I know: Considering the oddball inconsistent weather of the past month, the only toast we want to give winter is a frosty one-finger salute. But finally, the weather is cooperating enough for the Third Ward's upcoming Toast to Winter, building off of the St. Paul Fish Company's ice bar last year with not one, not two but three unique hand-carved ice bars to make a chilly night out on the town even cooler. 

Originally set to open on Friday, Jan. 19 – and then rescheduled to open Wednesday, Jan. 24, before rainy, mild weather thawed away the plans yet again – the frosty festivities will now officially open Thursday, Feb. 1, on the corner of Broadway and St. Paul Avenue in the Third Ward.

The three different ice bars  – crafted out of 150 blocks of ice, weighing 23 tons – are all created by Guinness World Record holder Max Zuleta of Art Below Zero. Each locale will have a different unique ice feature, as St. Paul Fish Company will host a dynamic ice wall, Cafe Benelux will showcase both a 3-D lion Bloody Mary ice luge as well as an ice bier wall, and The Wicked Hop will contain an "elegant beer-serving cow." Makes sense. 

Better yet, a portion of the proceeds from each of the ice bar features will go toward charity, with Cafe Benelux sponsoring the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, St. Paul Fish Company benefiting the Fisher House Foundation and The Wicked Hop supporting the ALS Association and Wisconsin Humane Society. 

The three ice bars are expected to open to the public at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, with weather permitting (for real this time). So go bundle up and hit the ice bar(s) – because if we're going to be cope with this winter, we might as well do it in the coolest way possible.