Saint Paul Kicks Off the Holidays with Wells Fargo WinterSkate and Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy
Saint Paul, Minn. – Saint Paul will officially kick off the holiday season Saturday,
Nov. 24, 2012, from 4:30-6 p.m., with the grand opening of Wells Fargo WinterSkate and the official tree lighting at Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy. Visitors can be the first to skate at Wells Fargo WinterSkate, downtown Saint Paul’s free, outdoor, artificially-chilled ice rink, and then capture the magic of the season as Rice Park’s seventh annual, 60-foot-tall, 16-foot-wide holiday tree is lit with 15,000 LED lights! The tree-lighting ceremony captures the essence of New York City’s Rockefeller Center experience in the heart of downtown Saint Paul. New events added this year are live bands that play on the ice every Friday in December, a weekend of movies playing during holiday break from the ice, an original Wells Fargo WinterSkate microbrew, a Fashion Show on the ice, and a commemorate poster that celebrates the 9th Annual Wells Fargo WinterSkate.
Presented by Visit Saint Paul, this year’s festivities will begin by opening the Wells Fargo WinterSkate ice rink at 4:30 p.m. Ellen McNamara & Eric Kahnert, 5 Eyewitness News, will emcee the grand opening ceremony. Featured live entertainment for the ceremony will include a performance by the Wells Fargo Choir, a demonstration by Plymouth Wayzata Speed Skating Club and exhibition skating by the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.
Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy tree lighting ceremony will follow at 5 p.m. This year’s tree was donated by John and Leah Labbe of Saint Paul. The tree will feature a brilliantly lit six-foot star at the top sponsored by Gerten’s.
Once the gigantic Xcel Energy switch is flipped, a four-minute fireworks display will switch on the majestic Christmas tree, which will be on display and lit through the holiday season until Jan. 1, 2013. During the tree lighting ceremony, cast members from Ordway’s production of Elf the Broadway Musical will delight guests with holiday music. Visitors can also enjoy music from Saint Paul Hotel’s It’s A Wonderful Life ~ A Live Radio Play. Rice Park, one of the oldest parks in the country, will feature special holiday décor including two 10-foot-tall classic Nutcrackers and two 12-foot-tall angel sculptures, several large wrapped gifts and glittering lit archways and trees. Kids can take their picture with Santa and stop by the Macy’s booth to write a letter to Santa!
New This Year!
Wells Fargo WinterSkate Brew is available at Great Waters Brewing: Sip on an original microbrew created by local brewers at Great Waters Brewing.
Rock the Ice presented by McNally Smith College of Music: Live bands playing on the ice (yes, physically standing on the ice) from 7 pm – 10 pm on Friday nights in December and the Friday and Saturday before Christmas. Skate around the artificially-chilled rink while local bands play from the center of the ice! Rock the Ice is December 7, 14, 21, 22, 23 and 28.
Comcast Holiday Movies on Wells Fargo WinterSkate: A chance to skate on the rink while watching movies on a huge jumbotron! Skaters can twirl around on the ice while watching some of their favorite holiday classics on December 29 and 30 from 4 pm—9 pm. No tickets needed! No extra charges!
Movie Schedule
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm A Christmas Story
4:30 pm –6:00 pm Elf
6:00 pm -7:30 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm It’s a Wonderful Life
Macy’s Winter Weather Fashion Show: A Fashion Show on Ice! The “coolest” fashions in the Twin Cities will be shown as models strut the icy runway on December 14 from 6:30 pm -7:00 pm. Event is free and open to the public.
Wells Fargo WinterSkate Commemorate Poster: Big Table Studio in downtown St. Paul created an original screen print that celebrates the 9th year of Wells Fargo WinterSkate. Posters are being sold at Big Table Studio and Wells Fargo WinterSkate warming house for only $10.
Enjoy the magic throughout the season
Wells Fargo WinterSkate begins November 24th, but will proceed through February 3. Visitors can enjoy the holiday magic of downtown Saint Paul every day of the week, while free, open skating at Wells Fargo WinterSkate will be available as well. Skate rental is just $2 per person, and guests can receive free skate rentals for their entire family by showing their Wells Fargo check card or credit card. Skaters can also enjoy hot chocolate and other beverages in the warming tent.
Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy and Wells Fargo WinterSkate are the perfect complement to any Saint Paul visit – Minnesota Wild games, museum visits or the Ordway Center’s production of Elf the Broadway Musical. Be sure to celebrate the holiday season with a photo of the giant tree and a twirl at the rink.
About Visit Saint Paul
In October 2005, Visit Saint Paul merged with Saint Paul RiverCentre to form a stronger organization, ready to face the challenges of the future. Today, Visit Saint Paul is known as a leader in the field of professional destination marketing and is a driving force in the economic development of Saint Paul. The mission of Visit Saint Paul is to market the greater Saint Paul area to out-of-town visitors, advocate for visitor needs and link the community with visitors. Visit Saint Paul functions as a private, non-profit membership organization.
For more information, visit www.wellsfargowinterskate.com and www.riceparkwinterwonderland.com or call the event hotline at (651) 228-1664. For parking information, visit www.saintpaulparking.com.
