SCENE – Winter Festivals, Fun, and frolic in Minnesota | Southern Minn Scene

Full Moon Luminary Snowshoe

(Friday February 11) – Takes place at the River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Road, Faribault.

Enjoy an adult night! Walk through the nature center with luminaries as guides. Then enjoy an adult drink while you warm up inside. Snowshoes can be borrowed. Mask compulsory indoors.

To make the distance easier, pre-register (507-332-7151) for an entry time. This allows for better distancing.

(Saturday, January 15, 2022 and Saturday, February 12, 2022) – Located at the Owl Center, 126 E. Cedar St., Houston, MN. Owls live all around us but are very good at avoiding detection. Come and learn with the people and owl staff at the owl center how to identify our local owls by size, shape, silhouette and sound.

After the indoor portion of the program, attendees will carpool to popular owl areas in and around Houston to call and hear Eastern Screeching Owls, Barred Owls, and Great Horned Owls. Meet at the International Owl Center no later than the specified time (the center opens 30 minutes before the program begins).

Plan to spend the first 45 minutes indoors (chairs are set up so households are at least six feet apart) and learn to recognize owls by sounds before heading outside. Dress appropriately for the weather and try to wear clothes that do not make any noise when you move. Your vehicle will follow our staff to 3-4 different locations within 10 miles of Houston. The call is made from the curb so there is very little walking involved.

Children are welcome, but must be able to stand still for at least 10 minutes. Expect to return to the Owl Center about 2.5-3 hours after the program starts. Email [email protected] to be on the waiting list or call 507-896-6957.

Wanamingo Vintage Snowmobile Ride and Show

(Saturday, March 5, 2022) – Snowmobile fans! Come to the Wanamingo Fire Hall for the 12th Annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride and Show in March.

The Wanamingo Fire Department Relief Association annually hosts a vintage snowmobile ride, snowmobile competition, chilli feed (including chilli cook-off competition), beanbag tournament, and a raffle. The event is both family friendly and entertaining for the adult audience. The event lasts most of the day. The proceeds will be donated to the fireworks on July 4th in Wanamingo.

(Saturday, March 5th, 2022) – With a mug of bock beer, live music, hot brats and campfires, you will beckon to warmer temperatures at the Bockfest.

Seven goats of winter are hiding around the brewery and in Flandrau State Park, waiting for brave pus to head out and catch them. Armed with completely useless clues and bock beer, hunters comb the park in search of these elusive buck. Two human St. Bernard dogs with bock beer barrels on their backs are ready for dispatch at the first sign of thirst.

Often repeated stories depict her heroic heroic deeds in search of another glass of Schell’s Bock beer as she roams through the woods. As soon as they are fed, they find the strength to move on and continue their search for the secret goats. Legend has it that if all seven goats of winter are caught and returned to the brewery, winter will loosen its icy grip on Minnesota and bring an early spring (this has never been scientifically proven and is still controversial among scientists to this day).

For those who are not hearty enough to leave the Schell’s Brewery festival grounds, do not be ashamed. Schell’s beer, sausages, live music and a warm fire await you. But the party doesn’t stop there. Festers flock to downtown New Ulm for a fun night full of friendships. And when the night is over and it’s time to call it a day, the organizers ask for a lift. Be safe out there.

Location: August Schell Brewing Company-1860 Schell Road, New Ulm, MN; Admission: Tickets are $ 10; 21-plus event; ID cards required; Tickets are also available at the gate on the day of the event for USD 10; Limit of 10 per purchase; A limited number of tickets are sold in advance. The gift shop opens its doors at 10 a.m. on the pre-sale day and sells tickets as long as they are available. Online sales will begin on February 3rd at 10am and will last as long as tickets are available.

(Friday, January 28, 2022; Saturday, January 29, 2022; Sunday, January 30, 2022) – The Bold and Cold Festival is the last weekend of January.

There are events and activities designed to highlight the Minnesota “cold noses and warm hearts” psyche.

