After a three-year hiatus, Knox County Park District’s Fire and Ice event is set to return this year at Honey Run Waterfall on Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m.
One of Knox County’s flagship winter events, Fire and Ice faced difficulty during the pandemic. In 2020, social distancing protocols made it impossible to host a high volume of guests, even at an outdoor venue. In 2021, it was canceled due to inclement weather. However, organizers say it was worth bringing back, and 2022 was the right time.
“Because we know COVID is here to stay, most people are learning to live with it,” said Lori Totman, Knox County Park District director. “More people are vaccinated, and if they're not, they're still wearing masks. We just thought the timing was good.”
Another reason to resurrect the event is its tie-in with Food For The Hungry, a fundraiser to combat food insecurity. People attending Fire and Ice can drop off donations of nonperishable food items in the parking lot of Millwood Church of Christ. From the church parking lot, guests will be whisked away via shuttle to Honey Run Waterfall, where 600 luminarias will greet them.
Back in 2014, the district was looking for a spectacular winter event, something different from what other districts were doing. So, they came up with putting out luminarias.
"You create winter luminarias by taking a bag, filling it up with sand, you put a candle inside, and that's where the fire park comes from," Totman said. "And then the ice, due to the waterfall this time of year, we were hoping to have snow and ice. And that's where the whole idea of Fire and Ice at Honey Run came from."
Luminarias are popular during the holiday season. Sometimes they are used to add beauty to outdoor holiday designs. Some people use them as a memory to symbolize a loss.
The Honey Run Waterfall stretches 25 feet and is carved out of blackhand sandstone. It's similar to the ecosystems found in Hocking Hills in southeastern Ohio.
"It's not just a few luminarias; we have 600 bags with candles that are put together by volunteers and lighted by volunteers," Totman said. "We invite the community to place the luminarias along the trails. A trail goes to the Kokosing State Scenic River, and a trail takes people to the waterfall. The lighted bags are placed along the trail to lead visitors to the waterfall or the scenic river. It's magical to have a lighted way on the trail leading to the waterfall.”
The Park District, which Totman said is almost entirely levy-funded, faces a more fiscally sound future thanks to a levy Knox County voters approved on Nov. 8. The 0.35 mill levy is earmarked to develop and improve park and bike trails for five years, according to the Board of Elections.
