Dad Builds Awesome Snow Sculptures Every Winter

Sometimes a snowman just doesn’t cut it.

A kid at heart, Mike Palcko of Glendora is known around town for his creative wintertime masterpieces. From Disney characters to sports mascots, Palcko has mastered the art of snow-sculpting.

This year, neighbors and passerbys have been oohing and aahing over the family’s latest snow creation of Elsa, Olaf and other memorable characters from the Disney hit “Frozen.” The life-size sculpture stands nearly six feet tall and took three hours to build. Of course, breaks for snowball fights and sledding were allowed.

“My wife and I try to give our children and their friends great memories so hopefully one day they will do the same for their children,” Palcko said of the family tradition.

Palcko, his wife Jennifer, and their two sons began building snow sculptures in 2005. The two boys, Branden, 10, and Dylan, 4, are given the privilege to choose which character the family will bring to life next. To Palcko, the tradition is all about having fun with the kids.

Throughout the years, the family has created a long list of snow characters, from Sulley of the movie “Monsters Inc.” to the ever-popular minion character as seen in “Despicable Me.” Out of all of them, however, Palcko says his top pick is the family’s Spongebob sculptures, with the Phillies Phanatic mascot scoring a close second.

Many will agree that what stands out the most among the snow creations are the vibrant colors and hues. His secret? Biodegradable water-based paint.

Although a snow-sculpting pro, winter isn’t the only time Palcko makes headlines. When temperatures heat up, Palcko is known as ”The Water Park Guy” for his custom-built backyard water parks that bring children’s dreams to life. His work gained the attention of HGTV where his own water park was featured on the network’s “Cool Pools” television series.

A true passion for building, Palcko also owns a restoration business that repairs and rebuilds homes that have been damaged in emergency situations.

“The greatest reward in all of the things we do is that a lot of people follow our lead and the children get quality time with their families,” he added. “Too many families get stuck in their busy lifestyles, but hopefully they will see how priceless being a parent is.”