Lake Superior State University’s iconic tradition, the 54th annual Snowman Burning, took place Thursday evening with around 200 people saying goodbye to Old Man Winter.
But with the wintry weather in the forecast this weekend, saying goodbye might have been premature.
The event was postponed last week due to high winds on March 20, the first day of Spring.
This year’s theme, 'From Flakes to Flames', captured both the harshness of the season and the community’s readiness for renewal.
LSSU Fire Science students, alongside the Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department were present to provide a safe and educational experience during the burn.
One local couple, Sam Warner and Louie Schmit, came to the event for the first time and brought their young children along.
Warner attended LSSU several years ago but never attended this ritual.
"It was cool. I mean, it's been a long winter, and it's a half-way decent day, so figured we would take the kids out. Hopefully, this is a sign that this is all going to start melting, and things are going to warm up. I think everybody is ready for that," Warner said.
Schmit has lived in the Soo for 20 years and never made it to this event, either.
"We enjoy getting the kids out. It's better than being cooped up in the house. We are ready for all the snow to be gone," Schmit said.
Check out the video of the burning below. The 5-minute burn video was sped up to two minutes.