Warmth! (Relative) Plus snow sculptures!

Well, it is 19 below here at eight in the morning (that's minus 28 for you who normally deal in Celsius), but it is supposed to get all the way up to 7 above (-13 C) and then not drop below zero again for a while. In fact, it may even get (slightly) above freezing by late next week.

This is good news for the Annual FlakeOut Festival in the Dells this weekend. The snow sculpture contest is the highlight, and here are the designs for the competition this year. I'll try to get some pictures to post of some of the real things later. The sculptures, by the way, are made from a block of packed snow that is 6 feet wide by 6 feet by 10 feet tall.

"One With Everything " Montello, WI Steve Lentz - Captain Ron Anderson Gene Delcord An 11-year snow sculpting veteran, Steve Lentz brings first-hand knowledge of what it takes to be a state-level competitor.
"Picassnow - Cubed" Milton, WI Cory Stoner - Captain Dave Turner Kelly Armer Cory and Dave have a combined 13 years of snow sculpting know-how. Dave was a member of the 2008 3rd place Sculptor's Award winning team.
"Evolution of Media" Reedsburg, WI Sue Adamczyk - Captain Jim Adamczyk Michelle Adamczyk The Adamczyk family has a combined 16 years of snow sculpting experience. They have been sculpting as a family for the past three years.
"Deathstalker" Racine, WI Aron Hlavinka - Captain Mark Pfleger Ken Boyer Aron Hlavinka and his team return to Wisconsin Dells for a 3rd consecutive year.
"Tea Bag" Belgium, WI Shawn Czuppa - Captain Jesse Cotterman John Guadagni Shawn, Jesse and John work together at the design firm of Brooks Stevens. This will be their sixth year of sculpting as a team in Wisconsin Dells.
"Victory Is Ours" West Bend, WI Darren Hamm - Captain Bart Mayer Joe Violette Darren Hamm takes the design reigns of his team for the second year at Flake Out Festival 2009. All three members of this team work together at the design firm of Brooks Stevens.
"Frog In Your Throat?" Pewaukee, WI Neal Vogt - Captain Jon Dietz Mark Zube Neal Vogt's team has won awards at Flake Out Festival four years running, and was the Wisconsin State Championship team in 2007 and 2008.
"Slow To Melt" Racine, WI Rebecca Michna - Captain Andrew Pritzl Rodney Michna Rebecca Michna and her team return for their second year at Flake Out Festival.
"Ringneck" Elkhorn, WI Shayne Noller - Captain Geoff Simon Benjamin May Shayne Noller's team brings a combined 17 years of sculpting expertise to Flake Out Festival 2009.
"See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil" Waukesha, WI Noelle Tomczyk - Captain Kat Hustedde MingYon Blackwell Noelle Tomczyk leads the only all-female sculpting team, comprised of artists and art teachers.
"The Struggle" Cudahy, WI Kevin Sawicki - Captain Mary Truman Third Sculptor - TBD Kevin Sawicki retuns to Flake Out Festival after representing the United States at the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpting Competition in 2007 and 2008.
"Dino Ride" Port Washington, WI Glen Walters - Captain Justin Gasal Martin Behling Comprised of an industrial designer and two design engineers, Team Walters competes in their 5th Flake Out Festival competition.
"Playground" Milwaukee, WI Gina Diliberti - Captain Kim Chick Third Sculptor - TBD Gina Diliberti, a graduate from the Maryland Institute College of Art, captains a team for the first time at Flake Out Festival.
"Chin Up" Delafield, WI Mike Dretzka - Captain Mike Sueflohn Terry Haller Mike Dretzka's team returns to the Flake Out Festival competition after an eight-year hiatus.
"Skull Rock" Muskego, WI Wendy Bagatta - Captain Meagan Hahn Anthony Lauer Wendy Bagatta brings her eight years of snow sculpting experience to the table as she leads her team of art teachers from the Oak Creek Franklin School District.
"Humpty Dumpty" Racine, WI Mikhail Becker - Captain Don Michna Jacob Melnik Mikhail Becker's team will compete against his father, Eric Becker, at Flake Out Festival 2009 - the youngest team to compete in the event.
"Zoom" Franklin, WI Mark Mayzik - Captain Greg Moerner Mark Baral 2006 U.S. National Snow Sculpting Champions, Team Mayzik has 19 years of snow sculpting knowledge.
"That's A Moray" Muskego, WI Skip DeBack - Captain Rob DeBack Dave Henkel Skip DeBack's team has placed four of the six years in the Flake Out Festival competition; mostly recently receiving the 2008 2nd place Media Choice Award.
"SNOW" Cudahy, WI Aaron Mach - Captain Andy Mach Justin Ostermann Relative newcomers to the competition, Aaron Mach's talented group returns for their third year of sculpting at Flake Out Festival.
"City Slicker" Madison, WI C.K. Worrell - Captain Jonathan Worrell Nicholas Carvin Team Worrell took second place in the 2007 People's Choice Award category at Flake Out Festival.
"Fire And Ice" Franklin, WI Joel Ingebrigtson - Captain Quoctrung Bui Evan Pilak Joel and his team are returning for the second year of sculpting at the Wisconsin Dells event. They hope to walk in the footsteps of Joel's father and brother, state champion snow sculptors in their own right.
"2-Gether 4-Ever" Milwaukee, WI Tony Kaminsky - Captain Jake Schmalz Jeff Bennett Tony Kaminsky's team follows this philosophy: "As much as we do our best to impress the other teams, our main goal is to entertain the kids and the crowds."
"You're Fired - R2 In Trouble" South Milwaukee, WI Don Swanson - Captain Chris Swanson John Salas The Swanson brothers have been regulars at the Flake Out Festival competition since 1999; and having won the People's Choice and Sculptor's Choice honors in prior years.
"Cup Of Tea" Milwaukee, WI Scott VanVreede - Captain Jason Czekala Paul Kjelland Scott VanVreede leads his team at their second Flake Out Festival competition. New to the medium of snow sculpting, they have won awards at Milwaukee's 3rd Ward Ice Carving Competition in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
"The Sunny Side Of Life" Racine, WI Jeffrey Shawhan - Captain James Malkowski Brett Tomczak This team has been creating art at Flake Out Festival since 1998, winning the 2006 Wisconsin State Snow Sculpting Championship.