Time for annual sharpening of 20-foot tall pencil

Residents gathered Saturday in a Minneapolis neighborhood for an annual ritual — the sharpening of a 20-foot tall No. 2 pencil.

The gigantic pencil was sculpted out of an oak tree that was damaged in a storm a few years ago when fierce winds twisted the crown off. The homeowners created a sculpture out of their tree. They envisioned a whimsical piece of pop art that people could recognize, but not a stereotypical chainsaw-carved, north-woods bear. Given the shape and circumference of the log, they came up with the idea of an oversized pencil standing tall in their yard.

So they enlisted a wood sculptor to transform it into a replica of a classic Trusty brand No. 2 pencil.

The sharpening ceremony on their front lawn has evolved into a community spectacle that draws hundreds of people, complete with music and pageantry. Some people dressed as pencils or erasers. Two Swiss alphorn players provided part of this year’s entertainment. 

This year the hosts commemorated a Minneapolis icon, and handed out purple pencils on what would have been Prince's 67th birthday.

To keep the point pointy, they haul a giant, custom-made pencil sharpener up the scaffolding that’s erected for the event.

Every year they sharpen it, it gets a bit shorter. They’ve taken anywhere from 3 to 10 inches off a year. 
They haven’t decided how much to shave off this year. They’re OK knowing that they could reduce it to a stub one day. The artist said they’ll let time and life dictate its form — that’s part of the magic.


(Photo Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP)