By Molly Given

Winter doesn’t slow Manayunk down—it turns it into a spectacle.

On Saturday, Jan. 31, the area’s annual Founders Philly Freeze-Out and MNYK Chowder Crawl will bring ice, beer, and bold flavors to Main Street for a can’t-miss seasonal festival. With ice sculptures, live carving demos, craft beer specials, and steaming bowls of chowder, this open-street event invites visitors to embrace the frost and enjoy one of the city’s coolest traditions.

The day starts with the Freeze Out Run by Philadelphia Runner and New Balance at 9:30 a.m., followed by the official Freeze Out from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then the Chowder Crawl from noon to 4 p.m.

The three-mile run at the beginning of the day will also kick off the series of ice sculptures that festival-goers will see, with Philadelphia Runners debuting theirs at the commencement of the run. The three-miler is free, but registration is required. Anyone interested will also be able to check out new kicks and treats from New Balance. 

Then, the Freeze Out festival will be in full swing with a schedule of live carvings taking place around the neighborhood. The creations are made by Ice Sculpture Philly — a team that’s been part of the event since its first year. The team of artists, led by lead sculptor and owner Peter Slavin, has created concepts for ice sculptures and festivals throughout the world.

As a release notes, this year, Founders Philly Freeze-Out will house six live carving demonstrations throughout the day, and an array of ice sculptures ranging from a Thai leaping horse, a cheeseburger and a depiction of the meme 6/7. A full schedule of locations and times can be found online, but all creations can be found somewhere on Main Street.

The occasion also brings the opportunity for locals to peruse through a winter market (located in a heated tent) with vendors offering items like gourmet nuts, handmade jewelry, ceramics, planters, upcycled clothing, gourmet pickles, candles, doggie bandanas, and more. The day will additionally hold traditional Chinese New Year Lion Dancing with New Leaf at various times throughout the afternoon, a snowy igloo photo-op, an ice fishing giveaway game, food trucks, live music, and more, with plenty of places throughout the day to warm up.

“Founders Philly Freeze-Out is the perfect winter day filled with a combination of fun and community,” says Manayunk Development Corporation Events Manager Carla Ferro. “Peter Slavin and his incredible team do an incredible job of working with the business owners to bring Manayunk to life on ice.”  

As always, visitors will be able to find specials from Founders Beer Company at top restaurants and bars, including: Bayou, Cactus, SOMO, The Rook, Ryan’s Pub, Blondie and more. Manayunk restaurants will be offering limited-time deals and specials on a variety of flavorful brews from the brand, including the Mortal Bloom Imperial Thorn, Devil Root, Centennial IPA, Hoppy Mood and a nonalcoholic beer dubbed Nonetheless.

The Chowder Crawl also gives locals another way to travel through the area for the occasion. For around $18-$25, hungry participants will get one chowder sample from all participating restaurants, a wristband and a custom crawl map. Spots like Manayunk Brewing Company, Lucky’s Last Chance, Chabaa Thai Bistro, The Goat’s Beard and more will be serving up unique options of the seasonal favorite like chipotle chicken chowder, tom kah salmon chowder, turkey corn chowder and traditional clam chowder. The Chowder crawl check-in runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 106 Grape St.

For updates on live carve times, activations, an event map, Chowder Crawl voting and all the frosty fun, guests can download Let’s Rallie – the official app of Founders Philly Freeze Out. For additional information, visit manayunk.com