The snow blocks are up, the carvers will be here soon, and storefronts are set to be filled with art.
Those are just some of the signs that it’s time for Ely’s annual winter celebration.
The 33rd Ely Winter Festival’s 10 days of celebrating winter begins Thursday, Feb. 5 and runs through Feb. 15 and packs a season’s worth of fun and activities in less than two weeks.
As usual, snow carving serves as a centerpiece of the festival and artists are beginning their work on snow forms up at Whiteside Park and elsewhere in Ely, signaling the start of the annual snow sculpting symposium.
By the weekend, the snow forms will have been transformed, and the park in particular serves as an attraction with numerous sculptures serving as a draw.
Thursday night at Silver Rapids Lodge there will be live music with Rich Mattson and Germaine Gemberling at the Meet The Snow Carvers Lodge Party from 7-9 p.m.
Numerous other events are in the works including skating and kick sledding at Whiteside Park, snowshoe hikes with the Listening Point Foundation and numerous classes put on by the Ely Folk School.
Dave Starkman of Ely Flower and Seed announced the Winter Festival ice rink in Whiteside Park this year includes a burn pit, benches, lighting and three hockey nets.
“This is a free skate rink for everybody to use. It does not have an attendant on duty, skate at your own risk, be respectful of others, and most of all please use it and have fun!” said Starkman.
Friday, Feb. 6 marks the start of the winter party, with a spaghetti feed to support Ely Community Resource, starting at 4 p.m. and to be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, followed by the opening ceremonies and passing of the winter festival torch in an event set for 6:30 p.m. at Whiteside Park.
“Dress in your winter finest for a performance by the Bois Forte Singers drum circle, followed by a procession to the Festival fire bowl for a ritual lighting-of-the-fire by our Grand Marshal, assisted by the Ely Nordic Wolves cross country ski team,” according to the website.
On Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. there will be winter camping demos by Northern Tier High Adventure and a snow making demo by Timber Trail Lodge in Whiteside Park.
A full schedule and further information can be found online at www.elywinterfestival.com.
Started in the 1990s as an offshoot of a cross country ski race that was held locally, the Ely Winter Festival soon took on a life of its own and has become a focal point of winter in town.
The snow sculptures usually serve as an attraction, bringing local residents out of their home and visitors to town as Whiteside Park fills with the snow sculptors and their works of art.
Sculpting teams generally come from around the state and beyond.
The symposium begins Thursday and the sculptures will remain in the park through the festival and weeks beyond.
The festival kickoff, in part set for Friday night, serves as a ceremonial beginning, and it’s one of many events to take place throughout the course of the opening weekend.
The second weekend includes the 2026 Ely Winter Festival Kubb Tournament on Feb. 14. Grab a partner and head to Whiteside Park for a day of “Viking Chess” among the giant snow sculptures. All skill levels welcome with six guaranteed qualifying rounds and afternoon brackets. Cost is $30 per team with a two person minimum.
There will be a cribbage tournament on Feb. 14 at Silver Rapids Lodge. Singles play starts at 9 a.m. at $10 per person and team play starts at 1 p.m. at $20 per team. For more information contact Cheryl at (218) 2359142.
Festival pins, needed for admission to some events, may be purchased at various businesses in town. Cost is $7.
