If you've been looking for opportunities to make snow puns, look no further. Chicago's fourth annual “Name the Snowplow” contest is back.
The contest, hosted by the Department of Streets and Sanitation, encourages residents to submit creative names for snow plows for the city's six snowy neighborhoods. Past winners have included Bozo's Plow, Lollaploolosa and Scoop, Here It Comes!
“The snowplow naming contest is a crowd pleaser, and we're more excited than ever to see the creativity and Chicago pride demonstrated in this year's entries,” said DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard. “This is a great opportunity to engage with the public and showcase the city’s hard work in keeping roads clear of snow and ice.”
This year the competition will be divided into two stages.
Initially, the city will collect all submitted names, which are limited to one person and 50 characters in length. When applications close on Jan. 10, 2026, or when the city receives 20,000 applications—whichever comes first—DSS staff will select 25 finalists.
The second phase will begin on February 1, 2026 and will allow residents to vote for their six favorite names until February 14, 2026. The top six names will then be featured on six snow plows in six snowy areas of the city.
Since there is a possibility of people submitting the same name, the people who submitted their idea first, as determined by timestamps, will be selected for a photo opportunity with the named snowplow and city product.
Residents interested in submitting their ideas can find a form on the website city website.
