Bringing the spirit of aloha to Rexburg

On Jan. 16, Rexburg’s Cultural Arts Center hosted a winter luau called “Snowman is an Island.”

The event took place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Madison School District Field. BYU-Idaho students and residents of Rexburg were in attendance, according to the city’s website.

The Museum of Rexburg co-sponsored the activity and offered hot chocolate to those who came to the event. Hawaiian music played across the field.

Visitors played Hawaiian themed games such as Hula-Hoop, limbo and pineapple ring toss. Prizes included sunglasses, Hawaiian Punch, Lifesavers and colored pencils.

6-year-old Joey Hiatt said his favorite part about “Snowman is an Island” was the snowman-building contest.

“I love playing in the snow,” Joey said. “Yesterday was my birthday and I got to go sledding, and now I get to build a snowman today.”

Each visitor building a snowman for the contest received a snowman kit that included a carrot and Oreo cookies to be used for the snowman’s eyes.

The contest remains open to anyone who wants to add their own snowman, igloo or ice sculpture to the Madison School District Field. To enter, take a picture of your creation and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #snowmanisanisland.

On Saturday, Jan. 23, Rexburg’s Cultural Arts Director Jed Platt will judge all pictures and decide the winner. To find more information visit the center’s Instagram page. The winners of the snowman-building contest will receive gift cards to some of the Hawaiian restaurants around Rexburg.

“More than anything, I’m going to be looking at the creativity that went into the snowman to choose the winner,” Platt said.

“We’re bringing the spirit of aloha to our freezing temperatures,” Platt said.

Platt has been Rexburg’s Cultural Arts director since the spring of 2020. Since then, he has directed various activities with the purpose of gathering residents together safely and following COVID-19 guidelines.

Platt said he is planning many more events and activities for the upcoming months.

“There is not a lot Rexburg has to offer right now – but we do have snow,” Platt said, “So that’s what we’re going to use to bring people together.”

Three siblings build an igloo together. Photo credit: Ali Belle Hopkins

Pineapple Ring Toss Photo credit: Ali Belle Hopkins