You can’t have a winter festival without cold temps, but you also can’t have outdoor fun if those temps drop too low.
With a frigid forecast for opening weekend of the 133rd St. Paul Winter Carnival, this evening’s opening pedestrian Moon Glow Parade and Friday’s events at the Vulcan Snow Park at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds have been canceled. Other activities are still being monitored.
Winter Carnival president and CEO Deb Schaber said Wednesday the festival’s policy is that events go on unless the wind chill is 25 or more degrees below zero.
The King Boreas Grand Old Day Parade is still scheduled for Saturday afternoon, as is the Securian Winter Run on Saturday morning.
“The forecast is being evaluated on a day-by-day basis and events surrounding the St. Paul Winter Carnival will be postponed or rescheduled if necessary,” according to a carnival news release.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures Thursday are expected to drop below zero by 5 p.m, with wind chill values near 25 below.
Friday will be mostly sunny with a high near 5 and wind chills as low as 22 below zero. That evening will see the low temperature drop to 6 below.
Saturday’s forecast is partly sunny with a high near 11 and southwest winds of 5 mph. The NWS hadn’t issued a wind-chill forecast by Wednesday night. Saturday night should see the low temperature at 6 below.
There’s a 40 percent chance of snow after 1 p.m. Sunday with a high near 5 and winds of 5 mph. Snow is expected Sunday evening, mainly after 7 p.m., with a low around zero.
Event changes will be posted on Winter Carnival social media outlets: Facebook: stpaulwinter on Facebook, @saintpaulwintercarnival on Instagram and @StPaulWinteron Twitter.
All activities at the Vulcan Snow Park will be open starting at 9 a.m. Saturday with the official Vulcan Krewe 2019 coming out at 10:30 a.m.
For updates on activities at Fairgrounds, check the Vulcan Snow Park Facebook page: facebook.com/mnsnowpark.
Copyright 2019 Pioneer Press.