Hancock Community Development Director Todd Gast speaks during a Hancock Downtown Development Authority Meeting, Monday. The DDA approved funding for a snow statue competition to be held next month. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette)

HANCOCK — An 8-by-8 block of snow will be the canvas for artists to demonstrate their talents in Hancock later this month.

The Hancock Downtown Development Authority approved up to $14,000 for a snow sculpting competition drawing national competitors, which is scheduled for Feb. 21-23.

The February date is “surgically placed” to avoid running into other events, said Community Development Director Todd Gast — after the Jibba Jabba Rail Jam, before CopperDog.

Don’t get attached to it, though. For 2026 and beyond, it will be moved to Heikinpäivä, which Gast said could help grow the celebration.

“The whole idea behind this, our mission, is to get this as an actual competition on a national stage and have it in conjunction with Heikinpäivä … this happening in February is just to get us on their calendar, and then we would get into that hot January where all those big competitions are,” he said.

The blocks will be set up before the artists arrive. Once they’re on scene, they will have the same amount of time to survey the spot and come up with a concept.

“There’s no theme involved — it’s just artists that work together,” Gast said. “They look at the snow, they look at where they’re at. They will try to do something that is whatever they feel like is artistically there.”

Unlike ice sculpture competitions, no power tools can be used. It’s also different from the towering works Michigan Technological University students build for Winter Carnival. The smaller frame allows artists to reach a higher level of detail, Gast said.

Community members will also be able to take part in the fun. Babcock said the plan is for a community event built around it using smaller cubes for organizations or families.

The city’s final price tag might be lower. Hancock is working with Visit Keweenaw on cost-sharing, which will hopefully be less than the city’s requesting, said City Manager Mary Babcock.

With the event approved, the city will also come up with wording for a cancellation policy in case of unsuitable weather. Any announcement would be made a week or two before, Gast said.

“In snow-poor areas, they get their snow from ski resorts, and it’s man-made snow,” Gast said. “They’re kind of chomping at the bit to get their hands on actual snow, snow that’s not man-made.”