Warm weather causes havoc at Saskatoon's Frosted Gardens ice sculpture festival

Warm weather has thrown a wrench into Saskatoon's Frosted Gardens ice sculpture festival, postponing the event's opening until Monday.

This week's unseasonably toasty temperatures have caused many of the festivals sculptures to melt, delaying the festival's opening until Monday.

"The carvings are not appealing to see, because they've been completely damaged," said artistic director Peter Fogarty. "Over the course of the next week, a few of those pieces will be replaced with substitute pieces."

The festival's carvers are now busy at work replacing the damaged pieces. Organizers are confident temperatures are cold enough to keep the ice solid.

"There will be a lot of live carving going on throughout the event," said Fogarty. "Some on the weekend, and a few on the evening, when I have time."

Organizers are doing their best to protect the sculptures, using tarps to ward off damaging UV rays.

The festival will run every day in the Delta Bessborough Gardens until Feb. 19.