Tourism short piece about ice and snow art for New Hampshire's Maple Gazette

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Sculptures to make you think

cutline - owl sculpture from Keene New Hampshire

Auguste Rodin, that French fellow who sculpted "The Thinker" has nothing on the people of Jackson. For the past 8 years they have been carving Tiki Gods, cougars, chair lifts and yes, even a snowy version of The Thinker in the annual New Hampshire State Sanctioned & Jackson Invitational Snow Sculpting Competition!
While Rodin carved in stone, in Jackson, hundreds of winter artists will be using snow to create their masterpieces. The outdoor art festival and competition begins at noon on Friday January 30th and runs through Sunday February 1st, 2009 in Jackson Village Park, Jackson Village, New Hampshire. This event attracts a wide variety of sculptors, both amateur and professional who are dedicated to putting a wow factor on piles of frozen snow!
This event is sanctioned by the Association International de Sculpture sur Neige et Glace and WinterFun, Inc., which is the only sanctioning organization for state, national and international snow sculpting competitions in the United States. Teams of two and three artists compete to see who will represent New Hampshire at National and International snow carving contests.
The teams will start sculpting on Friday and continue working through the night on Saturday to complete their sculptures in time for the judging on Sunday afternoon February 1st starting at Noon. Judging is based on creativity, technique and message.
The three-day event brings breathtaking snow sculptures to the Jackson Town Park in the center of the village, a location with great sight lines, free parking and close proximity to lodging and restaurants.
In addition to seeing the teams create their masterpieces, visitors can take in a variety of winter activities including sleigh rides, dog sledding and a torchlight bonfire parade. If you are "thinking" of taking in the winter art visit www.jacksonnh.com for more information.

The above story was also used in this press release by my associate Chris Ryall and was issued on January 26

For Immediate Release
January 26, 2009

New Hampshire Really Glows When It Snows
The Granite State has festivals to celebrate the season

Toronto– Ice sculpture contests. Works of art made of snow. A small village of tents and fishing shacks appearing in the middle of a frozen lake. Sleigh rides to the Maple Bush. Winter is in full flight and the people of New Hampshire are inviting the world to come to the Granite State and revel in the glory of the snowy outdoors. February may be the shortest month of the year, but, in New Hampshire, it is long on winter events that will be of interest to all visitors. Of note this month are ice sculpture festivals in Keene, and Jackson, an ice fishing festival in Meredith, and sugar bush festivities in Uncle Sam’s hometown.

For the past 8 years artists have been coming to Jackson to carve out of snow everything from Tiki Gods, to life-size chairlifts made out of packed snow. It is a spectator sport to see all the frozen masterpieces in this annual New Hampshire State Sanctioned Jackson Invitational Snow Sculpting Competition!
The outdoor art festival and competition begins at noon on Friday January 30th and runs through Sunday February 1st, 2009 in Jackson Village, New Hampshire. This event attracts a wide variety of sculptors, both amateur and professional who are dedicated to putting a “wow” factor into piles of packed snow!
It all happens in the Jackson Town Park in the center of the village, a location with great sight lines, free parking and close proximity to lodging and restaurants. In addition to the art visitors can take in a variety of winter activities including sleigh rides, dog sledding and a torchlight bonfire parade. http://www.jacksonnh.com.
You can never be too keen about winter in February in one New Hampshire town. This year the Annual Keene Ice and Snow Festival will be held in February 7th. This is a festival for families. Town organizer wants Mom, Pop and the kids to spend the day in Keene to see the ice carvings and build a snowman at Snowman Central.
Visitors can also watch snowboarders perform stunts, participate in the snowball-throwing contest, enjoy hot chocolate and food, and take a horse-drawn wagon ride!
Local artists have already begun getting ready for the Festival. Their frozen masterpieces will be erected in the Central Square and Downtown area of the New Hampshire town. It all begins at 10am and runs until 4pm. www.keenechamber.com/iceandsnow.html
This winter temperatures in America’s northeast have been cold enough to produce a red-hot Fishing Derby on the solidly frozen surface of Lake Winnipesaukee this February 7th and 8th. Meredith’s Great Rotary Ice Fishing Derby is THE event for ice anglers, and this year organizers are expecting a record turnout of both fishermen and spectators alike. Ice fishermen from across the US, Canada and overseas gather in Meredith for a weekend of fun, fishing, and taking part in a unique fun winter event!
First time winter visitors to the Lakes Region will be surprised to find the frozen waters of Lake Winnipesaukee transformed into a metropolis of fishing shanties of every shape, size, and colour. It costs nothing to watch, visitors wanting to take part or simply get information should visit www.meredithrotary.org.
While the north portion of New Hampshire enjoys the cold of winter in February, in the southern regions of the Granite State, mid-February marks the beginning of the maple syrup season. Each year, the New Hampshire maple industry produces close to 90,000 gallons of maple syrup and it all begins in the town of Mason.
During the six to eight week long Maple Syrup season, dozens of sugar bush farms welcome visitors to their sugar shacks to watch maple syrup being made, take horse drawn sleigh rides through their maple bushes and sit down to a breakfast of pancakes smothered in award-winning New Hampshire syrup.
Parkers Maple Barn in Mason will be the first establishment to open its doors to tourists. Parkers will be beginning serving maple syrup inspired breakfast and lunches beginning February 11th. Their stand of maple trees is close to the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson (better known as the American Civil War icon, Uncle Sam).
As February draws to a close all of New Hampshire’s sugar shacks across the state will be open for business. The New Hampshire Maple Producers maintains a webpage detailing all sugaring events being held in the state www.nhmapleproducers.com.
The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development's has dedicated its user-friendly website (www.visitnh.gov) to presenting to visitors links and information about how to get the most out of winter. WWW.WinterNH.com details skiing and snow sports, places to stay and of course “Off the Slopes” information -- tax-free shopping, fine dining, sleigh rides, ice fishing, canopy tours and more. The site is updated daily and has the latest information on holiday season event listing throughout the state.
To find out more about New Hampshire or to receive the new free visitor’s guide, call 1-800-FUN-IN-NH (386-4664) or visit www.visitnh.gov. Canadian travel trade and media may call 1-888-423-3995, or email visitnh@travelmarketingexperts.com.
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For more information and images, please contact:

Chris Ryall
Canadian Representative
New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development
Toll-Free: 888 423 3995
chris@travelmarketingexperts.com
www.visitnh.gov