Rules
State Competition
A team shall be comprised of three members maximum, two members are acceptable. Team members must be 18 years of age or older. For three member teams, the captain plus 1 of the other sculptures must be a state resident and for two member teams, the captain must be a state resident. Amateurs/professionals are eligible; sculptors may participate on only one team.
Each team is assigned (by lottery) a block of snow in Sinnissippi Park which is 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 10 feet high. Finished pieces may not expand beyond 12 feet in diameter, top to bottom. Height is unlimited.
No media other than snow, ice, and water may be used; colorants may not be added
No armatures are allowed.
Sculptors must use their own tools. No power tools are permitted.
Sculptures have to be fully finished on all sides before voting begins on Saturday.
Rockford Area High School Competition
The Rockford Area High School Snow Sculpting Competition is open to any high school in northern Illinois, limited to one team per school.
Each high school team is comprised of four students and one adult advisor (teacher or parent). Advisors provide technical support and supervision for high school teams, but may not physically assist in the actual sculpting.
Each team is assigned (by lottery) a block of snow in Sinnissippi Park which is 4 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 6 feet high. Finished pieces may not expand beyond 7 feet in diameter, top to bottom. Height is unlimited.
No media other than snow, ice, and water may be used; colorants may not be added.
No armatures are allowed.
Sculptors must use their own tools. No power tools are permitted.
Sculptures have to be fully finished on all sides before voting begins on Saturday.
Judging Criteria for Both Competitions
Evaluation of the sculptures is done by the sculptors themselves, using the following guidelines:
Creativity – 50 points
Originality of expression and research
Technique – 30 points
Use of materials, team cohesiveness, and excellence in execution
Message – 20 points
Visual force and clear comprehension of the message presented through the sculpture
FAQ
How long has the competition been going on?
The annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition began in 1987. You can read more history at ilsnowsculpting.com.
Where do you get your snow?
In the past, the Park District had to rely on Mother Nature to provide enough snow for the competition to take place. That is no longer the case. In 2016, we acquired two snowmaking machines capable of running off city water at Sinnissippi Park to make snow. We need to make 32,000 cubic feet of snow to form the snow blocks.
What does it cost to enter?
There is no entry fee for the competitors. Once they arrive at the competition, meals are provided with the help of sponsors. Hotel accommodations for out-of-town sculptors are provided by Riverview Inn and Suites.
What do the teams win?
Trophies; there are no cash prizes. The team that wins first place earns the right to represent Illinois in the following year’s U.S. National competition.
What kind of tools are used?
Axes, machetes, water buckets, shovels, ice chisels, and homemade scraping tools are examples of tools used. The sculptors may not use any power tools or pre-fabricated molds.
How many people are on each team?
The state teams have three people, and it must be the same three people who start working on the project who finish. The high school teams have four students and one adult advisor (who is not allowed to sculpt).
How much time do they have to work on their sculptures?
State teams can start on Wednesday, and have until that Saturday morning by 10:00 am to finish. Some teams will work in the evening. The high school teams start their work at 10:00 am on Thursday.
How big are the blocks of snow they start with?
The state team blocks are 6’ x 6’ x 10’ high. These blocks weigh about 2½ tons. The high school blocks are 4’ x 4’ x 6’ high. Are there any restrictions on their artwork size? State team sculptures may not expand beyond 12’ in diameter. There is no height limitation. High school team sculptures may not expand beyond 7’ in diameter, and height is also unlimited. One year, there was a piece that was nearly 25’ high! Building these snow blocks is no small feat but thanks to Fran Volz and Fred Gardner, in 2019 we were able to greatly improve the efficiency of the block building process. Fran designed and constructed new block forms, making it easier and safer to compress the snow inside the forms. Fred constructed a trailer (also designed by Fran) that allows our park maintenance team to easily move the forms from site to site in the park.
Is the park is lit after dark for sculpture viewing?
Yes, in addition to the standard lights in the park there are lights place at each block location to allow the sculptors to work after dark.