Maple Grove Ice Castles closed for the season

Warm weather forces more event closures

High temperatures have been above freezing, wreaking havoc on outdoor winter activities.

After only being open for one week, organizers of the Ice Castles in Maple Grove say they have officially closed for the season as of Thursday.

According to the announcement, thousands of people were able to visit the attraction that was one of many to be hampered by the unseasonably warm winter weather.

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“We tried to stay open as long as the weather would let us, and unfortunately, it has been much warmer than anyone could have anticipated in this historic Minnesota season,” said Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird.

The attraction opened on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 11 days later than the initial opening date.

The Ice Palace in Delano opened a few days earlier, and also closed early for the same reason.

RELATED: Ice Palace in Delano closing 1 week after opening due to weather

Greg Anzelc, the Executive Director for Experience Maple Grove, said the city continues to look forward to future ice castles.

“Our disappointment in record warmth forcing this difficult decision is met with appreciation for the Ice Castles team, the amazing Castles they did build and the excitement and attention this event brought to Maple Grove,” said Anzelc.