It’s the perennial Winter Carnival question: Will there be an ice palace this year?
No, there won’t be. But don’t get glum, be patient. In the 123 years since the first carnival, there have been 36 palaces built, one about every 3 1/2 years. With the last one built in 2004, we’re due for another.
But let’s not linger on that — an ice palace would just melt, anyway.
Instead, the 2009 celebration of winter — held Jan. 22 to Feb. 1 — serves up a half-dozen new events, from ice boating on Lake Phalen and a laser light show in Rice Park to a blues music festival at Roy Wilkins Auditorium and a Peewee hockey tournament at the Warner Coliseum on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Here are the specifics:
- The World Ice Racing Circuit’s “Fire on Ice” Ice Sailing Competition: These 12-foot iceboats will race on steel blades around an oval track at speeds up to 60 mph. The regatta is on Lake Phalen Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
- Inaugural Winter Carnival Blues Festival: Local legend Spider John Koerner, Chicago blues man Maurice John Vaughn and five more acts — including the Klondike Kates — take over two stages at Roy Wilkins Auditorium Jan. 23.
- Laser Light Show: The stuff of planetariums goes outdoors at Rice Park at about 8 p.m. Jan. 31, immediately following the overthrow of King Boreas.
- Fire & Ice Hockey Tournament: Eight Peewee B teams compete Jan. 23-25 at the Fairgrounds.
- Food drive: Carnival spectators can drop off donations for Second Harvest Heartland during the Grande Day Parade (Jan. 24), Torchlight Parades (Jan. 31) as well as during the Securian 5K race (Jan. 24).
- The Hot Dish Tent is gone. The tent lost money in the past, so Tater Tots-topped dishes will no longer be served.
The memorabilia exhibit on display at the Landmark Center won’t feature the ice palace models that have been a mainstay of the exhibit. Collector and model owner Eugene DiMartino died New Year’s Eve. He was 74. His collection will be stored for this year, at least.
For more information, go to available at winter-carnival.com.
Copyright 2009 Pioneer Press.