The Art of a Keweenaw Winter

Heikinpäivä Snow Sculpture Invitational

In the Keweenaw, we don’t just move snow - we celebrate it. During Heikinpäivä, Hancock’s Quincy Green becomes a gathering place where winter is shaped by hand, imagination, and a deep love for the season. The Heikinpäivä Snow Sculpting Invitational brings artists from the Keweenaw and far beyond to work with the same simple palette: a cube of natural Keweenaw snow. What emerges is more than art. It’s small-town winter, shared joy, and a tradition built from the snow we’re lucky enough to have - carrying us into the magic of Michigan Tech's Winter Carnival!

Snow Gets Competitive

About the Invitational

Created with support from the City of Hancock and Visit Keweenaw in February 2025, this distinctly Copper Country winter competition welcomes snow artists for a multi-day marathon of snow creativity. Celebrate Michigan's mid-winter in Hancock during the Heikinpäivä Snow Sculpting Invitational on the Quincy Green. Local and national teams compete to transform 8x8x8-foot cubes of natural Keweenaw snow into stunning sculptures. Viewing is free and open to the public!

What to Expect:

• 48 hours of snow sculpting by professional and local teams
• Teams include international competitors and Michigan Tech University groups
• Family-friendly atmosphere during Heikinpäivä, celebrating Finnish-American midwinter traditions
• Food vendors on site to enjoy while watching the artists at work
• Award ceremony post-event

February 2025 competitors, Sculptora Borealis, putting the finishing touches on their snow sculpture.