Location, location, location. Keep that in mind for the 133th St. Paul Winter Carnival, Jan. 24-Feb. 3.
Ongoing work to revitalize Rice Park in downtown St. Paul, which is usually the hub for many Winter Carnival festivities, has moved those festivities to Kellogg Mall Park. That’s the tree-lined strip between Kellogg Boulevard and the Mississippi River.
Ice carving, the ice bars, entertainment and food will be at Kellogg Mall Park, most of it between Robert and Cedar streets. (Though seriously, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find things once you’re downtown. Follow the crowds and the whirring of chain saws during ice sculpting competition.)
The Winter Carnival parades (Moon Glow on Jan. 24, King Boreas Grand Day Parade on Jan. 26 and the blazin’ Torchlight Parade on Feb. 2) will all have different routes, as well, so they wind up at Kellogg Mall Park. And the Securian Fun Run will also follow a different path, going down Jackson to dash along Shepard Road.
And, as always, the carnival capers depend on the weather, especially the lack of snow. Winter Carnival president and CEO Deb Schaber says to check wintercarnival.com for all of the latest information.
But not to worry. Snow or no snow, “the Winter Carnival has been around for 133 years and it’s not going away,” Schaber says.
Here are a few of the “what’s new” highlights. Events at Kellogg Park take place Thursdays through Sundays on both weekends of the carnival.
In addition to old favorites like the ice bars (two of them) and an ice throne (for photo ops) moving to Kellogg Park, there will be a new, heated warming tent on-site. A big one, Schaber says, 40 by 60 feet. Look for entertainment in the tent, bingo, trivia and more. A bar inside will be serving craft beer from St. Paul breweries, including the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt special beer from Bad Weather Brewing, and Bailey’s cocktails.
The Boy Scouts are planning to build a quinzee, the snow forts they use for winter camping, at Kellogg Park. They’ll need snow, of course.
Food Truck Fridays will bring some new edibles to the area and a chance to “lunch-and-learn” and meet a few city officials during lunchtime on the two Fridays of Winter Carnival. But don’t worry, carnival faves like cheese curds and corn dogs will be around, too.
More than 1,500 runners participate in the 5K, 10K or half-marathon at the Securian Winter Run. It’s one of the largest fun runs in the state, Schaber says, despite the fact that carnival week is typically the coldest week of the year in the Twin Cities.
St. Paul native and Twins baseball favorite Joe Mauer will be the Celebrity Grand Marshal for the Grand Day Parade, along with Securian’s community relations and foundation manager Lori Koutsky as the Community Grand Marshal. Media grand marshals will be Dave Dahl and Lindsey Brown from KSTP-TV. (Paul Folger and Jackie Cain from KSTP-TV will be the media grand marshals for the Torchlight Parade.)
Hops and Hounds is a new event on Feb 3 at Kellogg Mall Park. Beers with bow-wows. You know the drill. That takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with the Cinco de Mayo Happy Hour on the stage. The folks who bring you the Winter Carnival also produce Cinco de Mayo West Side. And by then, the Vulcans will have overthrown King Boreas and his cohorts, so it’s time to be thinking of warm-weather fun ahead.
Operation Glass Slipper, the group that collects formal wear for kids in need to wear to spring proms, will be set up during the Royal Coronation at Saint Paul RiverCentre on Jan. 25. If you have gowns or suits to donate, you can drop them there or at the Winter Carnival office in Landmark Center.
The Vulcan overthrow of Boreas and his wintry ways after the Torchlight Parade on Feb. 2 will move from the steps of the St. downtown library to the stage at Kellogg Mall Park. And the fireworks that follow will be shot off Raspberry Island over the Mississippi.
No new location for the Vulcans Snow Park, which returns to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. In addition to the giant snow slide and snow sculptures, a Fire Castle will be built of snow, with a mini-golf course planned for inside. A round of mini-golf is $5. Though the Vulcans have been working hard to make snow on the site, early efforts were foiled by warm weather.
And though it’s not new, don’t forget that Metro Transit offers free rides on Saturday and Sunday of both weekends. Download a pass at wintercarnival.com.
Copyright 2019 Pioneer Press.