ST PAUL, Minn. — Crisp, quiet air greeted Saint Paul Winter Carnival guests outside Thursday night. Across the street, inside the Landmark Center, the scene was quite the opposite.
Music welcomed crowds to Rondo Night for the first time at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and vendors were eager to share about their businesses.
"I'm a descent of Rondeau." said Robin Hickman-Winfield.
Dr. Deborah Mitchell is the executive director of Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Corporation. She organized efforts to include businesses owners from the Rondo neighborhood for the event.
"We're so excited that people are coming out tonight to support our black businesses and many of these businesses are located in Rondo," Mitchell said.
Leaders and business owners said this support is crucial for the neighborhood fractured by I94 decades ago.
"To celebrate these two traditions is wonderful. Long overdue but it's just great to do it. It's great to do it. And bring joy again, after COVID, after the racial reckoning, just to have this vision of possibilities come to life, it's wonderful," Hickman-Winfield said.
According to organizers, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival is the oldest winter festival in the United States in its 137th year. The Winter carnival wraps up on Sunday.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist: