Clogtown: Meet Walvis The Whale By Bartz Snow Sculptures!

Now that I've decided to embrace the Minnesota winter, the (literally) cool things to do in our most extreme season just keep popping up. If you're going to visit the Ice Castles in New Brighton, drive another mile or so and you can meet Walvis, the massive whale snow sculpture created by the Bartz Brothers of New Brighton!

This is the 9th snow creation made by Austin, Trevor, and Connor Bartz, with help from family and friends - and the super cool neighbors that don't seem to mind the constant crowds coming to see the latest sea creature made from snow and ice right there in the Bartz front yard.

As I'm usually not here in the winter (except for Christmas), this was the first time I've been able to see a Bartz snow sculpture in person. It's really impressive, and educational too!

There is a little roped off area for visitors to line up to take their photo with Walvis (which means "whale" in Niger, which will benefit along with Uganda from the donations given by Minnesotans who have come to behold the ice behemoth), and along the way they have placed trivia questions about whales, so you can learn a little something too. Like, did you know whale vomit is used as an ingredient in perfumes? Yep.

The adorable Bartz brothers just got the idea to make a sculpture one snow day in 2012, and the attraction has grown and grown in the years since. When they started to get so much attention, they decided to use their local fame in an effort to raise $50,000 to bring clean water to places around the world that don't have access to it. So not only are they super creative and talented, they're good guys (You can donate online also, and for a $25 donation, Walvis the Whale will blow steam out of his blowhole!). They even have merch for sale!

I talked to one of the bros outside their home (Austin?), and he said the city will come destroy the whale on February 4th, as it starts to look less awesome, and they have to stop the crowds from coming at some point - plus they can't really have jobs during the snow sculpture hoopla, so they have to get back to their own real lives too.

A giant snow whale is real cool, for sure, but even way way cooler to know that Walvis will melt ... and turn into real, drinkable water all the way across the globe. Walvis the Whale is Wonderful!

Meet Walvis now through February 4, 2020

2777 16th Street NW
New Brighton, MN 55112

Clogtown: Visit The 2020 Ice Castles!

Minnesota Winter! I recently made the decision to get my Mom out of her nursing facility (long story, bad care, she didn't belong there, I couldn't leave her there, here I am), to be her caregiver myself. We're going to figure it out day by day (and I'm hoping she'll soon take to the idea of being a Venice girl ...), but for now I'm here in the thick of winter for the first time in 25 years. Rather than freak out, I've decided to embrace it and go full on Winter Lover. Today that meant that my friend Tonya and I took her daughters to visit the Ice Castles, this year in New Brighton, Minnesota. And WOW!

We went during the day, and it was not nearly so cold because the sun was high and the skies were clear ... and I think the Castles create a barrier from the wind, so it's not that bad except on your feet. But still, bundle up!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today meant that kids were out of school and grownups were out of work, so there was a good crowd there, but they had timed tickets, so it never felt too packed (unless you met a pack of kids in one of the narrow tunnels - someone had to back up). There were two slides, a little one for little kids and a big one for everyone. They give you a little blue sled and off you go ... short but fun!

There's a little snack truck for hot drinks to warm you up, and sweet treats for the kids to beg for. They even have hand warmers for sale, but they weren't necessary today.

It was so bright you had to wear shades, but I imagine the Castles might be even better at night, as they're all it up and probably pretty dreamy. I can see it being a popular date spot, for sure.

The Ice Castles (and I kept telling the little girls that they HAVE TO watch the movie Ice Castles - "They forgot about the roses!") really are a winter wonderland, and with all of our new snow, they sparkle and dazzle like in the movie/s Frozen 1/2 ... and there's even costumed Elsa and Anna walking around to take photos with the kids (and a few Dads that I saw too).

I was thinking a lot about Dr. King today, because he really is the reason we were able to go to this frozen attraction today. We all know him best for his I Have A Dream speech, and it got me to thinking that cool things like this all started with someone's dream as well. They bring people of all ages, races, religions, whatevers together, united in the name of fun and beauty. Ice Castles might not be the obvious choice of a way to honor one of our greatest leaders, but the thought was definitely there - and discussed.

Thank you to Tonya, Elsie, Inga, and the staff and creators of the beautiful, super Minnesotan Ice Castles visit for MLK, Jr. Day - we loved it. Let It Go!!!

Ice Castles
1500 Old Highway 8
New Brighton, MN 55112
Ice Castles Minnesota