Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau

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A Winter Wonderland of Activities Awaits Visitors to Saint Paul Popular Outdoor Skating Rink Returns to Landmark Plaza
(Saint Paul, MN) The Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau is planning to dazzle visitors this winter with an array of festivals and events that fit well with the city's charming European ambiance and enchanting snowfalls. Back by popular demand, the Wells Fargo WinterSkate Ice Rink will be set up at Landmark Plaza across from Rice Park from November 5, 2005 through February 5, 2006. Open skating, which will be free to the general public, will be featured Monday through Friday from 12-2 pm and on weekends from 11 am to 3 pm and from 5-10 pm. The rink will also be used for organized sports, skating clinics and group lessons. Skaters of all ages and abilities can enjoy the beauty of the park, aglow with lights, while enjoying one of Minnesota's favorite outdoor activities. Skate rental and a warming house will also be available. "The skating rink at Landmark Plaza was very popular last year and once again, we welcome visitors downtown Saint Paul to enjoy all the special events, theatrical performances, sporting events and exhibits of the season," said Brad Toll, vice president of tourism for the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau. Activities around the rink will include music, carolers, Victorian themed entertainment and of course, hockey, as the NHL Minnesota Wild resumes play in the nearby Xcel Energy Center. The Saint Paul Hotel, also located on Rice Park, will offer special holiday teas including a Holiday Decorating Tea on 11/26, a Candy Cane Tea on 12/4 and Teas with Scrooge featuring a live performance by Gerald Charles Dickens 12/21-23. The list of holiday special events is dizzying, but for starters, there is Festival of Trees at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel on 11/9, the celebration of the Hmong New Year at RiverCentre 11/26 and the Skandia Festival at Landmark Center 12/11. For more of a historic perspective of the holidays, check out the Hill House Holidays at the James J. Hill House or the Ramsey House Holidays at the Alexander Ramsey House. Both historic sites are decorated to the hilt and offer interactive tours with costumed guides depicting various holiday activities in turn-of-the-century Saint Paul. For families with kids in tow, children's activities and exhibits will also be scattered throughout downtown with a Holiday Romp at the Science Museum, Snow Ball at the Children's Museum, a Gingerbread Craft Show at RiverCentre, Kwanza celebration at the History Center and Polar Express at the Minnesota Transit Museum. Shopping is first and foremost to many visitors in November and December and the city offers an array of wonderful stores and special events where visitors can browse for that unique gift. December kicks off with two terrific shopping opportunities - the Grand Meander on Saint Paul's Grand Avenue 12/3 is a holiday celebration along a collection of specialty and boutique shops located just north of downtown near the Cathedral and stately Summit Avenue. Visit the decked out one-of-a-kind shops, listen to carolers, ride trolleys and take the tots to Breakfast with Santa. That same weekend, Landmark Center downtown will feature its annual holiday bazaar, a must see for specialty gifts or new holiday items to spruce up your home. Don't forget your ice skates! Many visitors want to plan a stop at Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping and entertainment center featuring 520 specialty shops including anchors Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Sears. The Mall offers dozens of restaurants, theaters, Camp Snoopy theme park and Underwater Adventures, a 1.2 million gallon aquarium. Mall of America is located just 10 minutes from Saint Paul and is open daily. Saint Paul also has wonderful gift shops within many of its fabulous museums, making it a great way to combine family fun and gift shopping. Check out the shops within the Minnesota History Center, the Minnesota Children's Museum, the Minnesota Museum of Art and the Science Museum of Minnesota. The Twin Cities area has more theater seats per capita than any other city with the exception of New York, so it's no surprise that many visitors combine holiday shopping and outdoor activities with theatrical performances while visiting Saint Paul. This season, the Ordway Centre for Performing Arts on Rice Park has will host Leo Kottke 11/27 and A Christmas Concert with the Steeles 12/4. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra will also perform throughout the season. Other theatrical offerings include A Tuna Christmas, performed by Actors Theatre aboard the Minnesota Centennial Showboat on the Mississippi River,12/3-23, Christmas of Swing at the Great American History Theatre 11/27-1/1/05, Ole & Lena Christmas 11/4-Jan 31 at Oops Interactive Dinner Theatre and Penumbra Theatre's Black Nativity 11/26 - Dec 18. A special treat is "A Christmas Carol Feast" playing in the Wiggington Pavilion on Harriet Island. Guests are greeted by Charles Dickens and escorted into his "country estate" where he tells the Christmas Carol story (with the help of a 25 member cast) while guests feast on a gourmet meal. Saint Paul maintains its wintry glow well after the holidays, as the city celebrates the Saint Paul Winter Carnival January 27 through February 5, 2005. The nation's oldest winter festival features over 75 events including parades, car races on ice, marathons, pageantry and competitions. Rice Park and Landmark Plaza will be adorned with intricate ice carvings and snow sculptures, as well as the primary site of many carnival activities. For detailed information on festivals and events as well as performance and ticket information, visit the web site at www.visitsaintpaul.com and follow the Events Calendar link or call 1-800-627-6101. ### NOTE TO MEDIA: Digital images of many festivals and attractions are available. To request a CD of images or to have a selection emailed to you, please contact Pat Laurel, Publications and Graphics Coordinator at 651-265-4921 or [email protected].