Steamboat Springs — A year after they melted away from the Winter Carnival lineup and prompted a community outcry, snow sculptures are returning to Lincoln Avenue.

And they’re poised to be better than ever.

Community members and businesses will now be able to join area students in the snow sculpting competition.

And anyone who can’t even fashion a proper snowman can improve their sculpting skills before the carnival by partaking in a free workshop led by acclaimed local sculptor Sandy Graves.

“I think this is gonna be one of the best Winter Carnivals ever,” Main Street Steamboat Springs manager Lisa Popovich said. “There are so many exciting things going on, and there’s this new energy around the snow sculptures. Sometimes, when stuff goes away, we realize how much we miss it.”

High school students will also continue their previous tradition of making the sculptures.

The high schools in Routt County will have sculpting teams competing for scholarship prizes totaling $5,000.

The snow sculpture revival is being coordinated by the Steamboat Springs Arts Council and the Steamboat Springs Creative District.

Other community partners include Main Street Steamboat, the city of Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Springs High School, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and the Tread of Pioneers Museum.

“There was a lot of community outcry when everything got cancelled last year,” Arts Council Executive Director Kim Keith said. “It just made sense for us to become the leader (of this tradition.) We’re very, very interested in the educational component of this creative process.”

To apply to get involved in the snow sculpture tradition, view the application at the end of this story.

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10