7P and Surrounding Areas

[Steve D]

Ice Age Coming to Chenango Valley State Park in Southern Tier

Crews at Chenango Valley State Park are setting up what is likely the largest refrigerated outdoor ice rink in North America to host the annual Binghamton Pond Festival, an ice hockey tournament begun in 2016 that has grown to draw youth and adult teams from New York State and beyond.

At 24,200 square feet, this mechanically-generated ice sheet is more than 40 percent larger than the temporary outdoor facilities set up by the National Hockey League, and has helped the four-year-old festival attract adult and youth teams from as far away as California and Texas.

"In addition to creating the wintertime fun, the multi-weekend hockey festival donates money to various youth programs including more than $23,000 so far to fight youth suicide." said Joanne Weir, development director of the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier. The money supports the association’s DFID (Do It For Daron) program, named after a 14-year-old who died by suicide.

Pond Fest starts January 11 at the 1,137-acre park along the Chenango River, which also features sledding and cross-country skiing in the winter. The park’s two lakes – Chenango and Lily – were formed as glaciers retreated at the end of the most recent Ice Age.

Learn more about the festival and other stories at State Parks at the NYS Parks Blog.