Bruges axes its popular Christmas ice sculpture festival

Bruges axes its popular Christmas ice sculpture festival and replaces its ice rink with a plastic version over climate fears The Belgian city will use a synthetic ice rink and move it out of a heritage site  Officials fear that the carbon footprint of cooling large amounts of ice is too high But organisers slammed the decision, saying the event had 200,000 visitors 

By Tim Stickings For Mailonline

Published: 12:58 BST, 14 June 2019 | Updated: 12:58 BST, 14 June 2019

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The city of Bruges has cancelled its popular Christmas ice sculpture festival over concerns about its environmental impact. 

The Belgian city will replace its ice rink with a plastic version and move it away from its central market square, a UNESCO world heritage site. 

Bruges officals are making the switch amid fears about the carbon footprint of the cooling systems needed for the ice exhibition. 

But their decision has prompted outrage from event organisers. 

Alexander Deman, the lead organiser, told Belgian media that the move had ruined plans for an ice event themed around Frozen 2. 

The city of Bruges has cancelled its popular Christmas ice sculpture festival (pictured in November 2015) over concerns about its environmental impact

The city of Bruges has cancelled its popular Christmas ice sculpture festival (pictured in November 2015) over concerns about its environmental impact 

The Disney film, the sequel to the 2013 movie, is due to be released in November this year, just as the festival would begin. 

Speaking to Belgium's Radio 2, he said the festival, which had been running since 2000, would use no more energy than a restaurant or supermarket. 

He also published the event's energy bill, saying it had cost just over €26,000 - a similar level to a mere 10 Flemish families' annual bill, he suggested.  

'It is not so

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