Kirstin Knutson — currently reigning as Aurora, Queen of Snows of the 2020 St. Paul Winter Carnival — now has a sparkly accessory to match her crown: A diamond ring.
“Lots of bling this year!” said the newly engaged Queen on Friday.
Knutson’s boyfriend, Dan Maslowski, surprised her by proposing on Thursday night in Rice Park as the royal family surrounded them.
Although it’s unknown if this is the first time in the carnival’s history that a reigning queen has been proposed to, it’s definitely not the first love match: In fact, just the night before this engagement, Dan Moran, Prince of the West Wind, proposed to his girlfriend, Frankie Benson (she said yes).
“Two engagements in this royal family within 24 hours of each other!” Knutson said.
Winter Carnival was a perfect time and place for Maslowski to pop the question to Knutson — and not only because of the picturesque backdrop of twinkly lights, ice sculptures and Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul: It was perfect because theirs is a Winter Carnival love story.
Knutson, 25, a middle school guidance counselor at Math and Science Academy in Woodbury, and Maslowski, 23, a union sheet metal worker and snowplow operator, met in late 2017 at a training event for the 2018 Winter Carnival. She was a candidate for Queen of Snows (candidates often run multiple times in hopes of winning the title of queen or princess); he was preparing to serve with the Order of the Royal Guard, a unit that serves the St. Paul Winter Carnival royal family.
At the time, Knutson and Maslowski were learning more about the characters who bring alive the legend of the Winter Carnival — the mythology that involves a battle between winter and spring — but they also noticed each other during this training.
“He seemed fun,” said Knutson.
“I liked her right away,” Maslowski said.
While Knutson didn’t win a crown that year, she did gain a friend in Jenna Maslowski, a fellow candidate — and Maslowski’s sister.
“Through my sister, we reconnected,” said Maslowski.
The couple, who have been dating for about a year and a half, recently built a house together in New Richmond, Wis. When Knutson decided to become a candidate for the 2020 Queen of Snows, Maslowski began planning for a different kind of candidacy.
“Crown or not, I planned on proposing during Carnival,” said Maslowski. “That’s how we met; Winter Carnival has a special place in our hearts.”
Then, on Jan. 24, Knutson was crowned Queen.
“It was the icing on the cake,” Maslowski said.
It also meant that Knutson was suddenly swept away for the 10 days of the Winter Carnival, including taking up residence at the St. Paul Hotel.
“It was a little bit more dififcult to plan the proposal,” said Maslowski. “The royal family is extremely busy during the Winter Carnival.”
Love finds a way, though — especially when it has the blessing of King Boreas LXXXIV, Darrin Johnson, and the assistance of Joe Johnston, the Prime Minister of the 2020 Royal Family.
“I wasn’t trying to make a big public stunt of it,” said Maslowski of his proposal. “But King Boreas and the Prime Minister and I got to talking about how cool it would be for the royal family to be there for us.”
The Winter Carnival family is family to Maslowski — his parents, John and Barb Maslowski, are volunteers with the carnival and his dad was also part of the 2001 Vulcan Krewe.
“To me,” Maslowski said, “the Winter Carnival is my family. It truly is.”
So this is why Maslowski was in St. Paul on Thursday evening as the royal family happened to pause while they were strolling through Rice Park on their way back to their hotel after an event.
“I asked the group to gather around me,” says Johnston.
The Prime Minister began talking about how the volunteers of Winter Carnival create moments of fun and frolic for the community: Moments that become happy memories of parades, snow sculptures, winter …
“Then I paused and said, ‘Tonight is one of those moments that we’ll always remember,” Johnston says.
The Queen recalls what happened next.
“At that point, Danny came up to me,” said Knutson.
“He dropped onto his knees,” Johnston says.
“And I popped the question,” Maslowski said.
“She said yes!” Johnston said.
It was a warm moment out in the cold as the royal family cheered and the couple embraced. There was even a bit of time to celebrate before the queen had to resume her royal duties.
“We got to dance in Rice Park as the band was playing,” said Knutson.
Looking back on the evening, the Prime Minister said: “It was Winter Carnival magic.”
Copyright 2020 Pioneer Press.
