Visitors are encouraged to come out to the Vulcan Snow Park  presented by City-County Credit Union, to watch sculptors at work during opening weekend (January 24-26). Finished sculptures remain on display for the duration of the Winter Carnival and are individually lit after dark for a truly special viewing and photography experience.

Sculptures on display:

Exhibition sculpture – A team of experienced snow artists create a giant sculpture in the week leading up to the Snow Park and during the opening weekend (January 24-26). Whatever the subject matter, the resulting sculpture is always enormous and spectacular.

Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competition entries – Three-person teams from throughout Minnesota transform 8′ x 8′ x 8′ blocks of compacted snow into works of art over two and a half days (January 24-26), using only hand tools.*

Amateur Snow Sculpting Contest entries – Three-person teams from throughout Minnesota transform 4′ x 4′ x 6′ blocks of compacted snow into works of art over eight hours on a single day (January 25), using only hand tools.

Snow Park at the Fair is open daily until 10 pm; entry and parking are free.

*Fun fact: One cubic foot (a square block that measures 1′ x 1′ x 1′) of compacted snow weighs approximately 30 pounds. The initial 8′ x 8′ x 8′ blocks of snow used for the Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competition can weigh around 7 tons or more. The finished competition sculptures weigh less, but still generally weigh well over a ton.

Schedule:

• Friday, Jan. 24
  8 am to 10 pm – Exhibition sculpture progresses
  8 am to 10 pm – State Competition sculptures get started
• Saturday, Jan. 25
  8 am to 10 pm – Exhibition sculpture progresses
  8 am to 10 pm – State Competition sculptures progress
  8 am to 4 pm – Amateur Contest sculptures created (start to finish)
  4:30 pm – Amateur Contest winners announced
• Sunday, Jan. 26
  8 am to 10 pm – Amateur Contest finished sculptures on display
  8 am to 1 pm – Exhibition sculpture progresses
  8 am to 1 pm – State Competition sculptures progress
  11:00 am to 1:30 pm – State Competition People’s Choice Award voting (vote for your favorite sculpture!)
  1 pm to 10 pm – State Competition finished sculptures on display
  2 pm – State Competition winners announced                                                                                     

Presented by:

More information:

• Location details »
• Safety information »
• Snow Park at the Fair events »