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Saint Paul 2007 Festivals Offer Food, Music, Sports and Ethnic Entertainment
(Saint Paul, MN) Saint Paul is gearing up for its busiest festival season yet with an array of offerings to suit every taste and age. The city will celebrate its 121^st Winter Carnival January 26 through February 4 with a gigantic ice maze on Harriet Island as well as favorite activities including parades, pageants, ice sculptures and sporting competitions. Most 2007 events will take place on downtown's Harriet Island. The Scottish Ramble at the Landmark Center February 10-11 starts a series of ethnic celebrations featuring food, dancing and music from different cultures. On February 17, RiverCentre will host a Vietnamese New Year Festival and of course Saint Paul will revel in green on March 17^t^h as the city celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a noon time parade and music and dancing at Landmark Center. Festival of Nations, the state's largest multi-cultural celebration, showcases 90 ethnic groups presenting cultural exhibits, cafes and international bazaars May 4-6, while across the river, the city's District del Sol will celebrate Cinco de Mayo May 4-5 with live entertainment, a salsa eating contests, parades and plenty of Mexican food. More Minnesotans claim German heritage that any other nationality, so it's only fitting that Saint Paul hosts a Sommerfest June 8-10. This gala weekend includes Rheinfest on the Mississippi, Deutsche Tag and the Annual Emperor's Ball in the Landmark Center. April is arts month, featuring the sensational American Craft Council Craft Show at RiverCentre April 13-15. The spring Art Crawl, a self guided tour of artists' studios and galleries takes place April 20-22 in the trendy Lowertown area, where many artists live in renovated loft spaces with outstanding lighting and views. Kids take center stage in June during the Flint Hills International Children's Festival, a celebration of the arts held at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts June 2-3. Grand Old Day is a great excuse to meander along a three-mile stretch of Grand Avenue, one of the city's favorite shopping and dining spots, and enjoy a day of entertainment including a morning parade, food, music and family activities on June 3. Jazz and Blues come to town in June, so music lovers can head to the Raspberry Island for the Saint Paul Blues Festival on June 16 or to the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival in Mears Park June 22- July 1. A series of ethnic events take place between mid June and mid July beginning with Juneteenth on June 16. This celebration marks the anniversary of freed black slaves in Texas, as they discovered that the Emancipation Proclamation had been passed two years earlier. The Hmong Sports Festival June 30 - July1 in Como Park marks one of the largest ethnic sporting events in the country, and the Dragon Festival and Boat Races on Lake Phalen July 14-15 features cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, children's activities and food vendors of the Asian Pacific Communities. The state's largest African American Festival is Rondo Days, July 21, which celebrates a community that was lost, but not forgotten with art, music, food and parades. The Rondo neighborhood was Saint Paul's primary African American community, until it was dispersed to make room for I-94 in the 1960s. The Twin Cities Black Film Festival, presenting films about African American heritage, will also be held August 10-12. Taste of Minnesota kicks off the summer festival season on Saint Paul's Harriet Island June 29-July 4 with terrific FREE musical entertainment and great food selections. Next up is Irish Fair of Minnesota, held August 10-12. The Midwest's largest free Irish festival showcases top notch Irish musical entertainment, dance, food, drink, contests, folklore, a merchandise marketplace and more. The Wild River Music, Comedy and Film Festival is a terrific new way to celebrate the warm breezy days on Harriet Island, while enjoying first rate films or musical acts the weekend of September 15-16. The Minnesota State Fair signifies the end of summer, but the beginning of the biggest 12 days of fun in town. Livestock demonstrations, national musical acts, exhibitions, a thrilling Midway area and at least 25 varieties of food on a stick are reasons to visit the State Fairgrounds August 23 through Labor Day, September 3. Summer Sports Events Sports enthusiasts will appreciate the outstanding lineup of major sporting events coming to Saint Paul in 2007. The action starts with the Great River Entergy Bicycle Festival, featuring a pro bike race along Saint Paul's riverfront on June 20. On August 19 wheels of a different sort will spin along the riverfront as professional and amateur skaters will take to the streets for the 4th annual Saint Paul Inline Marathon along Shepard Road and downtown streets. The Twin Cities Marathon, one of the world's top 10 marathons is scheduled for October 7, and the Diamond National Karate Tournament takes place October 12-13. Winter Highlights include 2008 USA Figure Skating Championships When winter comes, Saint Paul turns into the Rockefeller Center of the Midwest with its 75-foot holiday tree in Rice Park and the popular all-weather Wells Fargo Winter Skate Ice Rink on Landmark Plaza. The big winter event will be the 2008 USA Figure Skating Championships which will take place at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center from January 20-27, 2008. See the country's top skaters compete in Men's, Women's and Pairs Figure Skating as well as Ice Dancing. Tickets are now on sale for All-Event Packages ranging from $495 to $895. To order tickets or receive more information call 612-989-5151 or visit www.saintpaul2008.com. For updates on winter activities and for detailed information on festivals and events, visit the web site at www.visitsaintpaul.com and follow the Events Calendar link or call 1-800-627-6101. Be sure to request a Saint Paul Visitor and Vacation Guide and Fun Card, for savings and discounts at over 40 Saint Paul area hotels, restaurants and attractions.