Saint Paul Winter Carnival | Saint Paul
Celebration
The legend of the St. Paul Winter Carnival revolves around the struggle between the forces of winter and spring, symbolized by Boreas, the king of the North Wind, and the Vulcans, the god of fire. Founded in 1886 by Minnesota business leaders to refute negative portrayals of the state as uninhabitable and to celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of Minnesota's winter, the legend, written and revised by Frank Madden in 1937, tells of King Boreas, Queen Aurora, and their court ruling winter, ultimately being challenged and defeated by the Vulcans, foreshadowing the arrival of warmer weather and the end of the Winter Carnival. Celebrate Minnesota's winter together! The event runs from January 22nd to February 1st, 2026. St. Paul will host a ten-day festival featuring ice sculptures, parades, and family-friendly activities! We have something for everyone!