Today is the nationwide festival to mark the end of winter and welcome springtime! This holiday is modeled after Germany's Rose Sunday Festival where the mayor of each town burns a straw snowman if the children of the town were well behaved that year. The burning of the snowman signifies the official start of spring.

Snowman Burning Day is also celebrated in Switzerland, as well as other parts of the world. Some people believe that the rising smoke from the fire is supposed to ward off blizzards and usher in spring-like weather. The first Snowman Burning Day was celebrated in 1971 at Lake Superior State University. This tradition has continued to take place year after year at the university with students, faculty, staff, retirees, and townspeople who all attend and participate.