Snow Ice Create People Weather Events Artists Small

In a snow and ice "sculpting" (carving) event, artists "carve" (cut away pieces of something to change the shape) "giant" (very large) "blocks" (cubes; solid forms) of ice to create "sculptures" (three-dimensional art) for people to enjoy. They use small hand tools like "chisels" (a small, sharp metal tip on a long handle, used for carving), as well as handheld and power "saws" (tools used for cutting, normally for cutting wood) to create surprisingly "delicate" (fragile and with many small details) sculptures.

One of the largest "such" (of this kind) events in the United States is the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships, sponsored by "Budweiser" (a brand of beer) and held in Breckenridge, Colorado. The artists "compete" (try to prove that they can do something better than anyone else) in "teams" (groups of people working together) for a period of 65 hours, carving blocks of snow that weigh 40,000 pounds and are 12 feet tall.

Alaska is home to a similar event, the BP World Ice Art Championships, which "spans" (lasts for a period of time) an entire month, with 70 teams competing to create the most "impressive" (causing other people to admire something) sculptures. The event also includes a Frozen Kids Park with many "slides" (objects that children sit on and then slide down, pulled by gravity), "rides" (machines that move people around in exciting ways for entertainment), and "mazes" (labyrinths; designs that one must walk through and try to find a way out) made of snow and ice.

Finally, since 1922, Michigan Technology University has held a Winter "Carnival" (festival; celebration) in which students create snow sculptures related to the "theme" (main idea) for the year.