Large-scale snow sculptures and other winter art projects to be displayed at annual event in Driggs
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The following is a news release and photo from the Downtown Driggs Association.
DRIGGS – The Downtown Driggs Association is excited to announce plans for the 11th Annual Driggs Snowscapes: The Art of Sculpting Snow. This must-see public art experience highlights the beauty of winter with large-scale snow sculptures on the Driggs City Plaza, 60 South Main Street. Active sculpting days on the Plaza are January 16-20th.
Tuesday, January 10th marks the advent of Snowscapes as Mills Concrete, Driggs Public Works, and Avail Valley Construction work to build nine large concrete forms and fill them with more than 30 tons of snow harvested from Tributary’s unplowed roads. Starting Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. until the final bell on Jan. 20 at 10 p.m., 25 professional snow sculptors from Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington will transform the plaza into an ephemeral, awe-inspiring, monumental art installation. A team of high student sculptors from South Fremont High School in St. Anthony, and two teams from Driggs Middle School represent the new generation of snow sculptors who will create smaller exhibit style sculptures that will not be part of the juried competition. Professional local sculptors Tye Tilt and Doug Cassidy visited classrooms at both schools to teach students what it takes to sculpt outdoors using snow as a medium.
A Driggs Snowscapes Community Block Party and Awards Ceremony will take place outdoors at Driggs Plaza on Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event will feature a new Quick Sculpt Competition from 1-2 p.m. that involves up to 10 artists carving 4-foot tall snow block into any design of their choosing. Individual artists will have one hour to complete their sculpture as the crowd watches. A $300 cash prize will be awarded to the winner.
The main event, which is the juried competition awards ceremony, will take place at 2:30 p.m. Teams will be presented with cash awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as awards for People’s and Kids Choice, determined by public votes collected throughout the day.
Attendees will also enjoy snow-inspired games for kids, local artisan booths and kids art-making stations inside the Geo Center, an interactive snow mural, a large snow slide, and non-profit and business sponsor booths with hot chocolate and cookies.
Free educational programming for students from ABC Aftercare Program, The Learning Academy, Mountain Academy, and Makerspace at Valley of the Tetons Library, will be offered at Driggs Plaza on Thursday, Jan. 18 and Friday, January 20th. More than 70 students will learn from NOLS educators about snow science and why snow is so important to Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem health. Students will also experience live demonstrations from professional sculptors while they make miniature sculptures of their own, and cooperatively build a snow mural on Driggs Plaza that celebrates winter in the Tetons.
The 11th Annual Driggs Snowscapes is one of many free arts programs hosted by the Downtown Driggs Association and supported by grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, Idaho Travel Council, Teton Regional Economic Coalition and the City of Driggs, along with Title Business Sponsors Grand Targhee Resort, Mills Concrete, and West Side Yard and Headliner Business Sponsors Teton Valley Health, Renewal by Andersen, Peaked Sports and Idaho Central Credit Union.
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