Ice bar a 'cool' way to enjoy a drink at River's Edge
John Janisse knows Windsorites can't visit Plymouth, Mich., this year for the annual Ice Sculpting festival, and Quebec's famous ice hotels are far away, so he decided to give his patrons at the River's Edge Tap and Table on Riverdale Avenue the next best thing.
"I just thought it would be kind of a fun, cool idea to create our own ice bar right here in the most southern part of Canada," Janisse said.
So he ordered up 220 blocks of ice from a Chatham firm last week and on Friday, he assembled the bar on the patio overlooking Little River.
"It was pretty cold putting it together," he said.
But the effort paid off as he says clients have been coming in droves to have a drink and take selfies with friends at the bar.
He even installed multi-coloured track lighting in the blocks to add a bit of a glow at night. The blocks change colours such as blue and orange.
WATCH: Tap the player below to see the ice bar in action.
"It's been received very, very well," he said.
"I think it's a unique, phenomenal idea," said customer and friend Ron Friest. "And it's just great to be outside and enjoying something unique and special with great friends."
With temperatures expected well above freezing for several days, the ice bar may not stay frozen for long but Janisse is hoping to keep it up until next week.
"At night we pack it with snow to keep it protected," he said.
If weather permits, Janisse will build another ice bar this season, and likely next year.
