Every snowman on a Stroudsburg sidewalk this winter had to fit through a 32-inch door first. That's one of the requirements in GO Collaborative's artist application for the 2026–27 season. Each artist needs a garage, a tall canopy or an enclosed space with an opening at least that wide, because the sculpture GO delivers is 30 inches wide and 5 feet 6 inches tall. On its stand it reaches about 7 feet 2 inches.
The ninth annual Snowmen of Stroudsburg opens Friday, November 27, and stays up through February 28, 2027. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau event listing says more than 70 life-size snowmen will be set up around the borough. Most people see them for the first time on tree-lighting night. The way the project is run, though, makes them worth walking past again in January and February. The artists aren't paid, the designs can't advertise anyone, and a ballot at the end of the season decides the cash awards.
From a July Sketch to a Main Street Sidewalk
GO Collaborative calls itself a "think tank" of independent professionals working mainly with Stroudsburg's business and arts sectors, and its stated aim is community growth through collaboration, arts and innovation. Its address is 111 N. 8th Street, and Mary Evanisko is listed as one of its three founders. The artist application shows how a snowman gets from an idea to the sidewalk:
- Sketch. Artists send in front, side and back drawings. For this season the deadline was July 15, 2026, "no exceptions."
- Jury. A jury reviews every submission and picks the designs. Artists have to be within 10 miles of downtown and supply a truck or large SUV to haul their sculpture.
- Delivery. GO hands over the snowman fully assembled except for arms and special attachments, as three stacked spheres. The finished piece has to match the approved sketch.
- Six weeks. Once a design is approved, the artist has six weeks at most to finish it, and GO team members stop by along the way to check progress and talk through where the arms go.
- Materials. Artists can use exterior latex house paint or quality acrylics. Oil-based paint, enamel and most spray paint are banned because they melt the material underneath. Add-ons like fabric, ceramics, feathers and foil all have to be weather-treated, and together they can't add more than 15 pounds.
The artists pay for all of their own materials. GO's artist agreement treats the work as a voluntary charitable contribution, and the only money an artist can earn is a contest award. Earlier seasons are a reminder that volunteers also handle the heavy lifting. In WNEP's coverage of the snowmen's return downtown, GO orders and treats the Styrofoam, assembles the figures, and recruits volunteers to carry them from storage to the street.
A Snowman Can Stand at a Shop Without Advertising It
Rule 14 of the application decides what you'll see on the sidewalk:
"Nothing Political, Religious, no mascots business names or logos, no club or organization can be depicted."
The same rule bans violence and requires every design to be non-prejudicial and family friendly. GO describes the project as "an art installation for all."
Host storefronts still get a figure at their door. In 2020 the Stroudsburg High School student paper, SHS News, wrote about "Celtic HOOD" by Lorraine Fagan, which stood outside Fitzpatrick's on Main Street. The sign that does carry a name is the plaque, and it names the artist. The application promises an identification plaque at each snowman's spot and a voting platform that lists each sculpture with its artist. GO's For Artists page lists past participants including Eric Bakke, Emily Brier, Erin DeRosa, Eric Diemer, Kyle Maloney, Judy Moeller and Jason Williamson.
Nine Seasons, and the Count Keeps Climbing
The project began in 2017. In June 2022, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau reported that 12 of 39 sculptures sold at auction for more than $7,000 combined. Bids started at $500, which went straight to the artist, and anything above that was split between the artist and GO. Kyle Maloney's interactive snowman "Cogswell" brought the top bid of $1,500. Many of the snowmen that sold that spring were set to appear in the 2022–23 display as well.
By November 2024, The Weekender was promoting a scavenger hunt for nearly 60 life-size sculptures, ten of them new designs. This season's listing says more than 70. That's close to double the 39 from 2022. Because each new figure needs a volunteer artist with a big enough garage and six weeks to spare, the growth shows how many local artists keep signing up.
The Snowmen You See Thanksgiving Weekend May Not Stay Put
People who only see the snowmen on opening night miss part of how the project works. In February 2024, the Times News reported that the snowmen changed locations every few weeks, so you had to keep checking where they were. The same article named February 24 as the last day to vote that season.
Past locations show how far they spread. In January 2025, 28/22 News reported a "Where the Wild Things Are" snowman at Fifth and Sarah streets. Last season, WFMZ covered a snowman by Marilyn Detrick on Main Street. In 2024–25, maps and trading cards were available at selected downtown shops, including Fitzpatrick's Irish and Celtic Store. The Downtown Stroudsburg Business Association's Snowmen page says the figures are spread around town and links to a map.
GO's Snowmen page carries a "Vote for your favorite snowmen" link, and the application says the season ends with a balloted contest and three cash awards for the best snowmen. Those awards are the only money the artists can earn from work they otherwise donate, and since the figures have moved around in past seasons, a second walk in January lets you see more of the field.
Opening Night at Courthouse Square
The installation opens the same evening as the Downtown Stroudsburg Christmas Tree Lighting. The Downtown Stroudsburg Business Association hosts it at Courthouse Square, 38 N. 7th Street, and admission is free. Here's the schedule from the event listing for Friday, November 27:
| Time | What's happening |
|---|---|
| 5:30 p.m. | Tree lighting begins; Brad Roccanova and His Big Band perform |
| 6:00 p.m. | Santa and the Grinch arrive |
| 6:30 p.m. | Countdown to the tree lighting |
| 7:30 p.m. | Event wraps |
The Stroudsburg Fire Department will be there too, and the listing invites people to eat and shop downtown before and after. If you're in the square at 6:30, you're standing on opening night of a season that runs another 13 weeks.
The Same Square Through February
Courthouse Square stays busy after the tree goes up. The Monroe Farmers Market lists fall and winter hours of 9 a.m. to noon from November through April, and its GPS address is Café Duet, 35 N. 7th Street. A market morning in January can take you past whichever snowmen are on that block that week.
The business association's next big downtown event is Winterfest, Saturday, February 13, 2027, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's free. That's 15 days before the snowmen come down on February 28, so the festival falls in the last stretch of the season. Monroe County's video segment from January 2026 covered both events together.
If you'd like to support the project, GO Collaborative takes donations through the Snowmen of Stroudsburg page, and the questions in its application go to [email protected].
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