2022 Winter Carnival: Grab your party parka, your boots and your facemask. Winter Carnival is back.

Kathy Berdan, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
·6 min read

Jan. 20—The pandemic put the freeze on some of the best-loved festivities during the St. Paul Winter Carnival last year, but 2022 festivities — which run Jan. 28 through Feb. 6 — bring back the parades, ice carving and entertainment in Rice Park, snow sculptures at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and more.

Once again, the Saintly City will bundle up, stomp tingly toes to stay warm and bring out the legend of King Boreas, Queen Aurora and the four princes of the wind, who take up residence to celebrate winter. Once again, the Vulcans will show up with their flaming torches to do battle for the return of warm weather.

And once again, Minnesotans will revel in the 135-year-old event that got its start when some big-city eastern newspaper correspondents called the state "another Siberia, unfit for human habitation" after visiting St. Paul in the fall of 1885. Oh, yeah? Well, we'll just have a winter festival. And so they did, interrupted only a couple of times since.

Here's a look at the 2022 schedule. Most events are free and take place in downtown St. Paul or the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. More info and updates are available at wintercarnival.com.

ONGOING

St. Paul Scavenger Hunts

Jan. 28-Feb. 6 — Four different scavenger hunts; $20

Warming House, Powered by Sunbelt

Opening Jan. 28, running throughout Carnival: A large heated tent on Market Street will have drinks, games and live entertainment.

Winter Carnival Music Series & Ice Bar

Jan. 28-Feb. 5 — Rice Park: See the schedule on Page 12E.

Vulcan Snow Park Snow Sculptures and Snow Maze

Jan. 29-Feb. 6 — Minnesota State Fairgrounds: Works of art are made out of snow. Plus, a snow maze.

Gangsters and Ghosts Walking Tours

Jan. 27-Feb. 6 — Stroll through skyways, inside buildings and along streets as CynCity Tours serves up history and hauntings in the heart of downtown Saint Paul throughout the Winter Carnival; $20.

Winter Carnival Ice Carvings

Jan. 28-Feb. 6 — Rice Park: Watch the carvings on the first weekend of Carnival, tour the works throughout Carnival.

TUESDAY, JAN. 25

Vulcan vs. The Royal Guard Hockey Classic

Jan. 25, 7-8:30 p.m. — TRIA Rink, 400 N. Wabasha St.

THURSDAY, JAN. 27

2022 Multi-Block Ice Carving Competition

Jan. 27-Jan. 29 — Rice Park

FRIDAY, JAN. 28

Royal Coronation

Jan. 28 — St. Paul RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Blvd.: King Boreas, Aurora, four Wind Princes and Princesses revealed.

SATURDAY, JAN. 29

Winter Carnival Puzzle Contest

Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Landmark Center Cortile, 75 W. Fifth St.: Watch teams compete in a jigsaw puzzle competition.

2022 Saintly City Cat Show

Jan. 29-30 — RiverCentre: 45th Annual Championship and Household Pet Cat Show; $4 admission.

Vulcan Reveal

Jan. 29, 10 a.m. — Minnesota State Fairgrounds: 2022 Krewe and Vulcanus Rex LXXXIV are introduced.

2022 Winter Carnival Orchid Show

Jan. 29-30 — Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr.

2022 King Boreas Grande Day Parade, Presented by Hamernick's

Jan. 29, 2-4 p.m. — Travels down West Seventh to Rice Park.

2022 Klondike Kate Cabaret

Jan. 29, 8 p.m. — Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market St.: Klondike Kates sing.

Rock The Palace

Jan. 29, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. — Saint Paul Hotel: Dance party with King Boreas and the Royal Family; $10.

SUNDAY, JAN. 30

Winter Carnival Fire & Ice Winter Run, Presented by Xcel Energy

Jan. 30, 8:45 a.m.-11 a.m. — Minnesota State Fairgrounds: NoK (pay to not run), 5K, 10K and Kid's Run; $20-$60

2022 Individual Ice Carving Competition, Professional Division

Jan. 30, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. — Rice Park; judging follows

2022 Individual Block Ice Carving Competition, Artisan Division

Jan. 30, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — Rice Park; judging follows

Summit Brewing Co. Freeze Your Bags Off Tournament

Jan. 30, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Landmark Plaza, Fifth and Washington: 6th annual Summit Brewing Co. "Freeze Your Bags Off" Frozen Bean Bag Tournament; $25

Baileys & Bingo

Jan. 30, noon-2 p.m. — Landmark Plaza: Baileys drinks and bingo.

Winter Carnival Minecraft Event

Jan. 30, 2-5 p.m. — Virtual: Victoria Theater Arts Center presents online programming. See a virtual version of the 800 block of University Avenue in Minecraft. The server features the arts center building as it exists now and how it will look after renovations in 2023; $5.

MONDAY, JAN. 31

Winter Carnival's Day of Good, Presented by Securian Financial

Jan. 31 — Landmark Center: Carnival Royal Family, Vulcan Krewe others will be there for this new event with opportunities to do good, through donations of food, blankets and blood, the chance to get your vaccine and more.

Warming House Purse Bingo

Jan. 31, 6:30-8:30 p.m. — Landmark Plaza: Play bingo for chances to win designer purses.

TUESDAY, FEB. 1

Frozen Family Fun Night, Presented by Securian Financial

Feb. 1, 5-8 p.m. — Landmark Plaza: Snow princesses, a Frozen Bouncy House, giftbags and other family-friendly activities.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2

Saint Paul Winter Carnival World Cup Qualifier Watch Parties

Feb. 2, 6-11:30 p.m. — World Cup 2022 Qualifier with USA vs. Honduras is taking place in Saint Paul at Allianz Field during Carnival. Watch parties at various locations.

Drag Queen Bingo

Feb. 2, 7-10 p.m. — St. Paul Event Center, 400 Wabasha; $22 admission, bingo is $30.

SATURDAY, FEB. 5

2022 Doggie Depot

Feb. 5, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. — St. Paul Union Depot: Crowning of the Canine King & Queen, giveaways, marketplace, interviews with pet experts and Doga (Dog Yoga).

Kids' & Family Day, presented by Securian Financial

Feb. 5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. — Landmark Center Cortile: Kids will be able to exercise, watch performances, hear educational presentations and participate in arts and crafts activities.

2022 BEAR'ly Open Golf On Ice

Feb. 5, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. — White Bear Lake

Pick-A-Prize Bingo for Kids & Adults

Feb. 5, 1-3 p.m. — Warming House on Landmark Plaza: All ages. Pick-a-prize when you get a bingo.

Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade, Presented by Xcel Energy, followed by fireworks

Feb. 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. — Starting in Lowertown and ending in Rice Park with Vulcan overthrow of Boreas and his winter court, followed by fireworks.

Vulcan Victory Dance

Feb. 5, 7:30-11:30 p.m. — InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront, 11 E. Kellogg Blvd.: featuring the music of 8 Foot 4; $25.

More information and updates can be found at wintercarnival.com.