For Immediate Release

Minneapolis (Jan. 7, 2020) Winter is no time to sit still. People in Minneapolis know that staying active and getting outdoors is the way to embrace the snowy season, and they’ve come up with numerous ways to do it. Here are the top 5 ways to win winter in Minneapolis:

1. The Great Northern Festival: 10 Winter days, three amazing events and one big celebration
   Minneapolis does not just bundle up with clothing in winter – we bundle our events, too. Whether participating or spectating, there’s no better way to actively enjoy a Minnesota winter than the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, the City of Lakes Loppet and the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. In the fourth year of joining forces, it’s back to the basics with all the focus on what makes winter great: cross-country skiing, skijoring, fat tire biking, skating with sticks on frozen lakes along with snow and ice sculptures, outdoor concerts and a torchlight parade. Jan. 23 – Feb.
2. Lake Harriet Kite Festival
   The 19th annual fest is perhaps the most colorful and whimsical way to spend a winter afternoon. Don’t miss the chance to watch or fly kites of all shapes, sizes, colors and themes on frozen Lake Harriet, along with ice fishing, snowshoeing and a marshmallow roast. The Minnesota Kite Society will be on hand to show you the ropes if you’re a beginner. Bring your own kite or buy an inexpensive kite there. Jan. 25, noon - 4 p.m.
3. Powderhorn Park Art Sled Rally
   Neighbors and artists around Powderhorn Park learned that a hundred years ago, folks celebrated winter with pageantry and sculpted luge tracks in the park, and the party lasted until the 1960s. Reviving the enthusiasm for a mass winter spectacle, community and artistic expression in the modern day, the Art Sled Rally invites all comers to bring their own sled and creativity to this free public event. Jan. 25, 2 – 4 p.m.
4. Winter Beer Dabbler
   The largest outdoor beer festival in these parts happens in the winter, of course. For the past 10 years, fans of craft beer have gathered on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair in February. They toast the season with unlimited samples from 180 breweries and cideries pouring 600+ drinks. In the 11th edition, a silent disco, live music (not for the disco, of course) and a warming house with meat and cheese samples will entertain between toasts of the commemorative Beer Dabbler glasses. Feb. 22, 3 – 6:30 p.m.
5. 2020 Coop FIS Cross-Country Ski World Cup Sprint Finals
   March 17 will mark the first time in two decades that the world's best cross-country skiers will compete on American snow, right here at the Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. The race will cap off the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival, which will include live music, free block party and expo, craft beer and both competitive and non-competitive events including skiing, fat tire biking, ski-cross and skijor sprints. Register now to participate or just come watch the fastest skiers in the world in action. March 14-17

Bonus idea:
Winter Warm Up at U.S. Bank Stadium
While Minneapolis fully embraces all things outdoors all year long, sometimes it’s nice to have a warm spot to do your workout for the days that you’re washing your mittens. In the winter, the $1.3 billion stadium opens the concourses to in-line skaters and runners for a modest fee (season passes available) on multiple dates through January and February.

For more ideas on embracing winter in Minneapolis, click here. To learn more about what to eat, drink, see and do in Minneapolis, visit www.minneapolis.org.

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