Firebrid Burns

Amidst bitter cold, wet snow, ice and sleet, the Phoenixville Firebird was torched on time in Friendship Field Saturday night.

Bistro on Bridge captured the moment and posted a photo on the Bistro's Facebook page.

The ceremonial torching of the bird was the culmination of months of work and political back and forth that at one time had organizers cancelling the tenth annual Firebird Festival.  This was the first year that the bird burning was not held in a downtown location. The festival was moved to Friendship field in the borough's north end, overlooking the valley and in the center of a residential section of Phoenixville.  Downtown merchants still played a big role in the festival and there was space provided for dozens of vendors in the parking lot adjacent to the playing fields where the bird was constructed.

Volunteers started working on building the bird back in October.  Over the course the fall Festival Organizer Henrik Stubbe-Teglbjaerg says hundreds of people volunteered to help build the bird as well as plan, organize and stage the festival.

There was no rain/snow date for this year's event.  Organizer said only high winds would have prevented the bird from being torched.  Phoenixville fire officials were on hand to guard against any potential fire concerns and to make the call to stop to the torching if it had been required.  Conditions at 8:15 p.m. were cold and wet but wind was not a problem and the ceremonial torching of the bird was on.

Hundreds of handmade clay birds were wrapped in foil and placed inside a metal box inside the bird to be kiln-fired during the night.  Those birds were made at gatherings in the weeks leading up to the festival and will become unique keepsakes and gifts for festival fans.

Send us your 2013 Firebird Festival Photos and tell us about your experience.

• Did you brave the wintry conditions?  What did you think of the new location. If you attended the festival, tell us about it in the comments below.  Send photos to Phoenixville@patch.com and put "Firebird Photos" in the subject line.  We'll share your photos with Patch readers.

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• Firebird Festival Now Planned for Friendship Field
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