Coon Rapids Students Have One Week Left To Design The Official Button For 62nd Snowflake Days Celebration

COON RAPIDS, Minn. - With winter at the doorstep and a six decade tradition approaching its next chapter, students across Coon Rapids have just one week left to leave their mark on one of the city’s most enduring community celebrations.

The Coon Rapids Snowflake Days, which will mark its 62nd anniversary in 2026, is accepting final entries for its official button design contest. The competition, organized by the Coon Rapids Snowflake Association, is open to Coon Rapids students in grades 5 through 12, with submissions due Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.

While the contest highlights young artistic talent, the button itself carries deeper significance. It serves not only as a keepsake but also as an entry pass to many Snowflake Days activities, most notably the Community Medallion Hunt, where participants must possess the current year’s button to claim the cash prize.

A button that unlocks the festival

Organizers describe the annual button as the ceremonial kickoff to Snowflake Days, which runs Jan. 30 through Feb. 8, 2026. Two winning designs will be selected, with $100 awarded for first place and $75 for second place. The winning artwork is scheduled to be unveiled publicly at the City of Coon Rapids City Council meeting on Jan. 20, 2026.

To qualify, designs must follow strict guidelines. Entries must be hand drawn on 8.5 by 11 inch white paper, use no more than three colors excluding the white background, and be created without computer graphics. Each button must include the words “Coon Rapids Snowflake Days”, the dates January 30 to February 8, 2026, and the city’s beloved mascot, Rocky the Raccoon.

Suggested themes include winter activities that reflect life in Coon Rapids, such as hockey, ice skating, sledding, disc golf, and other cold weather pastimes.

Rocky the Raccoon and the city’s identity

The requirement to include Rocky the Raccoon reflects more than playful branding. Coon Rapids takes its name from Coon Creek, where early settlers encountered large raccoon populations. The animal has appeared in city imagery since the 1960s, becoming an informal symbol of the community.

The current version of Rocky was refreshed in 2023 as part of a broader effort to modernize the city’s visual identity. During Snowflake Days, Rocky frequently appears at events wearing winter gear or ice skates, greeting families and cheering on participants.

A festival rooted in community building

Snowflake Days traces its origins to 1964, when the Coon Rapids Jaycees, led by Chuck Austin, launched the event during a period of rapid suburban growth. At the time, Coon Rapids was emerging as a bedroom community, and local leaders wanted a winter tradition that would foster a sense of hometown identity in contrast to the region’s many summer festivals.

By 1968, the celebration had grown large enough to warrant the creation of the Coon Rapids Snowflake Association, a nonprofit formed to manage and sustain the event. More than 60 years later, Snowflake Days remains one of the city’s most recognizable civic traditions.

What to expect in 2026

The winning button design will represent a packed 10 day schedule of activities across the city, including:

• Community Medallion Hunt from Jan. 30 to Feb. 8, a citywide scavenger hunt on public property with daily clues released at 8 a.m. and a $500 prize for 2026
• Guns and Hoses Hockey Game on Feb. 1, a charity matchup between the Coon Rapids Police and Fire Departments at the Coon Rapids Ice Center
• Snow Sculpture Contest, with residents building displays in their front yards and judging scheduled for Feb. 3
• Junior Royalty and Ambassador Pageant, a youth tradition dating back to the 1970s
• Community Waffle Breakfast, the closing event where the Medallion Hunt winner is officially awarded their prize

How to enter

Students must submit their designs by Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. Entries may be emailed to crsnowflakedays@gmail.com or submitted according to the guidelines posted on the Snowflake Association’s official website. Each submission must include the student’s name, grade, school, and a parent or guardian contact number.

For many past winners, the button contest has been a first opportunity to contribute creatively to a citywide tradition. For the broader community, it marks the start of another Snowflake Days season that continues to tie generations together through winter, art, and shared civic pride.

MinneapoliMedia