And the Castle opens!

So, here we go for another great festival. It's hard to believe this is castle number THIRTEEN!!

We started it off with a spectacular fireworks display in -40 weather that proved we are truly are a hardy Northern bunch. We owe a great deal of thanks to our friends at Aboriginal Engineering Ltd. for a very generous donation specifically for those fireworks.

Sunday saw a great photo exhibit by Jenn Sharman, as well as a Snowking Retrospective photo exhibit by our very own Mr. Freeze (aka Stephan FolkersP who is also responsible for the lovely stature within the walls.

The castle will continue to transform in many ways as we're constantly adding new things. I encourage you all to come and see! But remember, it's cold outside so wear your snowpants.

Look for a night of "reveillerie" this Friday evening during our Nuit Francaise and this Saturday is the 8th Frozen Dog Film Festival.

Hope to see you there!

Snowking

Vol 2. Edition XIII

February 05, 2008

Questions for the SnowKing
1. How long does it take you to build the snow castle?
2. Are you in your 50s?
3. Do you have help building snow castles?
4. What do you do in the summer?
5. What was your childhood like?
6. Why did you start building snow castles?

Answers for the little girl who asked the questions

Hi there Little Girl,

Thanks for your letter with the Questions, I'll try to answer them as best I can.

Your first question: How long does it take, is asked by many, many people! And to build a castle is hard work so we take our time at it so nobody gets hurt. We start at the beginning of winter (which is usually in November) when the ice on Great Slave Lake freezes. Walking on the ice at this time is VERY DANGEROUS and so we take special care to make sure it is thick enough before we can walk on it, usually 6" of ice, and your Mom says it's ok, then you can walk around. This is the perfect time to cut ice for windows. We use big saws and lots of safety equipment in case of accidents. And good thing too because once, one of my crew fell in the water. He didn't get hurt and we pulled him out right away but we sent him home so he wouldn't freeze.

After the windows are cut, we start planning the design of the castle. This is VERY difficult because everyone on the crew thinks that their ideas are the best and so we have to all make compromises (and hopefully not too many).

By the time all the compromising is finished we take a break for Christmas and start actually building in January. We won't stop until we're done but hopefully that will be after February. So, pretty much all winter long is how long it takes to build.

Your second question: Am I in my 50s? is also asked by many people and I usually remind them that things and people age slower in extreme temperatures and it's been awhile since I was in my 50s, but bless you for asking.

Question 3 asks: Do I have help?

Vol. 1 Edition XIII - January 17, 2008

Vol. 1 Edition XIII

January 17, 2008

Well, oh my goodness, look at the calendar! Already January 17 and still no blog! Well, I have an excuse, as soon as we could we've been cutting and blocking and blowing so much that we haven't had too much time to blog, but the battles over the plan have all been settled and the lads are hitting their stride.

This week saw the passing of the first quarter of the building season. The walls are growing and we have to stop and stand back to wonder at the height of this year's efforts. We're trying for some major castle here and so far so good.

This year's staff is a well oiled machine featuring the return of your favourites: Joe Snow, Snowbank Frank and "Pour" Old Shiverin' Sam and even though Snowbelle has an extra Snowbundle to pack around she still has time to plan the festival's activities and work with our sponsors. There's still plenty of room for more sponsors to climb on board.

We'll try to keep this blog happening with a weekly regularity but then sometimes I get mind freeze and forget...but anyway, we're up and running and look forward to your visits on the ice!

Snowking

Birthday Bash Blitz & Frozen Dog – Wicked Cool!

Monday March 12

Birthday Bash Blitz & Frozen Dog – Wicked Cool!

It seems like Mother Nature has a thing to say about global Warming and judging by the last couple of nights, she’s not letting it get to her!

We had a very cool “March Birthday Bash Blitz” and all the cool people were there to celebrate. Even though the North Winds were blowing there was no stopping the die hard dancers as they squeaked and boogied to the throbbing beats of DJ Doc70. What’s that you say?! Squeaked?? Well, that’s the sound you heard throughout the castle as the dancers’ boots would step and spin.

Snowbank Frank’s Royal Café was a nice refuge from the cold and was filled with rosy cheeked smiles and laughter.

Saturday saw the much anticipated opening of Dead Man’s Slide. However, it was so popular that it needed a lot of repairs on Sunday and Shiverin’ (Sufferin’) Sam was hard at it on the Slide Doctorin’!

The Frozen Dog Film Festival (7^th Annual) was once again a popular event and so a bunch of hardy souls stayed until the very end.

Sunday was very busy and the crew was happy to be building yet more walls!

Don’t forget this weekend coming, we’ll celebrate our 500^th and 1000^th snow blocks with back to back live entertainment in our newly heated venue. That’s right! We’ll have the roof on and the heat pumped for this Rock n Roll Extravaganza! Starts at 8pm both Friday and Saturday nights. Bring your dancing snowboots!

