STOWE, Vt. (WCAX) – Ice is the theme of this competition in Stowe.
“That ice isn’t sticking around but while it is here, wait until you see what they create. It is the magic of the moment,” Huntly Armbruster of the Stowe Winter Carnival said.
Artists are getting their tools out, and creating big sculptures made of ice.
“It is just incredible to see people’s talent, and what they can do with ice. It is just the environment in general. It’s just a pretty happy place to be,” Stephanie Denigris of New Jersey said.
For the past three years, Stephanie Denigris has come to Stowe with her partner, and last year, they stopped by the Stowe Winter Carnival, and they loved it so much, that now they plan their trip on the same weekend as the festival to come back and see the sculptures.
“Honestly we love being in the cold, being in the snow. So it’s definitelya little more thrilling, more like sand castles because we live on the Jersey Shore, so opposite, but similar,” Denigris said.
The Winter Carnival in Stowe has been going since 1974, and sculptors have been shaving ice at the festival for the last 24 years.
People from all over the country come to sculpt, and hundreds of onlookers pay a visit to see which creation they like the best.
TJ Neaory, who comes every year from Staten Island, says he always enjoys a little bit of competition.
“It’s nice, the crowd, the people, you know it is a nice town. It is just my own business, I get to create stuff. Use my art talent, you know even my cooking talent. It’s everything in one you know.,” Neaory said.
And regulars in town, look forward to it every year.
“The talent that these sculptors really show that is the most exciting part for me, plus it is great to see all the locals that are here, and winter rendezvous is going on. So it is nice to see a lot of tourists coming into the town. Really enjoying what we have to offer here in Vermont,” Maryanne Machis of Stowe said.
