SnowKing rules again
As winter festival closes out 19th year, the king reflects on his 2014 reign
Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Friday, March 28 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife's SnowKing is a bit of a perfectionist.
His snow castle, protruding out of the ice on Yellowknife Bay, is both a piece of art and a fully-functioning music venue, art gallery, children's play centre and much more.
The SnowKing, or Anthony Foliot as he's known other times of the year, said he was happy with this year's festivities and hopes to go even bigger next year for the castle's 20th anniversary. - Daniel Campbell/NNSL photo |
The castle doors have been open to the public ever since the 19th SnowKing Winter Festival kicked off at the beginning of the month. Throughout the day, the snowy castle walls absorbed the squeals of children rocketing down the ice slide. On evenings and weekends, bands rocked out to parka-clad crowds dancing shoulder-to-shoulder.
But SnowKing - or Anthony Foliot as he's known outside of the festival - is always looking for ways to improve.
"There's a couple of things I'd do differently," SnowKing said, sitting in the castle's ice cafe.
He points behind to the stage area, back-lit by a wall of ice bricks. SnowKing says that next year, he'd change the angle of the castle - he makes a protractor shape with his arms in the right direction - just enough so the late afternoon sun shone in the main hallway.
"Right now, all the sunshine goes into the toilet area," he said.
His own critique aside, SnowKing said this year has been as much of a success as years past.
"It's always well attended," he said. "The smiles of the children are always there."
SnowKing jokes many mothers would come in at 4:30 p.m., knowing they wouldn't have to worry about pulling their kids away from the ice slide while it was still open.
"'Cause they know we close at five on the nose," he explains.
"That way, they get a lot of intense slide action."
The adult-themed events brought happy crowds as well. Iqaluit-based folk band The Jerry Cans stuck out for the SnowKing as one of the best nights so far.
"They're just so popular. It was the best attended - you couldn't move in there."
Close to 200 people lined up outside that night, waiting to get in once the castle reached capacity, he said.
At one point, SnowKing pauses his interview with Yellowknifer for a selfie with a young fan.
A ruler of his realm, he's also somewhat of a celebrity in town this time of year.
Even with the big shows of 2014, SnowKing is already looking to go bigger next year.
"This is the 19th year, so the 20th is going to be pretty big."
With plans to build the castle even larger for 2015, SnowKing said he is hoping for some extra corporate help so he can pay more builders.
As for this year, SnowKing has paid off his work crews, bills and performers - which is success enough for any event organizer or king.
The festival wraps up this weekend with a jam session hosted by SnowKing and the Flakes - a band made up with SnowKing at the helm and with assistance from local musicians - and various Yellowknife bands on Saturday night, and a Sunday afternoon musical event featuring Tracy Riley and Andrea Bettger.
