The last time a Queen of Snows was crowned in St. Paul, we were living on the edge of a pandemic.

Now, for the first time in two years, the St. Paul Winter Carnival is once again seeking applicants for the volunteer position.

The reigning queen, Kirstin Knutson, was crowned on Jan. 24, 2020 — just three days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed its first known case of COVID-19 in Washington state.

Because of the pandemic, King Boreas, Darrin Johnson, as well as his entire court — Aurora (the queen), the prime minister, the princes and princesses and guards — have served since the coronation on Jan. 24, 2020. In all, they will have ruled the Carnival for 735 days by the time the new royal court is announced at RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul on Jan. 28.

Now, however, applications are being accepted for the 2022 St. Paul Winter Carnival Queen of Snows Candidate Program.

The deadline for applications is 4 p.m. Nov. 4. For questions, email QOSCandidate@spfhf.org or call 651-223-7400 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

A tradition since 1886, the Queen of Snows program is open to all women who will be at least 21 by Coronation Day and a high school graduate. There are no restrictions with regards to marital status, dependents, place of residence or employment status.

The program requires an initial sponsorship fee of $850.

The queen, along with the North, East, West and South Wind Princesses, will be part of a royal court that acts as goodwill ambassadors for their sponsors, the Winter Carnival and the city throughout the year of their reign. They participate in parades and family events, and, for some of the royal family, travel extensively throughout the year.

“I think every woman should consider running and get their chance to make history,” Knutson said in a statement.

The 136th St. Paul Winter Carnival, which is produced by the Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, begins Jan. 27 and runs through Feb. 6.

For application details and descriptions of each court’s royal duties, visit Wintercarnival.com/get-involved/queen-of-snows-application-information.

Copyright 2021 Pioneer Press.