100 Scuba Divers descend on Lake Okoboji for the 9th Annual Ice Hole Festival!
ARNOLDS PARK, IA, UNITED STATES, January 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The ninth annual Icehole Festival, the premier gathering for cold-water and ice-diving enthusiasts, returns to West Lake Okoboji in north central Iowa. Widely recognized by major dive-training agencies for driving unprecedented growth in ice diving, the festival continues setting new standards in safety, education, and international collaboration among scuba operators and industry associations.
Ice-diving certifications have more than doubled year-over-year growth in the past five years credited to the festival’s hands-on education model and instructor-development focus. When the event first launched, only five active ice-diving instructors existed in the midwestern US. Today, the festival consistently produces 10 to 15 new instructors annually, along with dozens of newly certified ice divers.
“This event is about building a safe, knowledgeable, and passionate community,” Richard Thomas, owner of Dallas/Fort Worth-based International Scuba, said. Thomas is also one of the event organizers along with scuba diving shops in Missouri, Florida, Indiana, Michigan and Texas. “Our mission has always been to teach divers how to safely operate beneath a roof of ice—and to make it an unforgettable adventure.”
In 2025, the Icehole Festival was featured in the documentary BAD Ice, which explored the challenges, training, and culture behind modern ice diving. The film provided a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation and discipline required to safely execute one of scuba diving’s most extreme environments.
An International Gathering
The Icehole Festival draws divers and dive centers from across North America and beyond. Participants travel from as far as Mexico City and, this year, for the first time, Sweden. Canadian divers also attend annually, drawn by the festival’s technical excellence and unique sense of camaraderie.
Backed by scuba industry, local shops
Longtime Icehole title sponsor Fourth Element is being joined by leading industry equipment manufacturers Poseidon, Big Blue Dive Lights, and xDeep, with each contributing technical equipment and event prizes. Even warm-water companies are jumping in. Master Liveaboards is donating a week-long expedition to Chuuk (Truk Lagoon), one of the world’s most iconic wreck-diving destinations. A special guest at the festival is The Dry Suit Lady who will be traveling from California to be on-site throughout the event providing professional drysuit repair and support.
The world’s largest training agency, PADI, has supported the Icehole Festival since its inception, sending top ice-diving experts each year to promote instructor development and safe-diving standards. This year PADI is joined by SSI for the first time as an official participant, marking a rare and powerful example of cross-agency collaboration in the diving industry.
Dive shops participating in the festival include:
Y-Kiki Divers (MO), Spruce Creek Scuba (FL), Iowa Scuba and Swim (IA), Hightide Scuba (TX), International Scuba (TX), Divers Supply Indy (IN), Choo Choo Diving (TN), Divers Incorporated (MI), American Dive Zone (MI), plus independent instructors and technical divers from across North America.
Permanently at Home in Okoboji
With strong backing from local partners including The Hutt and Bridges Bay Resort, the Icehole Festival has established West Lake Okoboji as its permanent home—bringing winter tourism, international exposure, and global dive interest to the region each year.
Open to the Public
Spectators are welcome. Divers will be on the ice daily from approximately 10:00 AM to late afternoon, Thursday through Sunday.
Media Contact:
Richard Thomas
International Scuba
469-733-7572
Rich@internationalscuba.com
Richard Thomas
International Scuba
+1 469-733-7572
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