Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Competition

Now through Saturday, February 13 in Washington Park

Kicking off today, February 10, in Washington Park in downtown Dubuque is the return of the Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Competition produced in partnership between the City of Dubuque Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Dubuque Museum of Art.

Teams began carving this morning and will have until noon on Saturday, February. 13, to complete their sculptures, each carved from a six-feet square by eight-feet high block of manufactured snow. This year's event will features 2 professional teams from Dubuque and a student team representing the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

A State of Iowa award winner will be selected by a local jury and will advance to the U.S. National Snow and Sculpting Competition in Lake Geneva, Wis.

Please note that Due to COVID-19 concerns, the traditional Winter Arts’ Saturday afternoon family-event will shift to safer, socially distanced and home-based opportunities in which the public can participate including:

Online voting for the public to vote for their favorite sculpture to win the People’s Choice Award. Link will be posted at noon on Saturday with photos of the completed sculptures.
Daily Winter Arts @ Home suggested activities posted to the Dubuque Museum of Arts Facebook page.
Special interviews with the teams and daily progress videos posted to the City of Dubuque's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs Facebook page.

Drive-by viewing of the sculptures is encouraged; sculptures are located on the Bluff Street side of Washington Park between 7th and 6th Streets. Washington Park will remain open to foot traffic; masks are required and social distancing should be adhered to by those viewing the sculptures on foot.

The event is sponsored by Barton Wealth Management, LLC and supported through in-kind contributions from Sundown Mountain, JaMar Pattern, Inc., Truck Country, and HyVee. Special media coverage by KWWL. The event is sanctioned by WinterFun, Inc.

For additional information and access to online engagement activities, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/winterarts or contact the Dubuque Museum of Art at 563.599.9486 with questions.