The youngest King Boreas in St. Paul Winter Carnival history said he hopes to be a bridge to the next generation of carnival lovers.
Jim Flaherty, 37, was crowned King Boreas LXXX on Friday night at the St. Paul RiverCentre. Flaherty, owner of Allegra and Image360 in downtown St. Paul, said he hasn’t been involved in Winter Carnival other than as a spectator, but he intends to honor and respect the traditions of the kings who went before him.
“The kings of the past were all very successful, well-spoken, incredible people,” Flaherty said. “I want to make sure I continue that legacy they built.”
Alyssa Sigafus of Plymouth was named Aurora, Queen of the Snows. Sigafus works at Ameriprise Financial in downtown Minneapolis and is a coordinator for the Big Lake Ambassador Program. She also is working part-time on a Communications and Leadership degree at the University of Minnesota. She volunteers as a language facilitator for people with hearing disabilities.
Sigafus, 26, and her husband Daniel have a 2-year-old daughter.
The youngest King Boreas before Flaherty was Ted Zweig, who at 38 was a carnival veteran when he was crowned in 1994.
As he’s become acquainted with the Winter Carnival community, Flaherty said he has discovered there isn’t a lot of overlap with the volunteers and business people he knew before.
“I’m looking forward to bridging that gap and continuing and evolving the carnival,” he said. “It seems like a big family. It isn’t a one-year commitment — it’s a lifelong commitment.”
Flaherty, of Hugo, grew up in West St. Paul. His dad, Jerry Flaherty, was a junior frost king in the 1960s. He and Susan Flaherty took the kids to the Winter Carnival parades and ice palaces.
Flaherty remembers walking up to the 1992 ice palace on Harriet Island, the tallest ever, in amazement.
“At that point it’s just magical,” he said. “It was like (Disney’s) Magical Kingdom. Kind of a fantasy world is what it looked like. I remember thinking, ‘Where are the rides?'”
Flaherty was crowned King Boreas in a Winter Carnival tradition that goes back 130 years to the beginnings of the Winter Carnival. Legend has it that Boreas, “King of the Winds,” discovered St. Paul on his extensive travels and decided to make it the capital of all his domains. Vulcanus Rex, “the god of Fire,” vowed to resist him with “heat and roar.” King Boreas chose to fight fire with fun: “There will be a Carnival in old St. Paul!”
Hence the St. Paul Winter Carnival.
Flaherty said his personality fits well with that of King Boreas.
“I love winter,” he said. “You can’t be all cooped up all winter. I love getting outside and getting engaged in things.”
While he appreciates the traditions of the Fire and Brimstone, he said he probably would not have made a good Vulcanus Rex.
“I’d rather have winter than have summer all year long,” he said. “I love the change in the seasons.”
Flaherty said he’s looking forward to the challenge of portraying the king during Winter Carnival and the coming year. His official mantra for the reign of King Boreas LXXX is “Do it right.”
“Do it right or don’t do it at all,” Flaherty said. “I want to honor and respect the traditions and carry them on. I’m going to make sure to do that right.”
Copyright 2016 Pioneer Press.