For more information on Visit Saint Paul, visit www.visitsaintpaul.com.
Nov. 24, 2012, from 4:30-6 p.m., with the grand opening of Wells Fargo WinterSkate and the official tree lighting at Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy. Visitors can be the first to skate at Wells Fargo WinterSkate, downtown Saint Paul’s free, outdoor, artificially-chilled ice rink, and then capture the magic of the season as Rice Park’s seventh annual, 60-foot-tall, 16-foot-wide holiday tree is lit with 15,000 LED lights! The tree-lighting ceremony captures the essence of New York City’s Rockefeller Center experience in the heart of downtown Saint Paul. New events added this year are live bands that play on the ice every Friday in December, a weekend of movies playing during holiday break from the ice, an original Wells Fargo WinterSkate microbrew, a Fashion Show on the ice, and a commemorate poster that celebrates the 9th Annual Wells Fargo WinterSkate.
Presented by Visit Saint Paul, this year’s festivities will begin by opening the Wells Fargo WinterSkate ice rink at 4:30 p.m. Ellen McNamara & Eric Kahnert, 5 Eyewitness News, will emcee the grand opening ceremony. Featured live entertainment for the ceremony will include a performance by the Wells Fargo Choir, a demonstration by Plymouth Wayzata Speed Skating Club and exhibition skating by the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.
Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy tree lighting ceremony will follow at 5 p.m. This year’s tree was donated by John and Leah Labbe of Saint Paul. The tree will feature a brilliantly lit six-foot star at the top sponsored by Gerten’s.
Once the gigantic Xcel Energy switch is flipped, a four-minute fireworks display will switch on the majestic Christmas tree, which will be on display and lit through the holiday season until Jan. 1, 2013. During the tree lighting ceremony, cast members from Ordway’s production of Elf the Broadway Musical will delight guests with holiday music. Visitors can also enjoy music from Saint Paul Hotel’s It’s A Wonderful Life ~ A Live Radio Play. Rice Park, one of the oldest parks in the country, will feature special holiday décor including two 10-foot-tall classic Nutcrackers and two 12-foot-tall angel sculptures, several large wrapped gifts and glittering lit archways and trees. Kids can take their picture with Santa and stop by the Macy’s booth to write a letter to Santa!
New This Year!
Wells Fargo WinterSkate Brew is available at Great Waters Brewing: Sip on an original microbrew created by local brewers at Great Waters Brewing.
Rock the Ice presented by McNally Smith College of Music: Live bands playing on the ice (yes, physically standing on the ice) from 7 pm – 10 pm on Friday nights in December and the Friday and Saturday before Christmas. Skate around the artificially-chilled rink while local bands play from the center of the ice! Rock the Ice is December 7, 14, 21, 22, 23 and 28.
Comcast Holiday Movies on Wells Fargo WinterSkate: A chance to skate on the rink while watching movies on a huge jumbotron! Skaters can twirl around on the ice while watching some of their favorite holiday classics on December 29 and 30 from 4 pm—9 pm. No tickets needed! No extra charges!
Movie Schedule
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm A Christmas Story
4:30 pm –6:00 pm Elf
6:00 pm -7:30 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm It’s a Wonderful Life
Macy’s Winter Weather Fashion Show: A Fashion Show on Ice! The “coolest” fashions in the Twin Cities will be shown as models strut the icy runway on December 14 from 6:30 pm -7:00 pm. Event is free and open to the public.
Wells Fargo WinterSkate Commemorate Poster: Big Table Studio in downtown St. Paul created an original screen print that celebrates the 9th year of Wells Fargo WinterSkate. Posters are being sold at Big Table Studio and Wells Fargo WinterSkate warming house for only $10.
Enjoy the magic throughout the season
Wells Fargo WinterSkate begins November 24th, but will proceed through February 3. Visitors can enjoy the holiday magic of downtown Saint Paul every day of the week, while free, open skating at Wells Fargo WinterSkate will be available as well. Skate rental is just $2 per person, and guests can receive free skate rentals for their entire family by showing their Wells Fargo check card or credit card. Skaters can also enjoy hot chocolate and other beverages in the warming tent.
Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy and Wells Fargo WinterSkate are the perfect complement to any Saint Paul visit – Minnesota Wild games, museum visits or the Ordway Center’s production of Elf the Broadway Musical. Be sure to celebrate the holiday season with a photo of the giant tree and a twirl at the rink.
About Visit Saint Paul
In October 2005, Visit Saint Paul merged with Saint Paul RiverCentre to form a stronger organization, ready to face the challenges of the future. Today, Visit Saint Paul is known as a leader in the field of professional destination marketing and is a driving force in the economic development of Saint Paul. The mission of Visit Saint Paul is to market the greater Saint Paul area to out-of-town visitors, advocate for visitor needs and link the community with visitors. Visit Saint Paul functions as a private, non-profit membership organization.
For more information, visit www.wellsfargowinterskate.com and www.riceparkwinterwonderland.com or call the event hotline at (651) 228-1664. For parking information, visit www.saintpaulparking.com.
For more information on Visit Saint Paul, visit www.visitsaintpaul.com.
