35th Dolomites Snow Festival / Int. Snow Sculpture Festival

An open-air snow museum in the Upper Puster Valley

The Dolomites Snow Festival, also known as the International Snow Sculpture Festival, is one of the most evocative winter events in South Tyrol. Every year in February, the historic center of San Candido/Innichen, in the province of Bolzano, turns into a true open-air museum where massive blocks of snow take shape under the hands of international sculptors. The event takes place in the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, and stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious snow sculpture competitions in Europe.

How the festival works

The process is as simple as it is fascinating. Fresh snow from the surrounding area is compressed with the help of water and the winter cold into giant 3x3x3 meter cubes, placed throughout the town. Ten international teams, totaling about thirty artists, have three days to transform these imposing white blocks into imaginative, detailed sculptures. The sculptors work exclusively with manual tools—saws, shovels, scrapers, wire, and ladders—without any power tools, in a challenge that tests technique, endurance, and creativity.

An expert jury and public vote

Once the work is finished, the pieces are evaluated by an international jury of experts and by the popular vote of locals and visitors alike. The combination of these two scores determines the winning sculptures. Once completed and illuminated in the evening, the sculptures remain on display in the center of San Candido as temporary monuments until the first rays of spring sun slowly melt them away.

An event with international reach

Thanks to the collaboration with the China Sun-Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo and the participation of teams from every continent, the festival has taken on a truly international character over the years. The 2026 edition is included in the official cultural program of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, a testament to the cultural value recognized in this South Tyrolean event.

Art, tradition, and the Dolomite landscape

Beyond the artistic competition, the Dolomites Snow Festival is the perfect opportunity to discover San Candido, an elegant tourist destination in the Upper Puster Valley in Trentino-South Tyrol, with its historic pedestrian center, Romanesque collegiate church, and the nearby Tre Cime/Drei Zinnen ski area. Strolling among the snow sculptures, wrapped in the alpine atmosphere and the Dolomite panorama, is an experience that unites contemporary art and mountain culture.