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Snowstorm creations keep festive holiday spirit alive
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WASHINGTON — A snowstorm that buried Washington under nearly a foot of snow over the weekend forced the cancellation of most holiday events, but it didn’t manage to freeze the town’s festive spirit.
Instead, residents turned to Main Street Washington’s virtual “Snow Day Creation Contest,” flooding Facebook with photos that celebrated family, fun and an unexpectedly magical start to the season.
The storm arrived just ahead of a full Saturday of festivities, leading Main Street Washington to announce early that all events planned for Nov. 29 would be canceled. The move disappointed many who had prepared for a busy holiday weekend, but organizers quickly shifted toward keeping spirits high.
“This snow foiled our plans for today so we might as well have some fun with it!” the organization posted as it launched the Snow Day Creation Contest. They invited residents to “show us your snow creations,” promising to randomly select a winner for a $30 gift card to a downtown business.
More than 100 photos poured into the comment thread, each capturing a different slice of Washington’s snow-covered day. Families embraced the unexpected downtime with playful enthusiasm.
Ashley Roate shared a photo of her daughters as her 11-year-old, AmiLynn, taught her younger sister, Aubrey, all about eating snow — one of the many firsts on display in the submissions.
Even canceled plans couldn’t stop the Harris family from heading outdoors.
“We had a huge snowball fight,” Jenisa Harris said, posting photos including one of her youngest, Harper, for whom the storm delivered a first snow day.
A large group of neighborhood kids found their own adventure when they worked together to bury one of their friends in a deep drift, a moment Christine Leppert captured and shared.
Sydney Greiner said the boys in her family traded their planned Jingle Bell Run for something just as energetic — building a snowman more than six feet tall.
Erica Greiner, said her family jumped into the morning snow before breakfast, wearing pajamas under their snowpants as they shaped their own frosty creation.
Parents throughout town documented milestone moments, too. Haley Black captured Lyndee’s first snow angel, and Jade McDole celebrated the “perfect” conditions for Marilyn’s first-ever snowman.
Many photos showcased families bundled up, rosy-cheeked and smiling through the wintry air as they made the best of a day that looked far different from what the holiday schedule had promised.
By Monday morning, Dec. 1, the contest post had transformed into a sprawling collage of the community’s snowy imagination. Main Street Washington expressed its astonishment at the response.
“WOW! What an absolutely incredible response!” the organization wrote. “We were completely BLOWN AWAY by all of your amazing snow day creations! Over 100 entries poured in, showcasing everything from the sweetest moments (like babies playing in snow for the first time!) to the most imaginative art (hello, horse-shaped snowman!) and some epic snow forts and snowball fights!”
With such variety, the organization avoided judging by merit and instead put all the names into a randomized picker.
“Picking a winner was impossible,” the post read. “The wheel of fortune has spoken!”
The lucky winner was Megan Bruty, who earned a $30 gift card to her favorite downtown business.
“Thank you to everyone who shared their winter fun with us,” the post continued. “You all made this contest truly special! Keep those snowy memories coming!”
As residents dug out and returned to their routines, the snowy photos remain as a reminder of a day where the town’s creativity took center stage. The storm may have reshaped the holiday weekend, but it also forged memories filled with snowmen standing tall in front yards, kids halfway buried in drifts, and
As for all the planned events for the weekend, Main Street Washington confirmed the following schedule changes:
Lighted Parade: Canceled for the year.
Breakfast with Santa: Expected to be rescheduled “for a safer date in December.”
Jingle Bell Run: Rescheduled for Dec. 13.
Reason for the Season: Updates will be announced on the Stairway to the Stars Facebook page.
Live Radio Play: New information will be shared soon.
Lights of Love: Organizers are exploring options to reschedule or record the traditional reading of names.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
