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Welcome to the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival!

Welcome to the unique ice sculpture exhibition Art Below Zero Amsterdam, where top ice artists (also known as ‘carvers’) from across the globe come together to transform 500 tons of ice and snow into 135 breathtaking artworks that honor Amsterdam's colorful past and rich cultural legacy. Featuring breathtaking ice sculptures, an audio tour, a 4D experience, and entertainment for all ages, it is the largest ice exhibition in Europe that commemorates the city's 750th anniversary!

Art Below Zero Amsterdam Netherlands Ice Sculpture or Ijsbeelden Festival Amsterdam 2024-2025 Europe’s Largest Ice Art Exhibition

What is the theme of this year’s Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival?

This year's theme of Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival is "The Story of Amsterdam." To celebrate the city’s 750th anniversary, Amsterdam’s Central Market Hall will be transformed into a frozen museum tracing the city’s historical journey from the founding of the city in 1275 as a small fishing village to becoming the bustling capital of the Netherlands today, via ice sculptures depicting the postcard-perfect canal-lined cityscape, iconic monuments like the Rijksmuseum and the Royal Palace, illustrious places like the Red Light District and the Artis Zoo, legendary people like Anne Frank and Johnny Jordaan, paintings of famous Dutch painters like Rembrandt and Vermeer, and important events like participation in Olympics and winning the Euro Cup!

What to See at the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival?

With over 135 sculptures up to 6 meters tall carved out of 500 tons of ice and snow maintained at -10 degrees Celcius, this is the largest ice exhibition in Europe. The international master ice artists use chainsaws, chisels, gas burners, and other equipment to create these amazing masterpieces on over 500 tons of ice and snow. You can also book an audio tour to get an overview of the sculptures that you will see at the festival.

How are these Ice Sculptures Created?

The journey starts months before the first chunk of ice is formed. A group of designers and artists from around the world work together to create 3D models and sketches. The ice is, of course, the exhibition's cornerstone. Special crystal-clear ice, created under carefully monitored settings to remove air bubbles, is used for this purpose. This guarantees a perfect, glass-like finish that accentuates the sculptures' fine features. These enormous blocks of ice are then carefully carried to the venue where the magic happens. The carvers carve the sculptures while the construction workers create the scenes meticulously. Finally, the immersive environment is created by the usage of snow to soften transitions between sculptures and careful positioning of the lighting.

Special Exhibition - Ice Sculpting Workshop

After completing the main exhibition, you can participate in a creative workshop to discover the craft of sculpting and make your own ice masterpiece under the guidance of skilled ice carving masters. You will also learn more about the science behind this ice-cold building block. Have you ever wondered why the ice you take out of the freezer is often hazy? This is due to the fact that it freezes too rapidly, trapping tiny contaminants and air bubbles. Conversely, clear ice melts more slowly and is ideal for your beverage. You have to first boil and then gradually freeze water to get clear ice. You can learn all of this and much more in the workshop!

What Else to Do at the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival?

The Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival is a fun family outing. In addition to taking a stroll around the striking sculptures, there are kid-friendly activities like a play area, and a treasure hunt among others. There is also an ice bar and food court at the venue where you can have authentic Amsterdam delicacies or warm yourself up with a cup of hot chocolate.

Sustainability

The organizers of the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival use rainwater to make the ice sculptures, which they return back to nature after the festival. To reduce energy usage, they employ solar panels and locally produced energy wherever feasible. In this way, they ensure that we can take in stunning artwork while minimizing the environmental impact!

Visiting the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival

Address: Centrale Markthal, Jan van Galenstraat 6, 1051 KM Amsterdam

GPS Coordinates: 52.3764° N, 4.8668° E

This map was created with Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

Dates: 21 December, 2024 to 2 March, 2025

Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 CET

Parking: You can look for paid street parking (which is often expensive and difficult to find in Amsterdam) near the venue. We did that and actually found one right across the street from the venue. However, if you can’t find a street parking near the venue, you can park at one of the following parking garages -

Tetterode parking (Address: Willem de Zwijgerlaan 334-338, 1055 RD Amsterdam) - 10 min walking
ParkBee Donker Curtiusstraat (Address: Donker Curtiusstraat 11, 1051 JM Amsterdam) - 10 min walking
Q-Park Europarking (Address: Marnixstraat 250, 1016 TL Amsterdam) - 23 min walking
Parkeergarage De Hallen (Address: Bellamyplein 41, 1053 AT Amsterdam) - 23 min walking
Q-Park Bos en Lommer (Address: Leeuwendalersweg 23 B, 1055 JE Amsterdam) - 35 min walking

Public Transport: From wherever you are, travel to the Amsterdam Central Train Station. From there, take bus 18 towards Louweshoek and get off at the Markthallen after 9 stops.

Dress: Dress appropriately to stay warm enough for a couple of hours at -10 degrees Celcius. Get your caps and gloves.

Food and Drinks: Bringing your own food and beverages to the festival is prohibited. However, there is an ice bar and food court at the venue where you can have authentic Amsterdam delicacies or warm yourself up with a cup of hot chocolate.

Photography/Videography: It's allowed to take pictures using a camera or cell phone without a flash. Tripods and other large equipment are not allowed. Audio and video recordings are only permitted for personal use.

Accessibility: The Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival is completely accessible for guests with disabilities. However, there are no wheelchairs available on the spot.

Pets: Pets are not allowed at the festival apart from assistance dogs.

Group Visit: If you want to attend the festival in a large group like that with your colleagues at work or a school trip, check out their group packages at artbelowzero.nl/ABZ-Arrangementen-English.pdf and/or contact them at their Email ID provided below.

Tickets: To prevent disappointment at the door, we advise buying your time-slot tickets online in advance. Select the day and time that work best for you. However, if you have made a last-minute decision to attend you can also purchase tickets (for vacant time slots) at the entrance itself. To book tickets in advance, please visit their official website mentioned below.

Official Website of the Organizers: artbelowzero.nl/en

Official Email IDs of the Organizers: zakelijk@artbelowzero.nl

Epilogue

So that was all about the Art Below Zero Amsterdam Ice Sculpture Festival 2024-2025. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.

And if you are interested in visiting other ice sculpture festivals in the Netherlands, please read our article The Dutch Ice Sculpture Festival 2024-2025 | Netherlands Ijsbeelden Festival Biddinghuizen 2024-2025, or if you want to explore some more hidden treasures in the Netherlands, please read our article Netherlands Off The Beaten Track | 42 Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands, or if you want to know about more such places to take fantastic pictures in the Netherlands, please read our article Instagrammable Netherlands | 38 Best Photography Locations in the Netherlands | 38 Top Photo Spots in the Netherlands. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!