Join the ice-cold tradition that supports the incredible athletes of Special Olympics Minnesota!
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The Polar Plunge is a series of events where people go to the extreme to support Special Olympics Minnesota with 20+ locations across statewide. Will we see you there?
We’re celebrating our twentieth anniversary season of weird and wonderful winters in 2024!
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We’re excited to be back on the ice this winter in South Minneapolis! We look forward to welcoming grown adults and kids of all ages to play / learn / grow / laugh / smile / sing / groove / gather with us in the Art Shanty village.
ASL Interpretation and Audio Description will be available on all festival dates from 11am-2pm. Head to the Welcome Shanty to get connected with your guide.
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CLASSIC SHANTIES ARE BACK!
Artists had great success with the exterior-only festival in 2022 and 2023, adapting with whimsical creativity and expanding the notion of what a shanty project can be! This year we have invited artists to continue that trend OR go back to classic shanties with interior experiences. We’ve got a mix – so if you’ve been waiting to cozy up inside with us, this is your year! And if you’re still not comfortable with that, we got you!
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SUPPORT ARTISTS + ARTMAKING!
It takes a village to build a village, and there are many ways to actively participate! We’ll soon be seeking volunteers for the on-ice program – sign up for our newsletter to get announcements. You can also contribute as a member with an annual donation of just $25 or if you’re a local business, offer a cash or in-kind donation!
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Friends! We don’t have to tell you that we are experiencing the warmest winter on record this year, and that other events are canceling, adapting or postponing. Luckily Art Shanty Projects is extraordinarily nimble and flexible — embracing challenges with creativity is at the heart of our mission!
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Staff members have been working behind the scenes to prepare for many potential scenarios for our program this year.
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We’re glued to our weather apps (yay subzero temps next week!) and making visits to the lake regularly to observe changing conditions. The lake is re-freezing, and near the Bandshell we have 4” of fresh, clear ice (though the south end of the lake is open water again, ugh). We need a fully frozen lake with 10” of good ice at the site of our village to do the public program.
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It’s unlikely that it will be cold enough, fast enough, to be on the ice in time for our scheduled January 20th opening.
We are considering several options for our program, including opening on schedule with Plan Beach or postponing one week to be On-Ice if it seems reasonable for ice to build in time (we also have to be pretty confident that it won’t just melt again!)
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Follow the here about adaptations, timing, and staff considerations! As you wait (like us) for more information to unfold, click around to read about artist projects and start dreaming about your Art Shanty adventure — it will happen!
Beginning in January, join us in the tropical gardens and beat the “winter-blahs” as live, local musicians play blues, bluegrass and ballads from 4:30 – 6:30pm on select Sundays and Wednesdays. The concerts are free and beer and wine will be available to purchase. No reservations required. These concerts are standing room only!
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Music Under the Glass Sundays and Wednesdays
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Sunday, January 7th – New Riverside Ramblers: Warm up with some high-spirited Cajun dance music. The band covers a spectrum from old-style fiddle tunes, lively two-steps, soulful waltzes, gritty blues to rockin’ honky-tonk sounds.
Sunday, January 14th – Nathan Griner with cellist Matthew Probst – Nathan Griner’s style has a huge range of passion and grit. He also has a very unique show to experience. Nathan has never been an artist that has been boxed into one specific genre. His sound is as raw as Neil Young and as fun and energetic as the Lumineers, mixed into a style all his own. His take on the obscure covers and his songwriting abilities leave audiences wanting to hear more.
Wednesday, January 17th – Roots-rock singer-songwriter Mary Cutrufello has been a mainstay in the Americana scene in Minnesota and in Texas for thirty years. She’s performed on The Tonight Show and Austin City Limits, and toured in all 50 states and several European countries. Hailed by USA Today as “a fierce guitarist with with a blistered-throat voice,” Cutrufello mixes original songs and classics of American music (think Willie Nelson and Steve Earle) into a captivating, heartland-proud musical stew at once timeless and immediate.
Sunday, January 21st – The Bad Companions: a long standing roots-rock quartet featuring two guitars, stand-up bass and drums, with great vocals and vast setlist of rock-a-billy, r & b, country and blues.
Wednesday, January 24th – The Sudden Lovelys – This prolific duo creates a unique and earnest sound that could best be described as “Aggressive Folk.”
