Dragons to Disney Characters
All Frozen and Lit Up
Get a hatchet, a shovel, a toddy in a thermos and some friends--make your own snow sculpture!

Winter festivals and carnivals usually center around snow sculptures and snow games. The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is credited with being the oldest Winter Festival that hosted snow sculpture competitions, back in 1886. Michigan Technological University started it's tradition in 1922. Since that time, it has become a world wide tradition in countries in colder climates--especially in Japan.

Snow sculpting in a competition is a performance art, where spectators can watch the artists at work. A variety of tools are used and the sculptures are usually carved out of a single block of snow weighing 20-30 tons. The snow is artificially made and packed tight. Sometimes, several blocks of snow are added together, making it possible for the sculptures to be up to 30 feet tall and 80-125 feet long.

Winter carnivals usually have a different theme each year, so the sculptures will adhere to the theme. Many states in the USA hold their own competitions, with the winners competing in a national event held in Wisconsin. The Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships began in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. Teams from all over the world compete. The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in china started in 1963, and the Quebec City Winter Carnival started in 1973.

If you live where there is plenty of snow, watch the videos, fill a thermos with a hot toddy, grab a shovel and get started. Make a mound of snow any size you wish (avoid yellow snow) and pack it down tightly. Remove excess snow until you have an outline of your sculpture--use a garden trowel if it is a small sculpture, a hoe if it is larger. If you are working with friends, it might be safer for each to work on their own sculpture. Use a metal spatula to smooth the sculpture and add detail. If a piece falls off, you can usually re-attach it by adding some water and fresh show. When you are done, spray the sculpture lightly with water, and it will freeze, making your sculpture last longer. Have a look at some pictures of sculptures for ideas!