The Great Northern 2019 Schedule

Via a January 11 Press Release:

THE GREAT NORTHERN ANNOUNCES 2019 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS CELEBRATING MINNESOTA AT ITS WINTRY BEST

The Great Northern Presented by Target rings in its third year of bringing together premier events with its 10-day wintry event lineup

With lakes, river valleys, some of the top parks in the nation, and a culture that embraces see-your-breath fun on cold winter days, the area leads the world in year-round outdoor activities. The Great Northern Presented by Target is once again asking locals and visitors to raise a mitten in celebration of winter in Minneapolis and St. Paul as it returns from Jan. 24 – Feb. 3, 2019 with 10 days of events in Minneapolis and St. Paul, designed to get people outside, active, and embracing winter.

The Great Northern brings together three legacy winter festivals, including the City of Lakes Loppet, which has a new home in 2019 at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Regional Park; the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, that for more than 130 years has brought family-friendly events and community pride to Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro area; and the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, where hockey enthusiasts from around the world show off their skills on Lake Nokomis and champions go down in history with their names etched into the Golden Shovel or Silver Scoop. 

These three legacy events are complemented by a flurry of all-new original programming, including film and music events with a uniquely Northern flavor.

“The Great Northern is all about celebrating our incredible winters and rallying our community to get outside and experience the season,” said Cat Beltmann, Executive Director of The Great Northern. “We’re excited to showcase the new programming and partnerships we’ve developed this year and look forward to making Winter 2019 our best yet.”

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“Our founding partners have proud legacies of embracing winter in the North, and working together we’ve established The Great Northern as a signature celebration for Minnesotans and visitors alike.” said Eric Dayton, Board Chair of The Great Northern. “We’re excited to build on that momentum this year and beyond, and to add exciting new programming alongside cherished traditions so that everyone can find a reason to get outside.”

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The Great Northern 2019 event highlights include:

• Saint Paul Winter Carnival
• U.S. Pond Hockey Championships
• City of Lakes Loppet

Original programming includes:

• FrogFest Curling Event
• Surly & MN United Boot Soccer Tournament
• Minnesota Tech – State of the State presented by Beta.MN
• An evening screening documentaries “Lure of the North” and “Finding Hygge”
• A concert event on Nicollet Mall

Most events are free, open to the public and will take place in and around Saint Paul and Minneapolis. For a full calendar of events, please visit: https://thegreatnorthernfestival.com/schedule/.

For more information about The Great Northern and its partnering organizations and to sign up for updates, visit TheGreatNorthernFestival.com. Connect with The Great Northern on Facebook and Instagram @TheGreatNorthernFestival, and on Twitter @GreatNorthern.

About The Great Northern

The Great Northern presented by Target is an annual 10-day winter celebration in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. We bring together longstanding festivals like the City of Lakes Loppet Ski Festival, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, and the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships along with original programming, all highlighting Minnesota at its wintry best. We promote a positive winter mindset and a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle.