The sculptures were awarded points for creativity, technique and message.
And then, the winners were announced.
The Band of Misfit Boys, including Keith Plimi, Dan Berry and Drake Perez, are the winners of the State of Illinois Champions and the People’s Choice Awards for their sculpture “Hooty and the Blowfish.” The team will advance to the 2022 U.S. Nationals Snow Sculpting Competition in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Team Quatcschmen, consisting of Peter Hermann, Jack Gerard and Jacob Bailey, took second for their sculpture “Well Done, John,” a tribute to former Rockford alderman and Rockford Park District employee John Beck, who died in April.
Snow Sculpting Competition Starts Wednesday At Sinnissippi Park
Looking outside, I can see that the problematic weather that pushed back this year s Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition a week (the weather interfered with snow-making equipment) is quite obviously gone.
The conditions this morning, snowing like crazy and still in a winter storm warning, are perfect to get things going at Sinnissippi Park, and that s exactly what s happening.
For those who keep track of these things, the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition is celebrating its 35th annual appearance here in Rockford. As someone who s been to nearly every single competition since the event s inception (except for the very few times that Mother Nature wouldn t cooperate), I can tell you that it s another outstanding Rockford event.
Sometimes you see something while driving and you just have to pull over. It catches your interest enough to make you throw your car in reverse and go check it out.
That s exactly what happened to Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara when he was driving around Rockford last week. He drove by an incredibly impressive snow sculpture and he just had to stop and check it out.
I drive by the corner of Church and John streets every day, and have seen a lot of action on a vacant lot. Early this.
I mean, that s enough to make anyone pull over. The snow artist Fran Volz has been making these impressive sculptures for a while now. The mermaid sculpture is located at 1103 N. Church Street, at the intersection of John Street. Volz actually bought the property after a fire destroyed a home there in April 2020.
Rockford entrepreneur receives honorary doctorate
Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD Judson University’s board of trustees awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters to Dennis Johnson, a successful businessman, civic leader and author, during Judson’s 10 a.m. commencement ceremony Dec. 12.
Johnson served as CEO of the Johnson Group, a privately held award-winning company of commercial printers and related services headquartered in Rockford, with companies in East Dubuque; Louisville, Kentucky; and China. He was co-founder and treasurer of American Color Corp., which has locations in six cities across the U.S. He also was one of the original co-founders of Guaranty National Bank, serving on its board and continuing on merging boards as well as ending on the board of Chase Bank of Rockford. He currently serves as president of the Lingonberry Group, which operates the Stockholm Inn, a Swedish restaurant in Rockford.