Weekend Roundup: Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade, Cutest Puppy Contest
This week, the metro held the Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade, a cutest puppy contest, Forgotten Star Brewing’s “Bonspiel” event and much more.
Across the Metro
People crowded the streets of downtown St. Paul Saturday night for the Winter Carnival’s Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade. KSTP’s own Megan Newquist and Matt Belanger were this year’s parade grand marshals.
In Excelsior on Saturday, the cutest puppy contest took place with dogs six months and younger competing to be named the most adorable in the bunch. The first, second and third-place winners will be announced Monday.
After weeks of hard work, the “Sparky the Seal” snow sculpture in New Brighton was taken down. He started to melt away as many snow sculptures and ice carvings are short-lived this year.
Balloons at the Hot Air Affair in Hudson, WI were grounded on Saturday due to the cloud shelf being too low, but on Sunday, they finally got to take flight. There are about 30 pilot balloons involved in the event, with many having colorful designs.
The final day of the annual Loppet Winter Festival brought the cross-country skiing race to the not-so-snowy hills of Theodore Wirth Park on Sunday. Spectators were asked not to track dirt on the course in preparation for the Cross-Country World Cup being held there 12 days from now.
Forgotten Star Brewing in Fridley held their fourth “Bonspiel” event on Sunday. The event included curling, live music, food, a meat raffle, bingo and more.
The annual Kids’ Fest in Minnetonka returned on Sunday. Horse-drawn trolley rides, music and ice carving demonstrations had visitors up and moving, with kids also getting a lesson in fire safety from the Minnetonka Fire Department.
In the Studio
An event showcasing all things golfing is coming to the Twin Cities. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Brett Hoffland sat down with Ross Brendel, show coordinator for the Minnesota Golf Show, to discuss the event. The show is happening from Feb. 9-11 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
An exhibit showcasing how African Americans fought for citizenship rights and equality is coming to the Minnesota History Center this month. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Brett Hoffman sat down with Dr. Chantel Rodriguez, Senior Public Historian with the Minnesota Historical Society, to discuss the event. The Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow exhibit is available for viewing from Feb. 3 through June 9.
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is getting ready for its spring flower show, which has its opening night later this week. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Brett Hoffland sat down with Wendy Composto, signature seasonal events manager, to discuss the event. The show begins this Thursday and runs through March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Opera Theatre in St. Paul is celebrating Black History Month with a special concert celebrating Leontyne Price. Price was the first Black Prima Donna of the New York Metropolitan Opera and later this month, Skylark will feature either music written for Price or made famous by her. Artistic Director James Barnett sat down with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Brett Hoffland to discuss the upcoming event. The concert is on Feb. 17 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $60.