Jan 26 & 27, 2024
Written By: J.Couch
About six months ago we had the opportunity to make reservations to stay in Breckenridge and see the 2024 International Snow Sculpture Championships. We took advantage of this and scheduled the time to wander around and explore. If you are looking for a winter getaway that’s close to Denver and combines art, adventure, and delicious food, look no further than Breckenridge, Colorado. Teams from around the world converge in Breckenridge for a week to create stunning works of art from 25-ton blocks of snow, 10 feet by 10 feet and 12 feet high. You can also enjoy the scenic beauty of the area by snowshoeing on some of the best trails in the state, and savor the flavors of plant-based cuisine at some of the local restaurants, this is still a little limited here.
The Snow Sculpture Championships are a must-see event for anyone who appreciates creativity and craftsmanship. The event takes place every year in late January, when teams of artists from different countries around the world carve intricate designs from massive snow blocks using only hand tools. The sculptures are displayed in the Riverwalk Center parking lot, where you can admire them for free during the viewing week. The sculptures are illuminated at night, creating a magical atmosphere. On Friday night we walked down there and looked at all of the sculptures that were lit up with different colored lights. It was very pretty as it snowed lightly making it a winter wonderland. On Saturday we went back but you needed a free timed reservation to get in. In the future make sure that you check their website to see if they are doing this. But in reality they just kind of let us in, not sure how much they were really checking the reservations. On Saturday evening we walked back down to see them again at night, this time it was not snowing and it was a clear cold evening.
We were amazed by the variety and complexity of the sculptures, which ranged from realistic animals to abstract shapes. Some of the sculptures had hidden details, such as little stars and moons inside the square blocks on the Dreaming Child or the clock on the back of Einstein set to 4:20, coincident, hmm I wonder? Some of the sculptures had cultural or social messages, such as a call for human protection of the natural environment. We spent about 30 to 45 minutes walking around the sculptures, taking photos, and reading the descriptions and stories behind each one.
Sculpture Teams:
China: Home Garden Is Ever Gone
Denmark: Harmony Bonds
Ecuador: The Dance Of The Wind
Germany – Bavaria: Float – Zero Gravity Series (3rd place)
Germany – Theil: Under Pressure
India-Callisto: Temporal Meltdown
Lithuania: The Curtain Of Snow Is a Gift From The High
Mexico: The Beggar (1st Place)
Mongolia – Tserendash: Mother Earth (2nd Place)
South Korea: Dreaming Child
USA – Breckenridge: Opening Up
USA – Wisconsin: Annus Mirabilis
The event also offers some fun activities for visitors, such as voting for your favorite sculpture, watching the awards ceremony. You can also learn more about the history and process of snow sculpting from their event program. The event is very well-organized and accessible, with free shuttle buses, parking, and restrooms available.
Thanks for wandering with us,
The Wandering Couchs
