Sculptors in central Vermont will be bringing their gardening tools, hacksaws, and creativity out of storage and onto public display for the annual Snow Sculpture Competition in Barre scheduled for Saturday, February 13 (10AMdusk), an activity hosted by Studio Place Arts and Millstone Trails Association. Fourteen of the 20 snow sculpture teams are returning to the competition this year, a statement about the fun and competitive spirit of the yearly event.

Teams include experienced stone carvers, clay sculptors, artists, local businesses, community members, and teen groups, who will create their large-scale snowy sculptures in 3 parks in downtown Barre. Most teams are from central Vermont; however two teams will be making the trek from across the state. Leslie Baker, who carved the winning entry at last year’s event – a 9-foot tall, female version of “The Thinker” – will be making the trip to Barre from Burlington, and stone carver Paul Hilliard will be making the trip with his team from the Rutland area.

Last year, the competition included an oversized snowy tractor that children could “drive” by Heather Ritchie and a 6-foot high, blooming rose by Giuliano Ceccinelli, both stone carvers from Barre. Georgia Landau led a team from Studio Place Arts and created a 6-foot tall frog with bulging, icy eyes. This year, there are rumors about a gigantic snowy owl to be created by sculptor Sophie Bettman-Kerston of Worcester, which will be pursuing an oversized mouse by sculptor Joan Gaboriault of E. Montpelier.

“The teams are enthusiastic that we’ve rescheduled the event and we’re optimistic that Mother Nature will produce enough snow in the next couple of weeks to allow us to build 20 6-foot cubes of snow, noted Sue Higby, director of SPA. “We’ve got talented sculptors and teams of snow block builders waiting in the sidelines for the right conditions.”