Celebrated as one of the world’s top 10, the 126th Saint Paul Winter Carnival will take place January 26 through February 5.
As it has done since 1886, the “Coolest Celebration on Earth™” will celebrate all things winter in and around downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota and the Capital City’s surrounding areas, bringing family-friendly events and community pride to Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro area.
All events are free, open to the public and held in the City of Saint Paul, unless otherwise noted.
Highlights of this year’s 11-day Saint Paul Winter Carnival include:
• on Thursday, January 26 – the Ice Carving Competitions starts at 9am in Rice Park and the Moon Glow Pedestrian Parade will march through downtown Saint Paul beginning at 5:30pm.
• on Friday, January 27 – the Snow Sculpture Contest starts at 9am at the State Fairgrounds and at 8pm the Royal Coronation program takes place at RiverCentre.
• on Saturday, January 28 – the King Boreas Grande Day Parade is at 2pm in downtown Saint Paul.
• on Saturday, February 4 – the Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade will make its way through downtown Saint Paul beginning at 5:30pm with the Winter Carnival Fireworks immediately following.
The Winter Carnival in Saint Paul is the fourth best in the world, according to National Geographic Traveler magazine earning the No. 4 spot on its list of the top 10 winter carnivals.
The magazine recalls that the hometown event was “allegedly irked by a reporter’s dismissal of Saint Paul as ‘another Siberia’” and that “more than a century later, locals and visitors still gather at the Winter Carnival to march in torch-lit parades, run half-marathons, and admire detailed ice sculptures”.
Visit the Saint Paul Winter Carnival at www.winter-carnival.com for the most up-to-date information.
For more information about top events in Minnesota take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Minnesota