A construction crew is hard at work in Yellowknife with power tools, heavy machinery and canoe paddles. But they arenB次元官网网址檛 using the usual timber, bricks and mortar; their materials are ice and snow.

For the past two months, a king and his loyal crew have been building a giant snow castle on the frozen Yellowknife Bay of Great Slave Lake. TheyB次元官网网址檝e been blowing snow into wood forms then tamping it down to create high walls, carving out windows with ice for panes and adding details everywhere the eye can see.

B次元官网网址淔or 28 years weB次元官网网址檝e been building this castle, and every year itB次元官网网址檚 different,B次元官网网址� said the Snowking, otherwise known as Anthony Foliot.

The annual tradition was born in the early 1990s when Foliot was living in the cityB次元官网网址檚 Woodyard neighbourhood on the shore of Yellowknife Bay, so-called because itB次元官网网址檚 where commercial forestry activities once took place.

He said at the time the municipality wouldnB次元官网网址檛 plow the road because it was on Crown land, so neighbour Scott Mitchell took care of the job and their kids began making a fort from the resulting pile of snow.

B次元官网网址淭he darn kids werenB次元官网网址檛 doing it right. So me and buddy went out there and we showed them how. They got tired of us and they went inside to watch cartoons and we kept on building,B次元官网网址� Foliot said.

The castle now hosts the SnowkingB次元官网网址檚 Winter Festival every March, beginning when the Snowking saws open the front door allowing his subjects inside.

Throughout the month, locals and tourists trek out onto the frozen lake to take a ride down an ice slide, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, watch live performances in the great hall or check out an international snow-carving symposium.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just slowly getting bigger and bigger every year,B次元官网网址� Foliot said.

The castle has a different theme each year. This year, itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渇unhouse,B次元官网网址� which is reflected in carvings on the walls of flowers, musical notes and animals.

In another tradition, members of the castle crew are bestowed with unique nicknames, includingMarty One Boot, Freeze Frame, King Blizzard and Snowmobill.

Foliot said he enjoys every aspect of the snow castle from cutting ice blocks and fishing them out of the lake before construction begins, to seeing the smiles on childrenB次元官网网址檚 faces during the festival.

B次元官网网址淭hey bring you cookies. They give you hugs. YouB次元官网网址檙e like better than Santa.B次元官网网址�

The castle has faced itB次元官网网址檚 fair share of challenges in recent years. In 2019, for the first time, it was forced to close early when unusually warm weather caused flooding in the courtyard.

Several events at the castle were cancelled the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival pivoted in 2021 to adhere to public health restrictions, with SnowbuddyB次元官网网址檚 Winter Garden offering a snow maze, ice slides and other outdoor attractions.

This yearB次元官网网址檚 festival, running from March 1 to 26, is to include a series of music performances, a short film festival, a burlesque performance and a comedy night.

___

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press B次元官网网址 Fellowship.

Emily Blake, The Canadian Press

WATCH ALSO:

Like us on and follow us on .