Creating Neighborhood Connections, One Snow Sculpture at a Time
When it comes to getting together with folks in your neighborhood, it’s easy to think of warm-weather activities. Picnics, potlucks, outdoor movies, block parties… The possibilities are really endless. But what about in the middle of winter, when for much of the continent there is a good chance of snow and cold?
I want to share a neat event that’s been running in my Winnipeg neighborhood for the past seven years. Full disclosure: my husband and his brother (who lives a couple blocks away) spearheaded it, so I’ve gotten an up-close look at the ins and outs over the years.
The Winter Disconnect
It all began when we no noticed that it was really easy to keep in touch with neighbors in the summer, but that contact really dropped off during the winter. During the coldest months, more people switch to parking at the back of their homes, where they have garage space or can plug in their block heaters. No one is hanging out on their front steps. If folks are outside, they’re usually focused on getting to their destination. The winter months can feel very long and isolating. Between the dark and the cold, it can be a low time for many. This disconnect was really brought home for us one spring day, when we bumped into someone from across the street while strolling with our newborn daughter. The surprised neighbor exclaimed, “I didn’t even know you were expecting!”
With this goal—to keep connections going through the winter—in mind, the Glenelm Snow Sculpture Challenge was launched as an event of our neighborhood association. Here’s how it works.
Snow Sculpture Challenge 101
We pick a date for the event. In our neck of the woods, the last week of January is statistically when there’s the most accumulated snow, so we usually go with a Saturday during that time frame. We promote the event via our neighborhood email newsletter and Facebook group (though you could also do this just by popping flyers into mailboxes). The instructions are pretty straightforward:
1. Build something out of snow in your front yard. Be done by 1 p.m.!
2. Register your address for a chance to win prizes.
3. Have fun and enjoy the snowy art gallery!
We have an event webpage with extra details, tips, FAQs, and a short registration form.
Then, on the big day, we send out a map of all the registered addresses so that people can walk around and see all the creations. As the Mailchimp manager, it’s amazing to see how quickly the recipients open their email and click on the map! We also go around the neighborhood and take photos of all the sculptures (you never know how long they will last!) and draw names for participation prizes.
A Challenge, Not a Competition
The word “challenge” was chosen deliberately, as opposed to competition. The idea was to challenge ourselves to try something new, to spend time outside in the winter, and to explore the neighborhood more.
Also, because it’s not a contest or competition, we don’t need rules. We tell people, “Just make something out of snow or ice in your front yard, and you’re in!”
We’ve been really lucky that from the get-go, local businesses have been keen to donate prizes (or cash to purchase prizes), and we simply do a random draw from all the entries so that everyone has a chance of winning.
Appealing and Accessible
The beauty of this event is that it appeals to a wide variety of people. Outdoorsy folks are in their element, but it’s also a natural fit for the artistic crowd, and always a hit for families with kids or grandkids. Add in those who don’t make a sculpture, but like to walk around and enjoy them, and it starts to add up to quite a few people who engage in the event in some way. We often make a sculpture in our elderly next-door neighbor’s yard—she can’t make one herself but can still enjoy it from her window and feel that she’s part of the event.
It’s also very accessible, since the base material is free and usually abundant, and the rest you can do with common household items. No special tools or skills are needed. Registration is free, and aside from the donated prizes, the event costs nothing to run and is powered completely by a handful of volunteers.
People are often really surprised at how much they enjoy themselves! We frequently get comments like, “I couldn’t believe how fun/easy it was!” and “I am totally going to convince my neighbor to do one next year!” and even “It took me longer to sculpt than I expected because so many people walking by wanted to stop and chat!”
Mission accomplished!
Patience Is a Virtue…
The first year we held the challenge, there were 12 registered sculptures, and we really had to hustle to get those registrations! Year by year, the number of participating households has crept up; last year there were 40 households and close to 50 sculptures!
The enthusiasm is contagious. We tend to see clusters of participating households because they all encourage each other, share their big boxes for making their blocks of snow, etc.
…and So Is Simplicity
The first few years, we convened a panel of judges to select a few outstanding pieces and then gave out additional prizes at random. While it was a lot of fun to ask local artists if they’d do us the honor of judging, it did add a layer of time-sensitive logistics to the day that we ultimately realized it would be simpler without.
Letting go of the judging component allowed us to stay truer to the idea of “challenge, not contest,” and just made the day less complicated and more relaxed, not to mention a little less intimidating for would-be participants.
Letting Things Evolve
When we first started the event, we created a printable poster that we encouraged participants to put up as a way of getting the word out (and to explain why there was a box of snow in their front yard). This worked ok, but eventually one of our generous sponsors offered to pay for coroplast lawn signs, which we now reuse every year and stand up to the elements much better.
Joy and Connection That Keep On Giving
The event itself takes place on just one afternoon, but yields so many opportunities to meet and connect with neighbors in the weeks before and after. People who create sculptures spend time outside making their block of snow, and then a few days later, sculpting. I don’t think we’ve ever been outside doing either of these tasks and not had someone stop to ask what we were doing. It’s amazing how it just becomes this natural, effortless topic of conversation. No need for polite small talk; you’ve got something right in front of you to discuss.
Then, after the map is published, it’s a treat to see people strolling with the print-out as they seek out all the sculpture locations. It’s really neat how you begin to associate people with the sculpture they did (“Oh, you’re the Poké Ball people!”). That talking point carries forward to the next year (“What are you going to make this year? I loved the dachshund you made last year!”).
After the sculpting is done and you’re back inside, it’s so rewarding to catch sight of people stopping and smiling as they admire your work. Often they’ll even take photos! Even if it’s all going to melt, it just feels really good knowing that you’ve helped to make your place be one that brings delight or maybe brightens someone’s day.
Winter can be long and hard, but with a little creativity and planning, it’s easy to coax people out of their shells and into the neighborhood. The snow sculpture challenge has shown me that you don’t need a ton of resources to bring a community together, even on the coldest days!
Emma Durand-Wood likes walkable cities, front porches, street trees, bumping into neighbors, riding her bike, downtowns, and any excuse to check out a new coffee shop, bakery, or shop. A Winnipegger by choice, she lives in Elmwood with her husband and three children. You can connect with her on Twitter @emmaewood.