On February 28, the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce Membership celebrated the Fire & Ice Festival “Into the Wild” beneficiaries, volunteers, and sponsors during their February Business After Hours event hosted by The Salted Rim Margarita Bar & Grille. This year’s festival contributed a total of $38,096 to seven local nonprofits.

The Fire & Ice Drink Competition, Tasting Tour, and Beach Liquors Beer Garden beneficiary, Beebe Healthcare’s South Coastal Emergency Department & Cancer Center, received $23,500 from proceeds raised through these three events. Tasting Tour Restaurant Sponsors included Beach Liquors, Bethany Blues, DiFebo’s Restaurant, Fins Ale House & Raw Bar, Good Earth Market, Hooked Up, JR’s Seafood Shack, Off the Hook, Mango’s, Mio Fratello, Signatures at Bayside, The Cottage Café, The Salted Rim, Via Sophia by the Sea, and Vista Rooftop. Restaurant Sponsors also participated in the Fire & Ice Drink Competition, sponsored by Banks Wines and Spirits, on January 14^th at Mango’s hosting a sell-out crowd of over 250 patrons. The Tasting Tour sold out at 600 tickets in the weeks ahead of the Fire & Ice weekend. Beach Liquors sponsored the Town of Ocean View’s Beer Garden in John West Park, which raised $7,860 and featured an incredible 900 square foot inflatable pub. Beer Garden increased revenues by nearly $2,000 from last year’s festival.

The Millville Volunteer Fire Company raised $7,865 from proceeds from the Fire & Ice Chili Cookoff and s’mores sales at the Millville Boardwalk fire pits. The Fire & Ice Chili Cookoff sold out and had over 500 attendees in its third year. The Millville Boardwalk s’more kits contributed $650 in donations.

The skating rink sponsored by Lord’s Landscaping and SavvyDerm Skin Clinic along with donations at the Bethany Beach Inflatables sponsored by Bethany Beach Books & The Book Drop benefitted the Lord Baltimore Elementary PTO.  A total of $3,000 in contributions were raised and will benefit the SRO officer and the outdoor classroom initiative.

Santa’s Letters, a nonprofit dedicated to helping local families in need, was presented a check for $1,495 from food vendor and Friday sales at the Salted Vines Vineyard and Winery. The Believe in Tomorrow Foundation benefitted from this year’s Community Ice sponsor and received a check for $610. A group of friends, under the sponsor name “Coastal Comrades,” were the first to participate in the Community Ice Initiative. Additional beneficiaries included the DE Center for the Inland Bays and Scout Troop 281 who were both on-site interacting with festival guests and fundraising at John West Park during Fire & Ice Weekend.

In addition to the beneficiaries, the Chamber spent over $12,000 from local businesses for festival expenses, staying true to its mission. The Chamber is grateful for all 93 business partners, partnering towns, and the 90+ volunteers who help make the festival possible.  Look for the return of the Fire & Ice Festival on January 31 – February 2, 2025. Next year’s theme will be “A Weekend for the Books!” To find out more visit fireandicede.com or follow @fireandicede.