When plans for a massive ice palace to celebrate the 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival and lure visitors coming for the Super Bowl in Minneapolis failed to solidify by October, turrets and towers seemed the stuff of fairy tales this winter.
But ice palace enthusiasts never quite gave up and just after the New Year, work started on a 70-foot ice palace with four towers placed in the heart of St. Paul and the center of many Winter Carnival festivities. The Ecolab Ice Palace in Rice Park, which will be free and opens with a lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. Jan. 25, is the largest addition to the annual winter festival, but not the only new feature.
Here are some of the new festivities in St. Paul during the Coolest Celebration on Earth (unless otherwise noted, more information is at wintercarnival.com).
It’s longer. The Winter Carnival is usually 11 days at the end of January and beginning of February. But this year, that would have put the Torchlight Parade on the night before the Super Bowl and the calendar was getting crowded (so was the need for security, porta potties and such). This year’s two-week Winter Carnival means more time to spend at the ice bar in Rice Park and basking in the icy glow of the palace.
More fun at the Vulcans Snow Park. The Vulcans’ festivities — snow sculptures and family activities — at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds have expanded. The snow slide is bigger this year and new events include “barstool ski races” and lawnmower races. “Tow Up Show Down” competition will showcase snowboarders and skiers. There’s also a polar plunge Jan. 28 and a nighttime polar plunge Feb. 3. (mnsnowpark.com)
Family jigsaw. This year, there’s a family bracket for the popular jigsaw puzzle competition. Yes, popular! Slots to compete fill up quickly. It’s crazy to watch. For the family competition, at least one participant has to be younger than 18. The puzzling is from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Landmark Center cortile.
Kids’ Skyway Scamper. Children 10 and younger can run, walk, jog or jump through the St. Paul skyway. Volunteers will be at each twist and turn to help the scamperers. Each participant gets a backpack with kid-approved goodies. Registration is $10 through Jan. 26 and $12 the day of the event. 10:45 a.m.-noon Jan. 27 starting at Securian Center.
Olympic Team USA Winterfest. The tour will feature meet-and-greets with figure skating’s gold medal winner Meryl Davis and bobsledding gold medal winner Vonetta Flowers as well as Olympians Jeremy Bloom (ski and snowboard), and Charlie White (figure skating). Other highlights include Hershey’s S’moresmobile, a Bobsled Boomerang, and the OREO Curling Challenge. Noon-8 p.m. Feb. 3 at Landmark Plaza.
Fancy Hotdish competition. This will not be your average tater tot hotdish. Six local chefs will compete to see who can dish up the best Fancy Hotdish. Chefs are competing from The Lexington, Joan’s in the Park, Revival, Pajarito, Saint Paul Grill and Saint Dinette from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at The Lexington. Spectators will get samples and can vote for the People’s Choice.
OTHER ST. PAUL EVENTS
Though they’re not “official” Winter Carnival events, other new festivities in St. Paul during the Winter Carnival and Super Bowl include:
Giant Slide at CHS and ice fishing. The St. Paul Saints say they don’t need green grass and summer temps to have fun. They have held concerts, tailgating and winter baseball games in January. CHS Field will have a Super Slide and an ice fishing pond from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1. The Super Slide is a snow slide that starts at the second story patio of the Securian Club. Riders will sail down 40 feet in an innertube and glide 130 feet to “slide” into the infield. (Afton Alps will provide snow to supplement what Mother Nature gives the Saints.) Those who want more sedate Minnesota-style entertainment can try the Ice Fishing Trout Experience in the left field concourse, where a man-made pond covered with plexiglas “ice” will have 150 pounds of trout swimming about. Fishing is $5 for 10 minutes of angling, available only at the ballpark.
Tickets for the Securian Super Slide are $10 for adults and $5 for kids and are on sale now. Tickets are good for unlimited rides during the one-hour time slot purchased online, in person at the box office, or by calling 651-644-6659. The Super Slide is open to 100 riders an hour and patrons select the specific day and hour when they buy tickets. For info: 651-644-6659 or stpaulsuperslide.com.
Frogfest. Try your hand (or your broom) at curling at the Frogtown Curling Club in St. Paul. Throw a rock, sweep a stone, walk on the pebbled ice and buy some tasty eats from the winter menu by executive chefs/owners Tyge Nelson and Stephan Hesse of Pajarito. The open house is free and part of the Great Northern Festival. 3-8 p.m. Jan. 30. (thegreatnorthernfestival.com)
Copyright 2018 Pioneer Press.
