Community Gathers for Unique Pencil-Sharpening Celebration in Minneapolis

In Minneapolis, more than 1,000 people gathered on Saturday in a picturesque neighborhood for a unique annual event: the sharpening of a massive No. 2 pencil. The 20-foot-tall (6-meter-tall) pencil, crafted from a large oak tree, stands at the home of John and Amy Higgins. This tree, cherished by the community, suffered damage during a storm a few years ago when strong winds broke its crown. Though initially a cause for mourning, John and Amy Higgins saw this as an opportunity for renewal and transformation.

The pencil-sharpening event on their lawn has grown into a community spectacle, attracting hundreds to the Lake of the Isles neighborhood. The gathering features music and colorful pageantry, including costumes of pencils and erasers. This year’s entertainment included two Swiss alphorn players. In tribute to the late Minneapolis music icon Prince, the hosts distributed purple pencils on what would have been his 67th birthday.

“Some man is sharpening a pencil on his lawn and this is what happens? Yeah, I’m gonna be part of it. How can you not? Life is too short,” remarked Rachel Hyman, who had traveled from Chicago for the event, wearing a pencil costume.

After the storm, the Higginses decided to transform their tree into a creative sculpture, avoiding typical chainsaw-carved shapes like a bear. Given the log’s dimensions, they envisioned an oversized pencil. Renowned wood sculptor Curtis Ingvoldstad was enlisted to create a classic Trusty brand No. 2 pencil replica.

“People interpret this however they want to. They should come to this and find whatever they want out of it,” said Ingvoldstad, highlighting the expressive freedom the sculpture offers. He added, “It’s good to have pieces that do that for people.”

John Higgins expressed their intent to foster community through this celebration. “We tell a story about the dull tip, and we’re gonna get sharp,” he stated. “It’s a renewal. We can write a new love letter, a thank-you note. We can write a math problem, a to-do list. And that chance for renewal, that promise, people really seem to buy into and understand.”

To maintain the pencil’s pointed apex, organizers use a large, custom-made sharpener on scaffolding set up for the occasion. This process shaves off a bit each year, making the pencil shorter over time. They remove between 3 to 10 inches (8 to 25 centimeters) annually, though this year’s reduction remains undecided. The eventual reduction to a stub is an accepted potential outcome, allowing nature and time to shape its future form.

“Like any ritual, you’ve got to sacrifice something,” Ingvoldstad commented. “We’re sacrificing part of the monumentality of the pencil, so that we can give that to the audience that comes, and say, ‘This is our offering to you, and in goodwill to all the things that you’ve done this year.’”