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Arts and Culture
Estelle Timar-Wilcox
Stillwater

Teams turning blocks of snow into works of art in downtown Stillwater

A member of Team North Dakota checks his detail work
A member of Team North Dakota checks his detail work during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship on Friday at Lowell Park.
Nicole Neri for MPR News

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Artists from around the globe are in Stillwater this week for the World Snow Sculpting Championship.

The competition started Wednesday morning and runs through Saturday. Twelve teams from eight countries are chiseling their designs out of 10-foot-tall blocks of snow along the St. Croix River in downtown Stillwater.

The teams arrived with sketches for their sculptures; this year’s event will feature several animals and a couple of abstract designs.

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A member of Team North Dakota carves details
A member of Team North Dakota carves details under the watch of the team’s good luck chicken during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News
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Members of Floridian team Team Flozen carve into their sculpture
Members of Floridian team Team Flozen carve into their sculpture during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News
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A member of Team North Dakota carves details
A member of Team North Dakota carves details during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News

The Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce puts on the event. Communications manager Stacie Jensen said it’s popular with both locals and tourists: the competition drew 50,000 visitors last year. Spectators can watch the snow carving up close or through windows in heated tents.

Jensen said it’s a great chance to talk to some of the artists.

“Sculptors like to be asked questions, and people like to ask them what they’re doing, what types of tools they use, what inspired their design, things like that — so they love that. They’re usually able to stop and chat with people,” she said

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Mexico’s Team Colima carves a player of the ancient Mayan ball game
Mexico’s Team Colima carves a player of the ancient Mayan ball game Pok-A-Tok during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News
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Onlookers watch as Team North Dakota works on their design
Onlookers watch as Team North Dakota works on their design during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News
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Snow artists work on their designs
Snow artists work on their designs during Stillwater’s annual World Snow Sculpting Championship.
Nicole Neri for MPR News

Sculptors have until Saturday afternoon to bring their designs to life. Jensen said the sculptors got lucky with this week’s cold spell; the frigid temperatures make for great carving conditions.

“It’s exciting to come down and watch the progress,” Jensen said. “Even each day when you come back, it’s amazing how much more they’ve done on their sculptures. Everybody does something a little bit different.”

The closing ceremony and awards are scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. Festival events wrap up on Sunday.

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