“Tonight’s Dream, Tomorrow’s Memory”
2008 Snow Queen
(December 20, 2008 - January 11, 2009)

The Dacotah Prairie Museum proudly presented its annual Snow Queen Festival exhibit. “Tonight’s Dream, Tomorrow’s Memory” was this year’s theme for the Festival that was held in January.

The exhibit included a panorama of portraits, from Dorothy Lockington’s photograph in 1947 as the first Snow Queen through 62 queens to Brittany Davis, 2008’s reigning Queen. Also feathered were gowns, crowns and sashes of former Snow Queens along with scrapbooks, charm bracelets, and selected personal momentos. Fosty the Snowman was represented by his official costume, mugs belonging to each past Frosty inscribed with names and dates and classic photos. Standing guard over the Snow Queen, the Snow Guards displayed their red uniforms, hats, buttons and patches. Portraits of the Junior Snow Queens as well as a collection of buttons used to promote the various festivals as  fund raisers were displayed.

Aberdeen’s Snow Queen Festival began after World War II when officials from the St. Paul Winter Carnival approached Aberdeen with the idea of becoming a satellite of the Carnival. The Aberdeen Jaycees and Jaycettes took on the responsibility for organizing the first Snow Queen Festival in 1946, each one contributing $10 - $25 toward expenses. Candidates participating in the first festival came from twelve communities, including Aberdeen and nearby towns. Britton was the first town to hold a local contest, with four candidates signing up. However, it was so cold the night of the event that only three of the girls were able to get there. The first contest in Selby was held by candlelight because a blizzard had downed the power lines. Dorothy Lockington who represented Aberdeen was crowned the first Snow Queen in 1947. The first festival was held in Aberdeen’s Civic Arena for a capacity crowd of 3,500, each of whom paid $1 which also entitled them to attend the dance following coronation.

As with any winter event scheduled in this area, weather was always a concern. Weather forecasters were calling for a huge winter storm to blanket the area with snow the first festival day in January, 1947, but luck prevailed and the storm veered north and west of Aberdeen. The contest was held in beautiful winter weather.

In 1949, the first “Frosty” was crowned as part of the festival. Frosty was a prominent business person or public figure who dons the white snowman costume and takes part in the events only to be revealed at the Snow Queen’s coronation.  Such notables as Senator Tom Daschel and Governor Nils Boe and Joe Foss have been Frosty. Frosty is escorted to these events by six uniformed Snow Guards who are the only ones who know Frosty’s true identity. The guards are appointed to three year terms and each has been the past president of the Jaycees or the past Festival General Chairman.

Another tradition was added to the festival in 1955, that of the crowning of the Junior Snow Queen. Contestants for this crown are high school freshmen and they also participate in the talent portion of the festival.

For information on past exhibits in the Lamont Gallery, please click here.