Also, check out the 2^nd annual (for the castle at least!) Shambhala Art Festival Saturday from 11:30 to 2.

See you at the castle and stay cool!

Yer pal,

Snowking

Well it's finally on and didn't we get the cold weather?

Mar 5 2007

Well it's finally on and didn't we get the cold weather?

We kicked off the 12th Snowking's winter festival with some great fireworks and the cold weather didn't seem to scare off too many people. We opened our doors and saw lots of smiling faces pass through.

The castle will now be open every day from 11 am to 5pm and we'll keep building so we get everything completed.

There will be a March Birthday Blitz Dance Party featuring DJ Doc70 on Friday night and then on Saturdayu night we'll have the 7th Annual Frozen Dog Film Festival. Both of these events will be real cool so be sure to dress warm.

Also, Snowbank Frank's Royal Cafe will be open serving you coffee and hot chocolate but if you want your own special blend you are encouraged to bring your own thermos. Also please save a plastic tree and bring your thermo mug too (so we don't have to use those disposable cups so much.)

Hope you like the castle and watch this spot for the soon to come virtual tour of the castle.

yes indeedy the moment you've been waiting for

Feb 26
yes indeedy the moment you've been waiting for

Well, it seems that our schedule is just about up.  We're on
in less than five days and hopefully that's enough time for
all the little details.  We were looking kinda worried there
for awhile because the funds were dwindling at an alarming
rate and then just in the nick of time our Mayor strolled down
 to make it all right. He has been  a great supporter of the
snowking's winter festival and continues to give his 100%. 
So, way to go Mr. Mayor!

The boys have been at it quite hard these last few days.
Snowbank Frank's Mom and Dad came up for some much appreciated
support and Jim was even doing some "research" on temperature
extremes and how to avoid a frozen cheek.  We look forward to
his submission.

The girls, Snowbelle and Snowflake will be down in front
post office this week selling seasons passes to the festival,
so if you want to get in on the action in a timely fashion
check them out this week, at lunchtime in front of the post
office. They'll be wearing red.

We'll be sad to lose Joe Snow, as he must return to his
studies, but his work is immensly appreciated and you'll be
able to see his handy brickwork when you come down.  There
was a Japanese film crew down filming for Outcrop Publishers
yesterday and they must have shot two hours of Joe Snow's saw
going back and forth.  Talk about Art films!  Joe Snow will
be heading back on Tuesday so if you see him in the airport
or on a plane tell him "Way to go, Joe Snow!"  We'll see you
again next year eh?

Shiverin' Sam brought down the final piece of our EverGoodLift
and that made hoisting the blocks up to the higher level waaaay
easier.

Snowprentice has just about completed the snowboards on the
rink and we'll be flooding soon if it doesn't snow again, and
the weather stays above twenty below.  She's also been running
between all the little things that we keep heaping on to her.

So many things to do I'll update you again later this week. 
Get ready out there yourself by marking this Friday on your
calendar with a snowflake!

Stay cool!
Snowking

For some reason the images aren't uploading today so I'll have
to get those up tomorrow!

What a week! (Feb19)

What a week! (Feb19)

Everybody I've met these last few days has asked me the same question, "How's the castle?" and I'm starting to think that nobody cares about me! Boo Hooo hoo

We saw some serious snow flying around last week and the south wall of the courtyard is now done. We still have a lot of things to do before the opening on March 2nd but the strain has lightened up thanks to the arrival of alumnus Joe Snow. As soon as he got off the plane he rushed down to start working and as soon as he got his first block on the wall we had a little hooray for him (picture coming)
Snowbank Frank has cut in some more windows for the Royal Cafe and they're sure to throw you through a loop if you were accustomed to the old style of castle window. He has been showing me the "New School Way" as opposed to "Old School" which is the way I've done it for the last 11 years. Like an old dog, I'm reluctant to learn new tricks but if you were to ask me now, I'd say I'd like to enroll in the new school but would I have to be a "Frosh"?
Shiverin' Sam has been hard at work on Dead Man's Slide as well as getting our Ever Good Lift back up and running. In his enthusiasm he wanted to put his heart into it but settled for his finger-tip. So now he's wearing the evergood bandage on his hand. (Work safe all you builders!)
Poor Snowprentice is suffering from too many bosses, as she has been getting direction from all sides, but true to her form she's remained cool throughout.
We had to say goodbye to a very much appreciated piece of equipment. Our friends at Matrix Aviation Services (and great sponsors!) had lent us a Kubota tractor for over a month and a half and did we use it! (picture coming) Big thanks to Martin Knutsen for his tremendous support and if you see him around town slap him on the back and tell him "Right On" or something equally appreciative.
The next week will see us running our collective butts off so if you come down to visit maybe just walk around the outside and try to avoid interrupting us if you can. We want everything to be perfect for you so please let us get the work done. We'll be hard at it guaranteed!
Type at you next week friends, and stay cool.

your king,

Snowking