‘It was honestly mesmerizing’: Students design Festival du Voyageur-inspired ice sculptures

An ice sculpture at Bison Run School in Winnipeg, Man. on Feb. 12, 2026. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

A towering bison has been etched out of a massive block of ice in a Winnipeg schoolyard – a project aimed at carving out new traditions for the growing school.

The frosty creation is currently on display at Bison Run School in Waverley West.

While a student did not carve the frosty work of art, they did inspire the design.

As part of a French culture and communication class, Grade 6 students were tasked with modelling their own mini sculptures out of clay.

The project was a way for the school to celebrate Festival du Voyageur and its iconic ice sculptures.

“We really want to make it a rich experience for our students,” explained teacher Tytanya Fillion.

“They come from around the world. We have about 80 per cent of our students coming from different countries, so to learn the Franco-Manitoban culture is a huge part of all of our curriculums in social studies.”

One of the student’s designs – a charging bison – was chosen to bring to snowy life.

“It turned out to be way bigger than I expected,” said Amber But, a Grade 6 student.

The project is an annual project for the three-year-old school.

Fillion said creating these traditions is important to help the school grow.

Seeing their ideas come to life was a memorable experience for students and staff, alike.

“It was honestly mesmerizing,” said Grade 6 student Dara Olanrewaju.

“It was just the pride, the sense of pride that we have, that we created a piece of art that will live on in our memories,” Fillion said.