Where but in Minneapolis would about 2,000 people attend the annual sharpening festivities of a giant pencil?!
After a giant wind storm blew off the top of a giant 180-year-old bur oak tree in 2017, the owners of the historic Bull Higgins house at 2217 E Lake of the Isles Parkway decided that instead of removing the tree they would have it turned into a piece of art. After all, we have a giant spoonbridge and cherry… why not a giant pencil?
And so, the idea of LOTI (Lake of the Isles) Pencil No. 2 was born. The current owners, John and Amy Higgins, engaged artist Curtis Ingvoldstad to breathe life into the pencil, which was unveiled in 2022. It was decided that the pencil would be a living object and would be sharpened every year.
This year’s annual pencil sharpening took place last Saturday, when more than 2,000 people gathered for the event, which included dancing pencils, Prince dance breaks (it was his birthday), a reading of the @lotipencil diary, free t-shirts and ice cream, and of course, the sharpening.
There was much frivolity, pomp and circumstance including a drum corps from UMN, and many ‘pencil’ hats displaying Minnesota creativity. I love the comment, “Minnesotans are funny man”. I think LOTI Pencil No. 2 is part of the reason that Minneapolis is one of the world’s happiest places… an example of its creative energy and community spirit.
Want to experience it yourself? Catch it next year, the first Saturday in June!
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
