For the last five years, the sharpening of a giant pencil sculpture has dominated social calendars for the first week of June.
The 20-foot tall No. 2. pencil sits in the yard of John and Amy Higgins. The story goes that a few years ago an oak tree was damaged in a storm and instead of removing it, they consulted wood sculptor Curtis Ingvoldstad who turned it into a pencil.
Now, thousands of people gather annually for a party in the Lake of the Isles neighborhood with costumes, pencil hats and of course, commemorative No. 2 pencils to take home.
Amy said at first, her expectations were low. Would people really come out on a summer day to watch a pencil sculpture be sharpened? She did not expect the event to become a viral local moment…