When Syracuse gives you snow, make the world’s biggest snowball

Monday, February 14, 2005, By News Staff

When Syracuse gives you snow, make the world’s biggest snowballFebruary 14, 2005Sara Millersemortim@syr.edu

On Feb. 19, as part of Syracuse University’s Winter Carnival 2005 (Feb 17-20), students, faculty, staff and the greater Syracuse community are invited to the SU Quad to witness and help break the Guinness World Record for the largest snowball ever made. The snowball-building process will begin at noon.

The goal of this record-setting attempt, which is officially registered with the Guinness World Records authorities, is to create a snowball 6 feet in diameter, which will surpass the current largest snowball record of 5 feet, 3 inches in diameter rolled on Jan. 9, 2003, by Nicole Pharo of the United Kingdom.

If successful, Syracuse University will then hold the record for the world’s largest snowball. The event will be monitored, recorded and officially measured in a number of ways to provide documentation of the result to Guinness World Records. There are also additional conditions of success, according to Guinness:

  • the ball should be sufficiently well made so that it does not collapse;
  • the snowball must be made of solid snow; the middle cannot be hollow to any extent;
  • the circumference of the ball, as well as its height and estimated diameter, must be included with the claim;
  • any number of people may take part in the construction of the ball;
  • the construction of the snowball, from beginning to end, must be witnessed by two well-regarded members of the community who will all sign sworn statements;
  • mechanical equipment may be used to move the snow;
  • the number of people involved in the construction is immaterial, but the team should be identifiable as such and all should engage continuously as far as reasonably possible in the project until its completion;
  • the snowball must be constructed from loose snow obtained from the immediate vicinity of the construction, with as little grit/rocks as possible;
  • a video of the entire attempt must be submitted.

In the event that the day’s weather conditions do not provide enough snow for the snowball’s completion, arrangements are being made to transport necessary snow to the Quad from existing mounds at the Skytop Office Building on South Campus, in accordance with the guidelines. Dennis Jacobs, a student organizer for the event, said that his biggest concern is having enough snow. “We are bringing in two and a half truck loads of snow,” Jacobs said.

Winter Carnival, sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, will feature four days of winter activity, including horse-drawn carriage rides, giveaways, displays, shows, cook-offs and more. “It’s very exciting to be a part of the Winter Carnival tradition and I am so pleased to see the array of events that are being offered–from snowshoeing to building the world’s largest snowball,” said Ellen King, director of student events. “The Winter Carnival committee has done an amazing job in organizing and reviving this wonderful University tradition.”

For full calendar details, visit: http://students.syr.edu/moretodo/moretodo.pdf. For more information and updates, call 443-3939, or email suwintercarnvival@yahoo.com.