Mother nature set the scene for our arrival at the Minnesota Ice Festival last Friday, where a steady flurry of snow blanketed the winterized expanse of TCO Stadium. It was the perfect weather conditions to wander through the intricate twists and turns of what would soon be announced as the world’s largest ice maze.
As I made my way to the entrance of the maze, I weaved through the life-size igloos, giant ice slide, outdoor skating rink, and various sculptures of ice and snow that decorated the stadium—the charming winter visions that encapsulate this year’s iteration of the Minnesota Ice Festival. Founded by Robbie Harrell in 2013, Minnesota Ice is the nation’s leading manufacturer of sculpture-grade ice, known for its Pure & Clear cocktail ice, artisan ice sculptures, and large-scale ice events. Gathered at TCO Stadium that morning with an official adjudicator from Guiness World Records, Harrell was about to witness the verification of one of Minnesota Ice’s greatest achievements.
“It’s been 18 months in the making and we’re finally here,” Harrell expressed in anticipation of the maze’s grand opening. “It’s going to be really cool to see people embrace the bold north and the winter that we all love here, which is overall what makes us Minnesotan.”
It was Harrell’s intention to beat the world record for the largest ice maze, which previously stood at 12,855.68 square feet. Brittany Dunn, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, confirmed that the maze’s dimensions had been certified by a professional measurer leading up to the opening that morning.

Photo by Emma Enebak
“Today, this maze measures 18,148.88 square feet, making this a brand-new Guinness World Records title,” Dunn confirmed, presenting Harrell with a Guinness World Records-certified plaque to commemorate the achievement.
We applauded as Harrell cut the ribbon on the new world record achievement, officially opening the ice maze to the public. I took a brief tour through the frozen labyrinth, arriving at several dead ends marked by life-size ice sculptures portraying various Minnesota- and winter-related characters, from a giant loon to an animated snowman to several mascots of our state’s professional and college sports teams. Within five minutes, I was completely lost within its intricate alleyways. Gazing up at the twinkling strings of fairy lights above me, I commended the massive ice installation for achieving its sole purpose—to lose Minnesotans in the dream-like bliss of the winter season, which is always better when fully embraced.
To lose yourself in the world’s largest ice maze, visit the Minnesota Ice Festival at TCO Stadium, running Jan. 13- Feb. 16, weather dependent.

Photo by Emma Enebak