Cool Competition in Stillwater this Weekend

STILLWATER (WJON News) -- The best snow sculptors in the world will be in Minnesota this week.

The 2nd Annual World Snow Sculpting Championship Competition is in Stillwater. It is sanctioned by an organization based out of Finland.

Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Stacie Jensen says 12 sculpting teams from eight countries qualified by winning regional events.

These teams are coming from places like Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, and then a couple of teams from Wisconsin and even one from Florida.

She says despite all the natural snow we've had so far this winter, they did need to make some fresh snow specifically for the event.

Because of all the snow we've had, people just assume we could just pick it up and use it, but it actually has to be fresh clean snow that is made for the sculptors.  They can't use what's on the ground with the dirt and snow.  It has to be freshly made.

Jensen says the team from Afton Alps brought their equipment over to make the snow.

Jensen says workers are building the snow forms Monday and Tuesday. The sculpting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. A Market & Warming House will open starting on Friday evening. The closing and awards ceremony is Saturday afternoon. A block party will also be held on Saturday.

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Jensen says they are hoping the snow sculptures will last into at least early February.

Last year Stillwater had over 40,000 visitors attend the World Snow Sculpting Competition.