While reflecting on the importance of the St. Paul Winter Carnival, St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation event coordinator Alyssa Klahsem said the St. Paul Winter Carnival creates unity. 

“It’s the traditional, celebrating St. Paul event that brings people together to experience the magic of winter,” Klahsem said. “We’re in Minnesota and we have winter every year and it is fun to embrace that and do some fun activities outside to just really celebrate the winter that makes us all come together.”

Sophomore Truman Fillbrandt said the event seems appealing for Park students.

“Sounds like a pretty fun event,” Fillbrandt said. “I know they’ve done it before and if they’ve done it for this long, it is bound to be pretty successful.”

Freshman Ryan Dusaire said the winter carnival seems enjoyable for a variety of people. 

“I think it would be fun for high schoolers. I think it probably would be more fun for younger kids, but it would still be a good experience for all ages,” Dusaire said. 

According to Klahsem, this year marks a change in location from Kellogg Park back to Rice Park. 

“Rice Park has been renovated and it’s open to the public,” Klahsem said. “We have always traditionally been in Rice Park and last year it was just under construction so now that it is all refurbished, we are back in Rice Park.” 

Fillbrandt said the 134 year history of the Winter Carnival could potentially have positives or negatives. 

“(The carnival’s history) means they have more of a tradition going which could be good or bad depending on who you are,” Fillbrandt said.

According to Klahsem, festivities can be inexpensive or free of charge, with some changes.

“It is going to be a really fun time with lots of different new events and kind of our traditional events that make winter carnival special,” Klahsem said.