The St. Paul Winter Carnival — with its ice palaces and mischievous Vulcans — is the oldest winter festival in the nation. It was first held in 1886 after, as the story goes, a visitor from the East Coast likened Minnesota to Siberia, "unfit for human habitation."
MPR News host Angela Davis spoke with Bob Olsen, unofficial historian of the Winter Carnival, about the early days of the festival — as well as its ice palaces, ice queens and more.
Guest: Bob Olsen — The unofficial historian of the Winter Carnival and an ice palace historian
To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.