Community celebrates Lake of the Isles Pencil's 5th sharpening

Thousands gathered in East Isles on June 6, 2026, to watch the annual ceremonial sharpening of Minneapolis' giant pencil sculpture.

The fifth annual sharpening of the 20-foot "Loti Pencil" ran from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at 2217 E Lake of the Isles Parkway, organized by the East Isles Neighborhood Association (https://www.eastisles.org/events/twin-cities-pride-festival-rmsce-5mktl-tst8t-4a3xl-recf2-w82cw).

Crowds filled the street, sidewalks and park across from John and Amy Higgins' home; "There's thousands of people here to celebrate something so simple," one attendee said (https://www.southwestvoices.news/posts/professional-pencil-sharpener-to-sharpen-pencil-sculpture).

Artisanal pencil sharpener David Rees, author of 'How to Sharpen Pencils,' returned to oversee the sharpening after taking part in the first two parties in 2022 and 2023 (https://www.southwestvoices.news/posts/professional-pencil-sharpener-to-sharpen-pencil-sculpture).

Sculptor Curtis Ingvoldstad carved the yellow No. 2 pencil in 2022 from the trunk of a 180-year-old bur oak that died after a 2017 storm tore off its crown (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loti_Pencil).

Treated as a "living" installation, the pencil loses several inches each year to a custom four-foot sharpener Ingvoldstad also designed (https://www.startribune.com/gettin-pointy-with-it-community-celebrates-lake-of-the-isles-pencils-5th-sharpening/601852143).