The festival has activities for young and old, including a medallion hunt, snowman building competition, cardboard sledge races, ice fishing competitions, snow sculpting competitions, fat tire bike races and much more. Be brave and embrace cold noses and warm hearts during the Bold & Cold in Owatonna weekend celebration.

(Friday, Jan 28, 2022) – The fun festival includes a Winterfest Opening Ceremony, Free Hot Chocolate and S’mores, Medallion Hunts, a Pole Jump, Hairy Legs Competition, Poker Walk, Commander’s Chile Festival, and a Winter Demolition Derby. The St. Peter Winter Festival offers a variety of activities all over St. Peter.

Local law enforcement agencies are also making a drastic leap to raise funds for the Minnesota Special Olympics, which coincide with the Winter Festival.

(Saturday, February 26, 2022) – Enjoy fun events, great food, shopping adventures and more. First and foremost is the safety of the community and visitors.

Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon both passed away, but The Odd Couple’s influence remains strong in the Mississippi town of Wabasha, where they both made late-in-life Grumpy Old Men films.

Like the films of the same name, the Grumpy Old Men Festival is fun on the ice, on the river, and in costume. There’s a goofy costume contest and minnow races that bring the movies to life, and more classic dishes like the ice fishing contest, cribbage and Texas Hold’em tournaments. Take part in the ice fishing competition, cribbage tournament, bingo, the annual Grumpy Plunge, and more.

Winter Festival on Pine Island

(Saturday, January 29, 2022) – Attractions include groomed cross-country ski trails and snowshoe trails on the Pine Island Golf Course. In the evening lights will illuminate the route.

The Eagle Bluff Environmental Center will be on the golf course with cross-country skis and snowshoes available for rent. That will be from 4pm to 8pm

At 11 a.m. there is a cardboard sled race on the golf course (advance booking required). The Legion will sponsor family bingo from 1pm. The senior center is hosting storytelling and a painting competition for children ages 3-7 from 9.30am. Olde Pine Theater will have a concert on Saturday night.

Maplewood Tesla will be in town by noon and people can test drive a Tesla. The Pine Haven Community is hosting a snowman building contest on Saturday afternoon. All events will be published on the image committee’s Facebook page.

Waseca County sleigh and cutter

(Saturday, Jan 22 – Feb 26, 2022) – Founded in Waseca in 1950, this festival continues to entertain young and old.Miss Waseca County Sleigh & Cutter rules all events, including the parade.

Horse owners from across the state bring gorgeous horses of all kinds to Waseca for the State Street parade. Only animal powered units and riders are allowed. Sledges, cutters, bobsleighs and many types of wagons and buggies can be seen. Most events are free! Many restaurants and clubs offer special meals and entertainment.

Check sleighandcutterfestival.org for a complete calendar of events. The Waseca Sleigh and Cutter Festival is a fun escape from winter after the holidays. If you like horses, curling, ice sculpting, and parades, this event is for you. There are activities for all ages. Just some of the events include a Frosty the Snowman competition, medallion hunt, bridge, dance, and painting competition.

Highlights: Dinner / Dance; Parade; winter charm on the farm @ Farmamerica; Waseca Sleigh & Cutter Festival Pageant 2/5; (the current Miss Minnesota came out of that program – the second in 4 years); Vintage snowmobile races; huge fireworks at Clear Lake; Ice sculptures, curling, youth hockey, beanbag tournaments and several snowmobile events.

Ice fishing competition in Lake City

(Saturday, February 19, 2022) – “We are excited to bring back our entire event this year after holding a virtual raffle event last year. We love to bring people from near and far together and fill the day with lots of games, prizes and fun. It’s a wonderful community event that shows the collaborative spirit of our city, ”said Amy Brinkman, event director.

It takes more than 80 volunteers to make the day a reality, and the event is supported by around 150 local businesses who donate to the day’s events. In the clubhouse and on the ice there is fun and games for young and old.

Amy encourages people to bring the whole family for a great Minnesota winter experience! And the view of frozen Pepin Lake is a wonderful perk. Take part in a fun day of ice fishing and games at Lake Pepin (fishing spot right outside our clubhouse).