What better way to kick off the winter season in Colorado, then with the traditional, annual Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship.
The concept of snow carving goes as far back as the 1960s. It started during Breckenridge’s famous Ullr Fest, pronounced Oool-er, a festival dedicated to the Norse God of Snow. The winter god would travel across Breck on his skis, leaving the town covered in snow. Every year, Breck throws a feast for Ullr for good luck in the hopes he will bring snow. During Ullr Fest, snow carving was a common activity that took place. In 1990, this pastime turned into the inaugural Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Competition held in February. Today, over 45,000 people attend the event annually.
250 teams from around the world are invited to compete in the event, but only 16 are selected. In 2019 teams included China, Mongolia, Italy, India, Turkey and more. The event begins with what is known as “Stomping week,” where 12-foot, 20-ton blocks of snow are created for the teams through literal stomping. Each team, consisting of 4 artists, is given 5 days (96 hours) to sculpt a work of art from a 50,000 pound block of ice. The most intriguing part of this? They are not allowed to use power tools. No internal support or colorants are allowed, all they can use is ice. They are only allowed to use hand-made tools, think vegetable peelers, chicken wires, and small saws.
The result is an art gallery rich in 3D works of art. The sculptures remain on display for the people of Breck for a full week. In the evening they are beautiful lit with colorful LED light displays, adding the cheer of the town. The works of art are displayed in front of the Riverwalk Performing Arts Center. The blocks of ice form a pathway where you can admire the work in the evenings. At the end of the path are food trucks, music, and detached ski lift chairs set next to warm fire pits. It’s a truly fun celebration! This year, the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship was sponsored by Toyota, so there was a Toyoto car shaped ice block as well.
The 2019 top three winners were as follows:
The winners do not receive any sort of prize. What they receive is an intrinsic reward to be the winner of this communal, hard working, and artistic movement known as the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship. If your still craving more excitement, light shows, and artistic wonder, head down Breck’s Main Street for more exploration and adventure!
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