Hanover had in fact frozen over as the 84th Carnival in the College's history broke loose at last night's opening ceremonies on the Green.
"I don't know about you, but it's certainly freezing up here," President James Freedman said from the podium in front of the snow sculpture.
"This is my seventh Winter Carnival, and I must certainly say that it sets four records - it's the one with the most snow, it's the coldest, it's had the most number of people working to make it a success, and it has the largest snow sculpture," he said.
The Carnival Council worked diligently to ensure that the sculpture was ready for the opening ceremonies.
Students workers had completed the sculpture just 30 minutes prior to the ceremonies.
"I think it went very well. It was a very good crowd," Carnival Council Co-Chair Tim Chow '96 said referring to the ceremonies.
The ceremonies started at 7 p.m. with a torchlight parade of athletes from the ski teams, the men's soccer team and the women's basketball team. The parade of athletes began at the edge of the Green.
The team members made their way to the abominable snowman sculpture rising up from the middle of the Green.
"In many ways we've been very fortunate this year," Carnival Council Co-Chair Sarah Wagner said.
Wagner said the cold weather and tremendous snowfall during the past month combined for optimal snow sculpting conditions.
Speeches from various College athletic team captains followed Wagner's opening remarks.
Ruff Patterson spoke about the Nordic and alpine ski team's competitions this weekend. Patterson said many of the members of this year's ski teams might one day join their fellow alumni on the U.S. national ski teams.
"We're looking forward to it," Patterson said referring to the Carnival weekend.
After Patterson finished his remarks, men's soccer team Captain John Faubert '94 bounded onto the podium.
"I'm not a very good skier," Faubert announced. But he went on to say that all athletes must go through the same sort of training in order to compete in their respective sport.
Women's basketball team co-captain Ilsa Webeck '94 spoke to the crowd.
"Why spend days or weeks building large objects on the Green only to burn them down or knock them over. Why not?" Webeck said.
Webeck said people often ask her, "Why be an athlete?" Her response is similarly, "Why not?"
Chow next thanked students for their hard work building the snow sculpture and presented Coordinator of Student Programs Linda Kennedy with flowers for her spearheading the Council's efforts to organize Carnival.
Students were also treated to performances by the Dodecaphonics and the Aires acapella singing groups, who both turned in spirited, humorous performances.
President of the Dartmouth Outing Club Mark Giordono '94 spoke to the students about the need to remember that when Fred Harris '11 founded Winter Carnival, he intended it to be a chance for students to enjoy themselves in the great outdoors.
"I hope you really get outside instead of spending all weekend in the basement of Baker or some other basements," Giordono said.
Hilary Mosher '95 read from her poem "Dog Sled Man."
The ceremonies closed with the singing of the Alma Mater by the Aires, who were accompanied by President Freedman.
