CAMDEN, Maine — Snow sculptors from around New England are scheduled to arrive Jan. 31 to begin creating their artworks on the town’s Village Green as part of the only nationally sanctioned competition in Maine.
The sculpture competition is part of the Camden Winterfest, which runs from Jan. 3 through the U.S. National Toboggan Championships Feb. 6-8.
In conjunction with the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition held annually in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the Camden Winterfest Committee has been offered the chance to hold the state’s only sanctioned snow sculpture event, according to a news release from the Winterfest organization.
The winning team, which will be announced at noon on Feb. 1, will travel to the U.S. Snow Sculpting Nationals in the winter of 2016 to represent Maine. Teams from many states compete in the national event, which has competitors march into the arena carrying the flag of their home state.
The Camden Snow Bowl is instrumental in making the snow sculpture competition a reality, according to Winterfest. The ski resort has snow-making machines. Camden’s Department of Public Works trucks will carry in the snow to create 8-foot-tall blocks of snow for competitors to work with.
Residents will see the six large blocks begin to appear around Jan. 28, with volunteers using sheets of plywood to create rectangular forms within which the snow will be placed. The volunteers will then stomp on the snow inside the forms to pack it down. The columns of snow then must sit for three days to harden before the plywood forms will be removed, leaving behind marble-like columns of snow for competitors to sculpt.
Students from the Watershed School and the Wayfinder School have volunteered to help build the snow forms.
Entry forms for Camden’s snow sculpture competition may be downloaded from the Winterfest website.
Camden Winterfest 2015 is a community celebration of winter. In addition to the snow sculptures competition, community ice carving and family events will take place during the kickoff in the Camden Library Amphitheater. A freestyle ski competition in Harbor Park called the “CamJam” will feature freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Winterfest continues all week with events at the Camden Opera House and Library each weeknight.
The band Red Molly of New York will appear Thursday, Feb. 5, followed by Friday’s downtown dance featuring the local band Just Teachers, and Saturday’s snowplow parade and fireworks. Competitions with the 25th U.S. Toboggan Nationals are scheduled Friday through Sunday.
More information can be found at www.camdenwinterfest.com.
Camden Winterfest enjoys wide community participation, including from members of the Camden Downtown Business Group, Camden Snow Bowl, Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Camden Public Library, along with efforts by Town of Camden public crews and citizen volunteers. For more information on participating as a volunteer, please email winterfest@CamdenMaineExperience.com.