Yellowknife (Mar 09/05) - A chance to try your hand at snow sculpting is as close as your front yard.

Caribou Carnival organizers are inviting everyone to create a cool work of art as part of the 50th anniversary carnival.

"The excitement is bubbling," Carnival co-ordinator Carol Van Tighem said last week. The contest offers prizes in two categories - carved snow sculpture and snowman.

All entries must be visible from the street and must register by calling Carnival headquarters by March 14.

The entries will be marked on a map available from the Carnival, so people can drive around Yellowknife to see what their neighbours created.

In addition to the front yard contest, Van Tighem said organizers will build eight snow boxes on the Frame Lake site for artists "and some amateur artists" to create fantastic works of art.