What’s new at this year’s St. Paul Winter Carnival? A lot of what’s old.
After construction closed off the hub of the annual event — Rice Park — last year, lots of familiar events return to the park between the Ordway and Saint Paul Hotel. The Grand Day and Torchlight parades will once again end there. Ice carving competition will be back in Rice Park under the trees that have been glittering with lights since the start of the holiday season.
And the Vulcan overthrow of winter returns to the steps of George Latimer Library next to the park, with the torch-bearing guys in red convincing the Royal Family it’s time to move on so warm weather can return.
There will also be an ice bar and entertainment stage in Rice Park.
Deb Schaber, president and CEO of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, which brings the capital city the Winter Carnival and Cinco de Mayo West Side St. Paul in the spring, ran through what’s new for the 2020 Carnival.
The 11-day festival begins Jan. 23 with a ceremony in Rice Park. The Moonglow pedestrian parade that kicked off Carnival for the past several years will not be happening this year. Opening ceremonies will have speakers, visiting dignitaries and festival royalty from across North America and the outgoing 2019 Winter Carnival Royal Family.
Festivities expand from Rice Park to Landmark Plaza, in front of Landmark Center on Market Street. A giant tent — the Baileys Warming House — will have cocktails, craft beers and live entertainment. The tent is 20 feet longer than the one that warmed toes and poured brews last year on Kellogg Boulevard.
Those who want to make sure their beer stays cold can stop at a second ice bar on Landmark Plaza. In addition to beer and wine, both ice bars will serve the Carnival’s new non-alcoholic beverage created by Northern Soda Company: King Boreas Ice and Vulcanus Rex Cream Soda.
The Warming House will also be the location for new events that include Afton Alps Apres Ski Happy Hour on Jan. 25, Bingo and Bloody Marys on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, and Trivia Night on Jan. 30.
An ice fishing competition has been going on since Jan. 1, but there’s still time to join the digital contest. Schaber says there hasn’t been a lot of participation because Twin Cities lakes haven’t been good for ice fishing yet. Contest fisherpeople sign up with the FishDonkey app to record their catches. Info is on the Winter Carnival website (wintercarnival.com) under events.
Another new Winter Carnival happening, Drag Queen Bingo, is Jan. 29 inside Landmark Center.
The United States’ largest puzzle competition, the Winter Carnival Jigsaw Puzzle Competition in Landmark Center gets a lot bigger this year, Schaber said. In 2019, 156 teams competed. This year, a third bracket was added and there are now 234 teams puzzling on Jan. 25. How popular is the competition? Registration sold out in 45 minutes.
On the last weekend of Carnival, Team USA Journey traveling exhibit vehicle will be parked at Landmark Plaza with info and activities tied to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Athletes scheduled to be here with the exhibit are Minnesotans Tyler George, curling gold medal winner, and para swimmer Mallory Weggemann.
Also on Landmark Plaza is the Kids Snow Box (like a sandbox with snow) and a “Create a Castle” event on Jan. 25.
“Winter Carnival is how we celebrate winter,” Schaber said. “We’ve been doing it for 134 years. Come celebrate with us.”