MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- You can get out at embrace winter with the Great Northern Festival in the Twin Cities.

It is an event that was started in 2017 by Eric Dayton along with three already well-established festivals the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, and the City of Lakes Loppet.

His idea was to create density during these cold winter months and try to attract visitors to the area and to encourage people to get out and enjoy the winter weather.  In the years since then, the Great Northern has grown every year.

Spokeswoman Nina Graham says the Great Northern Festival has almost 70 events over a 10-day period.

The Chill Out Launch Party is this Wednesday at Surly Brewing which will have a winter village beer garden.

Photo courtesy of Great Northern Festival
Photo courtesy of Great Northern Festival
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Graham says they've added a Great Northern Sauna Village at Malcolm Yards.

We're going to transform a parking lot into a beautiful winter village with string lights and we'll have 18 different structures that range from sauna tents to an 18-seat event sauna that will even have some swings in it.

The St. Paul Winter Carnival has been running since 1886, it runs this Thursday through February 5th.  The U.S. Pond Hockey Championships started in 2006, and is already underway and will continue through this Sunday.  The City of Lakes Loppet is February 4th and 5th.

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The closing night party is the showing of a movie outside at Malcolm Yards on February 5th.

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