On the weekend of February 4^th , 2012, Burlington will be glistening with snow sculptures, ice carvings and activities for people of all ages.  Presented by NorthCountry Federal Credit Union, the 20^th annual Burlington Winter Festival is a great way to experience the beauty of downtown Burlington and its Waterfront.

The event includes the Vermont Snow Sculpting Competition, Church Street Light Walk and Street Party, Young Tradition Showcase, live performances, children’s activities, and more!

Check out The Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge and a Family Activity Expo at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center on the waterfront, there’s no better time than now to visit! In addition, there will be a Kid’s VT Camp and School Fair located at the Hilton and Courtyard Mariott’s newest addition – an Ice Bar.

The festival will include an “Ice Breaker” promotional button. Only costing $1, this special button will give you discounts at local stores, making this weekend one you don’t want to miss. So come see the talented snow sculptors work away starting Thursday afternoon and leading up to a full day of activities on Saturday.

The festival is a partnership of Burlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Church Street Marketplace and other community partners. For more information about the event, check out the festival’s website at http://burlingtonwinterfestival.word press.com, or www.enjoyburlington.com.

To find out more about the festivities or how you can be a part of this lively community tradition, contact Nancy Bove at Burlington Parks & Recreation, 864-0123 or nbove@ci.burlington.vt.us.

Event and activity schedule coming soon!

Contact Nancy Bove at Burlington Parks and Recreation for sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. (802) 864-0123, www.enjoyburlington.com

First Place: 2011 Vermont State Snow Sculpting Competition

The Vermont Snows team took first place in the 2011 Vermont Snow Sculpture Competition. The sculptures were scored on creativity, technique, and message by a panel of expert judges.

Team members Micheal Nedell, Alex Dostie, and Brooke Monte created an intricate piece titled “Connections.” They will represent Vermont this year at the national competition in Lake Geneva, Wisc. Second place went to the Snow Way Out team, John Paul Gardner, Erin Gardner, and Jonathan Lafarge, for Whale Watch.

The People’s Choice Award, determined by a public vote, went to Edward DiNardo, Liz Gibbons, and Andy Grab for their piece “Nature’s Connections.”

The fourth team, Clark Derbes and Matt Penny, created an intriguing “Cube in Perspective” which showed a cube seeming to shoot up into space.

The judges were Terry Stoksdad, Brian Machanic, and George Kurjanowicz.

Congratulations to all four teams for their hard work and creativity!

Click here for more photos.

Click here for a list of great Ice Breaker deals!

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