BRECKENRIDGE — For 32 years, Breckenridge has been inviting artists from around the world to compete and create in a spectacular snow sculpting competition where enormous blocks of the frozen medium of choice are transformed into a dazzling, temporary sculpture garden.
The monolithic blocks of snow that are proffered to the visiting teams of international artists are crafted locally by groups of individuals spending a not-inconsiderable amount of time stomping the cold soon-to-be-cubes into the proper shapes. By the time the blocks are complete, they measure 10x10x12 feet and weigh in at approximately 25 tons apiece.
Artists then spend five days (and nights if necessary) shaping the enormous quantities of wintry substance into mind-boggling sculptures of immense size and complexity utilizing an array of hand tools that range from standardized sculpting items to kitchen and gardening implements to craftily customized contraptions.
This year's competition saw three states and seven countries represented, with artists traveling all the way from Germany, Switzerland, India, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, and Lithuania.
Every year, the Snow Sculpture Organizing Committee sends 250 invitations in June and receives artist submissions in August. A selection committee reviews the entries and decides which teams to invite. Selected teams provide their own transportation to Denver and are supported by a travel stipend. The Organizing Committee, along with the help of many local sponsors, takes care of artist meals, transportation from DEN and lodging in Breckenridge.
If you're interested in viewing these amazing sculptures, the viewing week runs through February 1st. Following that, the sculptures will be coming down and you'll have to wait (in anxious anticipation probably) for the 2024 International Snow Sculpting Championships.
As a final note on the best time to view the sculptures, the Breckenridge Tourism Office recommends swinging by in the evening when the sculptures are illuminated by colorful lighting.
For more information on the event, CLICK HERE.