Wednesday, January 31st – Mother Banjo – “traditional folk and bluegrass sounds with genuinely poetic lyrics, landing somewhere between Gillian Welch and Lucy Kaplansky” – Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune
Sunday, February 4th – Andrea Lyn – Award winning musician, singer and songwriter, Andrea Lyn shares captivating melodies and lyrics stemming from real life. She has shared the stage with legendary artists and performed her songs for thousands. Her passion and love for music shows in each song and every performance. With influences stemming from Sarah McLaughlin, Indigo Girls, Merle Haggard, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Marc Cohn, Bonnie Raitt, Lyn’s performance is calming, real, and engaging.
Wednesday, February 7th – Switchgrass – Their sound has been described as porch music, caffeinated sweet tea, and backwoods bluegrass. All accompanied by the sweet sounds of an accordion.
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Curt Obeda, The Butanes leader and Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame 2023
The Holiday Flower Show will feature ‘Ferrara’ red, variegated ‘Tapestry’ (yellow & green) leaves, and yellow ‘Golden Glo’ poinsettias. Accompanying these will be yellow flowering kalanchoe and tropical foliage accents.
Known as the flor de nochebuena—or Christmas Eve Flower—in their native Mexico, it’s no wonder Sponsoring a garden is a unique way to keep the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory growing strong. Your donations help to plant thriving gardens, grow new programs, and preserve the Conservatory’s historic character for generations to come. Available in endless shades of reds, pinks, creams, and greens, Poinsettias are among the most economically valuable plants in the world, with nearly 70 million sold each holiday season in the United States alone.
Marjorie McNeely Conservatory horticulturist Bo Akinkuotu knows just what it takes to make these delicate tropical plants come to life. Back in June, he planted more than 1,000 Poinsettias to ensure they’d be at their peak just in time for the Holiday Flower Show now on display in the Sunken Garden!
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“It’s a tricky thing, because Poinsettias are a touchy, finicky plant, especially for growing at home,” Akinkuotu says. Though they’re deeply associated with the winter holidays, “They’re a tropical, heat-loving plant, and they don’t like to get too wet, or they’ll rot, and they don’t like to get too dry, or they’ll wilt. You have to find that sweet spot between the two.” A member of the Euphorbia family, Poinsettias can only come to life during the darkest days of the year.
“The interesting thing about them is that they really need these shorter days to start showing and changing their colors through the bracts, which are the showy part of the plant,” he says. Climate control is another key ingredient to keeping these plants at their best. “They’re unhappy in chilly weather, but if you can keep the temperature in the low to mid 70s, they’ll usually last until the end of the holiday season.”
Sponsoring a garden is a unique way to keep the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory growing strong. Your donations help to plant thriving gardens, grow new programs, and preserve the Conservatory’s historic character for generations to come. Find out more by clicking here here.
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Sponsoring a garden is a unique way to keep the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory growing strong. Your donations help to plant thriving gardens, grow new programs, and preserve the Conservatory’s historic character for generations to come. Find out more by clicking here here.
Gather your family and friends in the car to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Sever’s Holiday Lights.
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This year Sever’s Holiday Lights 2023 is a 1.9 mile course, located at Sever’s Festival grounds in Shakopee, is packed with more than 2.5 million lights set to holiday music favorites mixed to an upbeat track. Picture trees wrapped and dripping in icicle lights, back lit forests, hanging globes and massive flood lights to create a stunning winter wonderland setting. Holiday Lights is open 7 days a week!
Join Union Depot for the exciting annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration & Movie
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The celebration will begin at 5:00 PM with the reveal of the St. Paul Winter Carnival 2024 Button, live concert by The Mistletones and holiday activities. Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, photo ops, craft stations and giveaways for kids.
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At 7:00 PM guests will move outside to the North Plaza for the tree lighting celebration followed by a short but thrilling fireworks display and Holiday sing-a-long. Followed at 7:30 PM warm up inside the Waiting Room with Movie Night featuring the holiday favorite, Elf! Concessions will be available for purchase including popcorn! You are encouraged to bring blankets for extra seating. We will have chairs available.
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European Chistmas Market, Union Depot, Saint Paul
Visit the European Christmas Market on the East Plaza while you’re here! Shop for unique, handmade holiday gifts and decorations from local vendors and taste European inspired food.