yet: the 2025 International Ice Carousel Attempt. March 14-16, 2025, this groundbreaking event will be held on the St. John River, bridging Van Buren, Maine, and St. Leonard, New Brunswick. Here is a link about the carousel construction

This attempt is unique not only for its scale but also for its international collaboration. NMIB plans to carve and rotate a massive 207-foot-wide ice carousel, marking the first time an ice carousel will span two countries. This effort is more than just an engineering challenge—it’s a symbol of unity and community spirit across borders.

The NMIB team hopes to attract visitors from both the U.S. and Canada, fostering cross-border connections and celebrating the region’s rich winter traditions.

So, grab your passports and keep driving past Loring AFB, site of many landsailing regattas, to the Crown of Maine—this is one icy adventure you won’t want to miss!

Think Ice,

John
DN5023
John@neiya.org