Ice officially goes out at Joe’s Pond

WEST DANVILLE, Vt. (WCAX) - It’s a sure sign of spring in Vermont-- the ice went out on Joe’s Pond Sunday morning according to the Joe’s Pond Association.

On their website, they say the ice went out at 4:02 am.

“Joe’s Pond has probably the largest ice-out contest in the United States,” said Michelle Walker of the Joe’s Pond Association.

The Northeast Kingdom contest has been going on since the 1980s. Records have been kept since 1988, and the earliest the block has fallen in was April 5th in 2010. Each year, the association puts the block tethered to a clock out on the ice. When the ice melts, and the block falls through and the clock records the ice-out time.

“It’s a common thread that connects all of us on the pond and people off the pond, as well,” Walker said.

The Joe’s Pond Association charges $1 per ticket and they sold more than 17,000.

“I love it all, it’s a wonderful contest because almost anybody can afford one dollar for a guess,” Walker added.

As of Sunday, the winner had not yet been announced, but that winner will take home more nearly $7,000.

“If there’s more than one winner, then the pot gets split. This year the pot is $6,974 for the winner or winners,” Walker said.

Once the winner or winners claim their prize, the rest goes to the Joe’s Pond Association.

The winner will be announced later this week.

This year marked the 37th year of the winter tradition. Last year, the ice broke on April 17 at 10:18 p.m. More than 11,000 tickets were sold.

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