Winter in Minnesota reveals things you don’t see in any other season—communities lighting up dark weekends, families gathering around cold-weather traditions, and landscapes that come alive when the air turns sharp.
This year, leaders from across Minnesota shared what winter brings to their communities, offering a glimpse of a season far richer than we sometimes remember.
In Thief River Falls, winter becomes a full-city celebration. As Elizabeth Wilde explains, “Frost Fest is a three-day winter festival that occurs at the end of every January. It features lots of family friendly events and activities throughout the entire city.”
In Buffalo, color breaks through the cold. Sue Olmscheid says, “The Kite Festival is a huge draw – I think because it is a time of year when families need an outing and the spectacle of huge colorful kites in the winter sky is just magical!”
In Lakeville, winter is movement and quiet beauty. Jeanne Hutter shares: “Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville is a 340 acre park offering 5.7 miles of trails that are groomed in the winter for cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, and winter hiking. Your heart will be pumping as you meander through woodlands and ascend vast rolling hills, and keep your eyes to the sky – you just might see a majestic eagle soaring overhead!”
And in Greater St. Cloud, winter offers balance and possibility. Rachel Thompson puts it simply: “Greater St. Cloud offers visiting families the perfect mix of big-city amenities and small-town charm.”
These impressions point to truth: Minnesota’s winter is vast—creative, surprising, and full of places where families can belong.
If your family has a winter tradition, event, or discovery you love, share it with us so we can help shine a light on the best of Minnesota in the season that shows our character most clearly.
Winter here is extraordinary. Let’s celebrate it together.