The Butler A.M. Rotary is organizing a cool, new downtown event.

The club will host the Butler Carved in Ice festival Feb. 20 in Diamond Park.

“We’re all very excited about this,” said Peggy Weckerly, a lead organizer with the Rotary.

“We said if we get this going this year, we want to make it into an annual event.”

The festival will feature numerous ice sculptures as well as a chili cook-off with restaurants represented.

Club member Dick Musko told the club he had been to an ice festival in Franklin, Venango County, and pitched the idea for Butler.

“He said ‘why not consider something like that in downtown Butler?’” Weckerly said. “We figured we’d go big or go home.”

The club reserved the date with DiMartino Ice of Greensburg, which does a number of ice festivals.

Weckerly said most such events are well established and put on by larger organizations such as chambers of commerce.

“I’m not aware of another Rotary Club organizing one,” she said.

While it’s a big task, Weckerly said the club has spoken with community officials and the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau for support.

“Anytime you can attract people into the community, it’s a good thing,” said Jack Cohen, tourism bureau president.

Cohen said the festival also is a unique opportunity to bring people to the city during the colder months.

“It’s hard to get any event this time of year,” he said.

Main Street will be closed from Cunningham to Wayne streets for the festival.

Smaller one-block sculptures will be carved in advance and placed in Diamond Park the previous day.

“The big sculptures will be carved on Saturday,” Weckerly said, referencing the pieces that will be made using multiple blocks. “They’re more fun for people to watch.”

Weckerly said there are already different sculptures planned, including a Model-T by Butler County Ford, a Bantam Jeep by Diehl Automotive and a tractor-trailer by Hunter Truck Sales.

The club also thinks there will be an ice slide made up of 12 blocks for children and an ice throne that people get their photograph taken on. There will be vendors and music and possibly a skating rink.

The event is free to attend. It will cost $5 for the chili samples. Temperatures above freezing should not pose a problem, Weckerly said.

Money the club raises will go to its charity, which benefits education and youth services.

The ice event replaces a fundraising dinner gala that the club had hosted.