SAINT PAUL, Minn. — A favorite wintertime tradition in the Twin Cities is only 100 days away from opening its frosty gate for the 137th time.
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is scheduled to run from Jan. 26 through Feb.5.
The festival claims to be the oldest winter festival in the U.S., and Lisa Jacobson, President and CEO of the Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation said the "Coolest Celebration on Earth" is looking forward to bringing back many of the traditional Carnival activities, as well as introducing new events for people of all ages.
Some of the new offerings include the "Light Up the Park" event in Rice Park to kick off the festivities on Jan. 26. The Royal Family will tell the Winter Carnival Legend, accompanied by the official Carnival Countdown as the 10-day festival begins.
Vocal Interpretations, a lip sync battle, will hold preliminaries on Thursday, Jan. 26 and a new and bigger-than-ever Warming House will be set up on Landmark Plaza, offering a cozy spot to sip a beverage, listen to some live music and enjoy games like trivia, bingo and pull tabs.
And of course, all the old favorites are returning. Visit the Ice Carving Competition in Rice Park, enjoy the King Boreas Grande Day Parade on Saturday, Jan. 28, followed by the Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade on Saturday, Feb.4, followed by fireworks after the Overthrow of King Boreas.
The Winter Carnival is organized by the nonprofit Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation (SPFHF), and they lean on members and fundraisers to help keep the Winter Carnival going. Some of the festival's fundraisers include an Ice Fishing Contest, Beard Growing Competition and the Fire & Ice Run/Walk, offering 5K, 10K, 15K, 20K, NoK, and the Kid’s Run at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
To find a full list of events, you can check out the Winter Carnival's website, here.
The Carnival is still looking for volunteers, as hundreds are needed to make sure things go off without a hitch. You can find more information here, or email volunteer@spfhf.org for information about joining the team.
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