WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Snowtown USA is on its way. But this year, Watertown\u2019s winter celebration is set to look a little different. <\/p>\n
Previous years saw the Thompson Park circle on Thompson Boulevard frozen and turned into a skating rink. This year, that rink is being moved into the park itself, around the rotary pavilion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re actually excited about it,\u201d said Snowtown USA Director David Daily. \u201cWe love to have them down to the Park Circle, but when we critique the event from last year, we know we didn\u2019t get a big turnout on the ice there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers believe that turnout was the result of parking difficulties. They think the new location which is right next to a parking lot will be a lot easier for drivers to access. It has also opened up an opportunity for collaboration with Zoo New York. In fact, a shared admission ticket for the zoo and Snowtown will be available for purchase. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve worked with the zoo before and they\u2019ve always been very cooperative,\u201d said Daily. \u201cThey\u2019re a great partner to work with, so we\u2019re excited about establishing that again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another returning Snowtown staple, the snow sculpting competition. Like last year, it\u2019ll be up on Dry Hill. Snowtown board member Jaime Benner-Clemons tells us there\u2019s a very specific reason it was chosen as a venue. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe find that Dry Hill works because you can\u2019t depend on Mother Nature,\u201d said Benner-Clemons, \u201cand Dry Hill will create snow for us so that we still have the snow for the sculptures.\u201d<\/p>\n
While we don\u2019t know what it\u2019s going to look like. Benner-Clemons did reveal that one of the sculptures will be a tribute to John Ramus. Ramus, who passed away last year was a beloved figure throughout the community. He was mainly known for his work as the Watertown Red & Black football coach, but he was also an avid snow sculptor himself. <\/p>\n
\u201cActual Red & Black football players will be learning how to sculpt and creating the art with the guidance of Jerry Merrill, who has been a snow sculptor for probably forty-plus years,\u201d said Benner-Clemons. \u201cHe\u2019s been to the Olympics, he\u2019s a big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Snowtown USA 2026 kicks off on Wednesday January 28th, with events until Sunday February 1st. <\/p>\n
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