Women with dreams of Winter Carnival royalty can begin their campaigns.
Applications for the 2016 St. Paul Winter Carnival Queen of the Snows and the Wind Princesses are now being accepted, the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation announced Wednesday.
Each January, five women are chosen to serve as Aurora, Queen of the Snows and the North Wind, East Wind, West Wind and South Wind princesses.
Members of the royalty serve as public relations ambassadors for their sponsors, the St. Paul Winter Carnival and the city through the year.
The program is open to women 21 and older who are high school graduates.
Last year, Krystle Igbo-Ogbonna was the first African-American woman to be crowned Aurora, Queen of the Snows, in the 129-year history of the Winter Carnival.
“I hope that my presence within the royal family will show other women of color — but really other young women who maybe look at this opportunity as something they wouldn’t be able to pursue for themselves — that they can represent the city of St. Paul,” Igbo-Ogbonna said in a statement. “Any young woman who thinks that she would be a great ambassador for our capital city should feel like they can pursue this opportunity.”
There will be a casual informational meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Wabasha Deli and Cafe, 32 E. Fillmore Ave. in St Paul.
The 2016 Winter Carnival will be Jan. 28 through Feb. 7.
Katie Kather can be reached at 651-228-5006. Follow her at twitter.com/ktkather.
Copyright 2015 Pioneer Press.