What do you call someone who transforms from King Boreas of the St. Paul Winter Carnival to Commodore of the Minneapolis Aquatennial in six months?
Some might call him traitor. One wag called him “Splash.”
But Dan Stoltz said the nickname that seems to be sticking is “Boreadore.” Stoltz, crowned King Boreas Rex LXXIX for the 2015 Winter Carnival, handed off his Boreas scepter Jan. 29 and accepted the Commodore’s crown July 21 in Minneapolis. He was crowned at the 2016 Aquatennial and will reign over Minneapolis festivities in 2017.
It’s the first time a Winter Carnival royal has switched realms in less than a year.
“It happened one time before, when a Boreas became a Commodore, and it was about a 10-year gap,” said Stoltz, CEO of Spire Credit Union. “There also has been a Vulcan King and Commodore, but they’ve never been back-to-back.”
Stoltz grew up on the East Side of St. Paul and now lives north of the capital city in Lino Lakes. But he does not consider himself a traitor for accepting a Minneapolis title. He said the Winter Carnival and Aquatennial share the same mission of celebrating their distinct communities.
And they cover opposite seasons.
“I felt like it was OK to cross the river for that,” he said.
Whatever you think of Stoltz’s westward shift, it’s hard not to admire his stamina. In January he completed a year of parades, community events and coronations as King Boreas and six months later he has about 250 new commitments for the coming year.
But that will seem like a walk around Lake Harriet compared with the 400 appearances he did as King Boreas.
Stoltz said he’s grateful for the six months as a commoner, but he looks forward to the next year as Commodore. He said the royal benefit he has enjoyed most is the power to knight people (as Boreas) and now to grant honorary awards as Commodore.
“Both of them are fun ways to recognize people,” he said. “Saying thank you to the unsung heroes behind the scenes giving tons of hours to making their communities stand out. The festivals are an opportunity to bring them to the front and honor them before family and friends.”
Stoltz’s quick change to Commodore isn’t his only royal claim to fame, he said.
“Normally in a year a Boreas might knight about 1,000 people,” Stoltz said. “I know I have the record. I knighted about 14,000 — of course that included 8,000 people at a St. Paul Saints game.”
Copyright 2016 Pioneer Press.