Sioux Falls ‘Paint The Plow’ Event Turns Winter Tools Into Art On Wheels

Kiddos across the Sioux Empire traded in their crayons for paintbrushes this past weekend, and their canvases were a bit bigger than usual.

On Saturday, October 11, the annual “Paint the Plow” event took over the Great Plains Zoo parking lot in Sioux Falls. Students from elementary, middle, and high schools, along with youth organizations from all over the area, gathered to turn the city’s fleet of snowplows into rolling works of art. Because if we have to face another long, cold South Dakota winter, we might as well do it with some style, right?

As Dakota News Now reports, the event is all about unleashing community creativity and bringing a splash of color to the city’s streets before the snow inevitably takes over.

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Schools provided the paint, and the students provided the imagination.

Now that the masterpieces have been created, it’s time for the public to play art critic. Online voting for the most creative plow is open through Thursday, October 16, at 11:45 PM.

There are two categories you can vote on:

• Best-Looking Snowplow (the standard heavy-duty kind)

• Or, Best V-Plow (the fancy two-blade setup that forms a “V”)

It’s also worth noting that the colorful designs and quirky slogans seen on the plows are the creations of the young artists themselves and don’t necessarily reflect the official stance of the City of Sioux Falls, though I'm guessing the city won't mind a little extra flair.

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Once all the votes are tallied, the winning designs will take center stage in the annual Downtown Parade of Lights on Friday, November 28, at 7:30 PM along Phillips Avenue.

Over the years, there have been some very creative names painted on the city plows, names like "Snowbi Wan Kenobi," "Plow Bunyan," "Darth Blader," and "Been there Plowed That." I'm sure this year's crop of artists will produce a few more classic names for the ages.

Source: Dakota News Now