Colorful snow creatures were formed on the weekend around Point Edward.
It was an event organized by the village at the suggestion of a local resident to inject a little fun and celebration into the winter season.
Billed as the first annual Snow Creation Challenge, it offered prizes for residents and businesses to build something out of snow on their properties.
“It was just a last-minute idea to try and create some positivity and get families out,” said Shelley Archer, special events co-ordinator for the village.
Sasha Gladwish from Manley’s dreamed up the contest, Archer said.
Judges went out Monday to check out entries and awarded gift certificates for the top three winners.
The first place winner was 25 Alfred St. for its colorful family of penguins. The entry at 24 Louisa St. was second while 509 Victoria Ave. was third.
A total of 23 creations were entered, “which is pretty good for our first annual,” Archer said.
The entries included four village businesses, she said.
“People got really creative,” Archer said.
The rules called for creations that were family friendly, mostly made from snow and constructed only with hand tools. No power tools were allowed.
“Other than that, it was just anything you could imagine and come up with,” Archer said.
Village officials gave residents a heads-up recently the contest was coming and then officially called for entries following last week’s snowfall.
“It looked like it was going to be a good snowy weekend, so we just decided to hit the start button,” Archer said.
The pandemic and public-health restrictions have impact many traditional special events in the village.
“This is our first community event in a couple of years,” Archer said.