Individual Ice Carving

Qualifications/ Age:

Open to all applicants with the ability and equipment to carve ice and who will be at least eighteen (18) years of age on January 25, 2026.

Application and Release:

A completed and signed official Application and Release form must be filed with the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, 429 Landmark Center, 75 West 5th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102, no later than January 15th, 2026, for each person who wishes to become an Applicant.

Contestant(s):

Each entry may have up to two contestants. If an entry has two contestants submitted as a “team”, both may collaborate on the sculpture submitted. Awards will be made for the carving as a single entry in the Contest with the team thus sharing the prize and honors. Only the contestants and helpers are allowed in the carving area. You/We may refer potential contestants that want to be on a team. Please Contact SPFHF for details.

Helpers:

Each entry is limited to one helper who must be at least eighteen (18) years of age on January 25, 2026. The helper must be registered at the time of contestant application. A helper can lift, move, touch or hold the ice with only tongs or hands. A helper may clean any part of the carving area but not the ice carving itself. Only the contestants and helpers are allowed in the carving area.

Selection of Contestants:

Applicants will be screened by a Selection Committee and selected to participate on the basis of proposed sketches which become the property of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival upon submission with the applications.

Sculptures may not contain sexual or political themes. The Selection Committee will not select any proposed sketch deemed, in its sole discretion, to contain inappropriate political themes or to be inconsistent with community standards.

Event Date & Times:

Contest date is Sunday, January 25, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration and pre- and post-contest meeting times and locations will be emailed or mailed to selected contestants prior to the start of the contest.

All competition ice is to be carved on the premises, and within the specified time limits. Sculptures may be started no earlier than 9 AM. All work on sculptures in both divisions must be stopped by 3 PM. No one may touch the carving ice or scrape ice after the time clock has stopped. Only tools can be removed from the carving area during a five-minute grace period after the time clock has stopped. Only the contestant(s) and one helper are allowed inside the roped-off carving area. Judging will begin for all divisions as soon as those areas have cleared.

Entry Consistency:

A contestant’s sculpture must be consistent with the sketch that was proposed and selected by the Selection Committee. Any sculpture deemed inconsistent with the selected sketch is subject to disqualification.

Ice Provision:

All categories will be furnished with one and a half (1½) or 2 full blocks of artificial ice. Each block will be approximately 10” x 20” x 40” in size. There is no requirement for a base; you may use the ice as you wish. This ice is TOTAL USABLE ICE. Finished sculptures must be entirely of ice.

Rules officials may allow flawed blocks of ice to be replaced before the event begins. If a block breaks during the competition, rules officials may authorize a replacement under the following conditions:

• The break is determined by the rules official(s) to have been caused by another team, competitor, or helper of another competitor, competition worker or spectator.
• Original time restriction will still be in effect (no extra time given for broken block).
• Replacement of ice is subject to availability of ice.

Participation in the Contest will be at the sole risk of the contestant(s). The Saint Paul Winter Carnival bears no responsibility for property or personal loss, damage or injury suffered in connection with participation in the Contest.

Freezing Agents:

Use of chemical freezing agents such as Freon, butane and other propellants or hydrocarbons are considered hazardous to the environment and personal safety and are not permitted CO2 and dry ice are the only accepted freezing agents and may only be used as a freezing agent, not as a prop to create “smoke.”

Snow:

Snow must be made from the blocks provided. No foreign materials may be left on the finished sculpture. No artificial props, lights, coloring or containers may be used.

Tools:

Contestants must furnish their own tools and clean-up rakes. Chain saws or similar tools are permissible only at the sole risk and full liability of the users, and only if the use is minimized. Those using chain saws will be assigned ice blocks in the same area. Chain saws and power tools may be used only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Water will be provided; however, bring your own buckets. No stakes may be placed in the ground.

Safety:

Each competitor is responsible for his/her own safety as well as the safety of other competitors and the general public. Remember - SAFETY FIRST! The rules officials have the right to stop you from carving if something is deemed unsafe. In addition, each competitor is responsible for the safety of his/her carving. The Saint Paul Winter Carnival cannot be responsible in the event your carving is destroyed or damaged by the public, another carver, or staff members.

Violations:

Violations of any of these rules may result in penalties, including point deductions or disqualification. A schedule of warnings, deductions and disqualifications will be explained by the rules official prior to the competition.

Parking:

The Saint Paul Winter Carnival and the Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation are not responsible for providing parking spaces or for any parking tickets received during the Contest.

Judging:

A panel of judges engaged by the Saint Paul Winter Carnival will score the works. Judging will take place from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. January 25, 2026. Total points will determine standing. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony following the judging.

Judging criteria are as follows:

• Creativity / Originality
• Completeness of design

• Initial impact
• Attention to details
• Technical difficulty
• Utilization of ice
• Finishing
• Site cleanup
• Sculpture matches design

The lead judge has the final jurisdiction on all questions of rules and judging. Judges reserve the right to withhold prize awards for any of the listed award categories. The decisions of the judges are final

Awards:

Signage:

Advertising:

Artisan:

1st - $300

2nd - $200

3rd - $100

Any outside signage is not allowed on the sculpture or on the grounds without the prior authorization.

Promotional advertising is strictly forbidden unless authorized by the Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation prior to the event. Forms of advertising include, but are not limited to, logos, names of businesses/organizations, characters specifically tied to an organization’s branding.