Sault Ste. Marie Residents Compete to Find Tallest Residential Snowbank

Real estate agent Rob Trembinski and videographer Jacob Cedolia launch a contest to discover the city's most impressive winter wonderland

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Real estate agent Rob Trembinski and videographer Jacob Cedolia of First Fruit Films launched a contest to find the tallest residential snowbank in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. After scouring the city and measuring numerous massive snow piles, they declared a winner on Greenfield Drive, with the snowbank measuring over 13 feet tall. The winner received a gift card prize, while other finalists were given bags of gourmet popcorn. Trembinski said the contest videos garnered thousands of views on social media, helping to showcase his personality beyond just real estate.

Why it matters

The snowbank contest taps into the community's shared experience of dealing with heavy snowfall, a source of both frustration and pride for residents of Sault Ste. Marie. By turning it into a lighthearted competition, Trembinski was able to engage locals, showcase the city's winter wonderland, and build his personal brand as a real estate agent with a fun, community-oriented approach.

The details

Trembinski and Cedolia drove around the city, following tips from residents about impressive snowbanks. They measured the height of the snow piles, with the winner on Greenfield Drive measuring over 13 feet tall. The winner will receive either a $50 gift card to Tim Horton's or Tuomo's Stubbornly Finnish Food, while other finalists were given bags of gourmet popcorn from a local business. Trembinski said the contest videos received between 10,000 and 15,000 views on social media, far exceeding the typical engagement on his real estate video walkthroughs.

  • The contest was launched in February 2026.

The players

Rob Trembinski

A real estate agent in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan who launched the snowbank contest to engage the local community and showcase his personality beyond just real estate.

Jacob Cedolia

A videographer with First Fruit Films who worked with Trembinski to create the contest videos that garnered thousands of views on social media.

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What they’re saying

“We did a quick video and it had like 37,000 views.”

— Rob Trembinski, Real estate agent (sootoday.com)

“He wanted to differentiate himself a bit, so we do videos that are a little more fun.”

— Jacob Cedolia, Videographer (sootoday.com)

“We live here and this is what we're known for, so we have got to have a little bit of fun with it.”

— Rob Trembinski, Real estate agent (sootoday.com)

What’s next

Trembinski said he is willing to see the contest continue as an annual tradition in Sault Ste. Marie, especially during heavy snow years.

The takeaway

By tapping into the community's shared experience of dealing with heavy snowfall, Trembinski was able to engage locals, showcase the city's winter wonderland, and build his personal brand as a real estate agent with a fun, community-oriented approach.