Celebrate the Season in St. Paul

December 2006 Special Sections

This holiday season, downtown St. Paul is being transformed into a winter wonderland. Taking its cue from Rockefeller Center in New York City, Rice Park sparkles with a massive Christmas tree and an adjacent outdoor skating rink, plus other touches that are uniquely St. Paul. Across the street, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents Irving Berlin’s classic White Christmas, while the Saint Paul Hotel hosts high teas that feature a radio play of It’s a Wonderful Life. Here are all the fun ways to take part in the revelry in St. Paul during the holidays.

Destination Rice Park
“St. Paul already has that magical feel, with its historic Old World architecture,” says Sarah Fossen, director of marketing for Capital City Partnership in St. Paul. “It’s a beautiful city anyway, but the holiday season—with the twinkling white lights in the trees and all the activities—really enhances the atmosphere and mood here.”

At the heart of this atmosphere is Rice Park. Holiday décor—including statues of Nutcrackers and angels—will enliven the historic park. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, visitors can experience horse-drawn carriage rides as well as Saturday afternoon carolers, children’s choirs, Santa Claus visits, a children’s train, cider and hot chocolate, and roasted chestnuts.

But the essence of Rice Park this season is the gigantic Christmas tree. Standing at about seventy-five feet, the tree rivals the famous evergreen in Rockefeller Center. From day one, the tree was a community-based project. St. Paul’s division of Parks and Recreation and the Capital City Partnership held a call for trees, in which the general public could submit an entry for trees in their yards. The Parks and Recreation forestry staff then inspected the trees and chose one that was both healthy and majestic. Once the tree reaches its holiday home in Rice Park, it will be dressed in about 20,000 multi-colored lights and lit up at the grand opening celebration on November 25.

The tree will serve as a beautiful backdrop to Wells Fargo WinterSkate on Landmark Plaza, adjacent to Rice Park. In its third year, WinterSkate has fast become a new holiday tradition for many people; in fact, about 20,000 skaters and spectators visited the rink last year. The rink is artificially chilled, which means that the temperature doesn’t need to be below zero for great ice skating conditions. Amenities include a warming tent, concessions, and an outdoor community hearth.

Although the rink is an ideal family destination, WinterSkate hosts many other functions, including corporate broomball teams and youth hockey scrimmages. It’s also more than just a skating rink. For example, Mayor Chris Coleman celebrated his inauguration on the ice. And—just as in New York—the setting has also inspired several marriage proposals and plenty of wedding photos.