The tale of St. Paul's Winter Carnival
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
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.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Dear reader,
Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.
Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?
It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.