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2025 Festival: Thursday, Feb. 6 - Sunday, Feb. 9


About Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival

Every year, Dubuque celebrates the Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival in its downtown Washington Park. This free, family-friendly event is produced by the Dubuque Museum of Art in partnership with the City's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Typically the 2nd full weekend in February, teams of professional, amateur, and collegiate artists transform 288 cubic feet of snow into masterful works of art.  

The 2025 Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival will be Thursday, Feb. 6 - Sunday, Feb. 9, with community festivities on Sunday from 12-4 p.m. Download the festival parking map.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners

Best in Show: Team Snowmagedon "Birds Of A Feather" 

Jeremy Rudd, Kristine Jubeck, and Gabe Hansen
Cash prize: $1,000

Feather and Birds Snow Sculpture

People's Choice: Team Dark Chambers "Creepy Creativity" 

Brad Vonda, Matt Pregler, and Kourtnee Harry
Cash Prize $300

Haunted House Snow Sculpture

Festival Schedule and Activities

Teams will be located along Bluff St., sculpting from Thursday, Feb. 6, until 12 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9. Each team begins with 6 ft. by 8 ft. block of manufactured snow. The public is encouraged to visit sculptors and observe the carving process throughout the week and into the weekend. 

From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, the community is invited to explore the final snow sculptures and vote for their favorite, online or in-person. Hands-on community sculpting and arts activities throughout the day include: 

  • 10 a.m. Youth design workshops in the DuMA classroom ($5 materials fee) 
  • 12 p.m. Klauer SnoGo snowblower demo  
  • 12 – 4 p.m. Hot chocolate by YAPPERS  
  • 12 – 3:30 p.m. People's choice favorite sculpture voting  
  • 12 – 1 p.m. Sculpture jurors on-site  
  • 1 p.m. Youth design workshops in the DuMA classroom ($5 materials fee) 
  • 4 p.m. Award presentations inside DuMA lobby  

Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh will present the awards and cash prizes at 4 p.m. in the Dubuque Museum of Art lobby. Professional, amateur, and collegiate sculptors compete for a $1,000 prize. All teams will have the chance to be crowned the People’s Choice Award-winner, which comes with a $300 cash prize.

Food & Drink

Creative Community Theme

The Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival is an annual celebration of community creativity, and coincides with more than the Super Bowl this year. The 2025 festival also serves as the closing event for DuMA’s landmark exhibition, Dubuque by Design: Celebrating 150 Creative Years. That exhibition inspires this year’s theme: Creative Community. We believe the act of creating together inspires us to push the boundaries of art, strengthens our community, and is just good fun.

Snow Stomping Volunteers

Volunteers are scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. to prepare the blocks of snow for the sculptors. Work involves physical labor, climbing ladders, and extended periods of time in the cold. Those interested in volunteering should contact the Dubuque Museum of Art at 563-557-1851 or info@dbqart.org to be added to the roster of future volunteers.

Check out the 2025 recap video to see sculptors in action!

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