We had so much fun throughout the nine days of Frozen Assets 2023 and we hope you did too! More than 8,000 lake enthusiasts from near and far joined us for science demonstrations, musical performances, ice skating, food and drinks, ice sculpture carving, a chance to try new winter activities, face painting, networking, a chance to run or walk in the only 5K on a frozen lake in North America, and more! We THANK YOU for supporting lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa!
Join Clean Lakes Alliance for our Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 4th, 2023 at 10 a.m. and run or walk ENTIRELY on a frozen lake!
Take a break from the hilly pavement and bring your stride to the ice. In this 5K race, participants will run, walk, or snowshoe across the ice on iconic Lake Mendota with beautiful views of downtown Madison. The course will start and end at The Edgewater, right in the heart of the Frozen Assets Festival!
Your registration to this event includes admission to the race, an event t-shirt, and optional chip timing! Online registration closes Monday, January 30th for in-person participants. Registration closes on Sunday, February 5th for virtual participants. The registration pricing schedule is below:
$45 In-Person Participant : Through Monday, January 30th at 11:59 p.m.
$50 Day-of Registration : Saturday, February 4th (Register at The Edgewater from 8 – 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 4th or at early packet pickup at The Edgewater on Wednesday, February 1st from 3-7 p.m.))
$55 Virtual Participant : Includes shipping charges for t-shirt and event materials
FREE for children 10 & under with purchase of adult registration
Best of all, your registration supports work to protect and improve water quality in our lakes!
The event will be chip-timed for runners, or sign up for the walk pass for an untimed event. The top three male and female finishers will receive awards. Or, register to participate virtually.
Packet Pick Up
Early Packet Pick Up: Wednesday, February 1st, 3-7 p.m. Beat the rush on race day and pick up your packet early on 5th floor of The Edgewater (immediately inside The Edgewater’s entrance from the parking garage).
Same-Day Packet Pick Up: Saturday, February 4th, 8-9:30 a.m. INSIDE The Edgewater on Level 5 (immediately inside The Edgewater’s entrance from the parking garage on the ice rink level).
Virtual Participants: Clean Lakes Alliance will mail your t-shirt(s) and event materials to you in mid-February.
T-Shirts
If you choose to participate virtually, your t-shirt(s) will be mailed to you in mid-February.
Ice Access
You may access the ice down The Edgewater outdoor stairs, indoors through The Edgewater, at the end of N. Carroll Street to the west, and from James Madison Park to the east.
The annual Frozen Assets Festival will take place on Saturday, February 4th at The Edgewater. As always, this family-friendly daytime event will be FREE and open to all. Learn more at cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.
Weather
Race organizers reserve the right to alter the course due to factors including, but not limited to, ice conditions and weather. If conditions are deemed unsafe, the event may be canceled or moved to an alternate location. Participants will be notified of any changes ahead of the event.
Free Post-race Beverage
All participants 21+ will receive a ticket for a free Michelob Ultra or Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer compliments of Wisconsin Distributors. This complimentary beverage will be available on the Boathouse Deck from 10:30 a.m. – noon.
The Market Café and Icehouse at the Edgewater
The Market Café on the 7th floor and the Icehouse on the 5th floor will be open for coffee and grab-n-go breakfast starting at 7 a.m.
Sponsorships
If you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, email our Development Director Alex Vitanye at alex@cleanlakesalliance.org.
FAQs
Is there parking available? Participants may pay to park at The Edgewater parking ramp. The ramp fills up quickly, so plan to arrive with plenty of time before the run/walk begins. You may also find street parking or use City of Madison parking ramps.
When can I check in or pick up my race packet? Participant check-in and registration the day of the event will begin at 8 a.m. on LEVEL 5 of The Edgewater. The run/walk will begin promptly at 10 a.m. on Lake Mendota.
What shoes should I wear? Participants are encouraged to choose their preferred footwear with weather, ice, and snow conditions in mind. Past runners and walkers have worn spikes, boots, snowshoes, and regular running/tennis shoes.
What is the course like? The 5K course begins off the end of The Edgewater’s pier. Runners and walkers will head out toward Picnic Point, past the Memorial Union, before looping back and finishing at The Edgewater.
Where can I leave personal items during the 5K? We strongly encourage you to only bring items you will use while walking or running. Any bags or gear left at The Edgewater or on Lake Mendota will not be locked or supervised. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
What happens if ice conditions are unsafe? Clean Lakes Alliance will make every effort to hold this event, while keeping safety in mind for all competitors. If conditions are deemed unsafe, the event may be cancelled or moved to an alternate location, with entrance fees being considered a tax-deductible donation to support our lakes. Participants will be notified of any changes ahead of the event.
What is the refund policy? Registrations are transferrable if you become unable to attend.In the event the Frozen Assets 5k Run/Walk needs to be canceled for weather, ice conditions, or any other circumstance, registrants can request a full refund for the price of the participation fee, excluding eventbrite fees.
Join Clean Lakes Alliance on Saturday, February 4th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Frozen Assets! The family-friendly festival on frozen Lake Mendota and at The Edgewater helps connect the community with the lake through free winter activities.
Festival attendees can see skydiving, figure skating, dance, speed skating, science, and large show kite demonstrations. Festival goers can also try pond hockey, snowshoeing, and skating; meet Bucky Badger, see the Mary B. Iceboat up close, and more!
The day will start with the annual Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk on frozen Lake Mendota. Starting and finishing at The Edgewater, the run/walk is the only 5K in North America held entirely on a frozen lake. Registration includes a soft t-shirt compliments of Lands’ End and a post-race beer/seltzer (21+) compliments of Michelob Ultra. Kids 10 and under can participate for free with a registered adult.
Each year, this FUNraiser, FRIENDraiser, and FUNDraiser highlights the year-round value of our lakes, while raising money to protect our waters through lake improvement projects, educational programming, and our volunteer water quality monitoring program.
When the lakes freeze in Greater Madison, they become our largest parks. Clean Lakes Alliance hopes community members and visiting guests can interact with our “frozen assets” and appreciate their importance, even in the middle of the winter. For more information about Frozen Assets, including events and times, visit: cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.
Thank you for supporting our lakes at the Frozen Assets Festival
We had so much fun at the Frozen Assets Festival and hope you did too! Whether you participated in person or virtually, we THANK YOU for supporting lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa!
