Overview

• More than 1,000 people gathered Saturday on Lake of the Isles for the ritual sharpening of a 20-foot oak pencil sculpture
• John and Amy Higgins enlisted wood sculptor Curtis Ingvoldstad to repurpose their storm-damaged tree into a whimsical pop art pencil
• Participants enjoyed live music, pageantry and Swiss alphorn performances while some donned pencil and eraser costumes
• Purple pencils were distributed to mark what would have been Prince’s 67th birthday and honor his legacy in Minneapolis
• Each year’s sharpening removes several inches from the pencil, underscoring its ephemeral nature and message of creative renewal