ST. PAUL—St. Paul’s Winter Carnival plans to return to downtown—at least for next year.
This year’s festival was moved to Harriet Island. But some carnival fans missed having the events in Rice Park. There were complaints about parking, shuttles and accessibility when the events were held on Harriet Island.
Next year’s carnival activities will tie in with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at nearby Xcel Energy Center from Jan. 20-27. The event is expected to draw 100,000 people to the city and will be broadcast nightly on NBC.
Kate Kelly, president of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, said the carnival hopes to attract skating fans on their way to the Xcel Energy Center.
“They’re groupies. Predominantly female, wealthy (with an average age of) 47,” she said. “We’re riding the shirttails of an audience we normally don’t hit.”
The carnival will run 12 days instead of the usual ten.
Organizers are planning to build a “mini ice palace” about the size of a two-and-a-half-car garage in Rice Park. At least one event, a dogsled rally, will remain on Harriet Island.
Copyright 2007 Pioneer Press.
