Snow Sculpture, Chicago Snow Days Festival

In the annals of Chicago’s weather his­tory, snow and January have become an infa­mous com­bi­na­tion; but in 2010, it will be a win­ning combination.

The sec­ond Annual Snow Days Chicago fes­ti­val arrives a lit­tle ear­lier in 2010, open­ing on Friday, Jan. 29 at 4p.m. and con­tin­u­ing on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30–31, 11a.m.-8p.m.

The fes­ti­val returns to Grant Park at Michigan Avenue and Balbo.

“We are proud that the City of Chicago offers free events and fes­ti­vals year-round,” said Executive Director Megan McDonald. “Snow Days Chicago is a fam­ily friendly event that takes our January weather and turns it into some­thing fun.”

The main fea­ture of the event is the Snow Sculpting Competition, in col­lab­o­ra­tion with Snow Visions, Inc. Sculptures will be cre­ated by 15 teams of artists, which this year includes teams from China and Canada, states such as North Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois and two Chicago teams.

Each team of 3 sculp­tors will be cre­at­ing their mas­ter­piece on Chicago’s lake­front in com­pe­ti­tion for prize money; deci­sions on first and sec­ond place will be deter­mined by an expert panel.

Sculptors will begin their process on Wednesday, January 27, need­ing to com­plete their task in time for vot­ing on Saturday, Jan. 30. Festival atten­dees will select the win­ner of the People’s Choice Award. Voting takes place on Saturday, Jan. 30, 11a.m. until 4p.m. and win­ners will be announced at a cer­e­mony later that day.

Sketches of the sculp­tures are avail­able on the Snow Days Chicago Web site.

Additionally, 12 teams rep­re­sent­ing Chicago Public High Schools will design and com­plete sculp­tures for dis­play only. Schools par­tic­i­pat­ing with stu­dent teams are Chicago High School for the Arts, Douglass High School, Foreman High School, Lane Tech High School (2 teams), Gage Park High School, Walter Payton College Preparatory, Lake View High School, Northside College Preparatory (2 teams), Bronzeville Scholastic Institute, and Gallery 37 (var­i­ous schools).

Back from last year’s event are the Green Valley Dog Drivers pro­vid­ing dog sled demon­stra­tions and weight pulling and snow­board­ers from the Raging Buffalo Snowboard/Ski Park USASA Team.

Plus the “Activities Igloo” will include plenty of fun ways to warm up such as sto­ry­telling, arts and crafts and a Radio Disney show on Saturday 1-2p.m.

Snow Days Chicago will cre­ate its own snow, tem­per­a­ture per­mit­ting, in mid-January. Snow is then packed into 10 ft blocks suit­able for sculpt­ing. (Student teams will carve smaller blocks that are 6 ft tall.) Last year’s first place win­ner, “A Bug’s Life” is pic­tured here.

The Mayor’s Office of Special Events rec­om­mends pub­lic trans­porta­tion to all its events. Parking is avail­able nearby at the Millennium Garage, East Monroe and Grant Park Underground.

For more infor­ma­tion on Snow Days Chicago, visit snowdayschicago.us or call 312–744-3315.

Snow Days Chicago is pre­sented by the City of Chicago and spon­sored by Chicago’s Essex Inn, Whole Foods, WBBM AM Newsradio 780, Jack FM, Cuties Clementines and Crush.

Photo by kendoman26(on hold)

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