Enjoy “Frozen” Family Fun In Minnesota: 2 Events to See in 2023!

Officially winter starts December 21. Unofficially, we know in Minnesota, it's already here whether you like it or not. Every year I fight it, not wanting to let go of summer...then just as I feel I am embracing fall, winter hits. This year I'm doing all I can to fully accept the colder months ahead and marking my calendar with a few fun winter events I've been learning about.

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While doing my due diligence and researching I was on the Facebook page 'Quirky Minnesota Places' and saw Michael S. had posted an article that had the headline;

Winter Kiting Heats Up in Midwest

He also shared that there were to be a couple of festivals in Minnesota, early next year, and it had me curious. Naturally, I clicked on the link. It took me to kitesup.org, where it gave dates for a few winter festivals in the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and yes, two in Minnesota that would have;

hundreds of kites take to the sky in winter...

The two events are:

Cool Kites on Ice, near my hometown, in Detroit Lakes, MN on February 12, 2023. The second event is a little bit closer to St. Cloud in Buffalo and is the 5th annual Kites on Ice Festival, happening February, 11, 2023.

Have you ever heard of a kite festival in winter? It actually looks really cool and has many fun family activities.

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Looking first at the Detroit Lakes "Cool Kites on Ice" I discovered it is all part of their giant winter festival called "Polar Fest", that lasts for 16 days. Many different winter activities happen nearly every day, running February 10-26. I actually know a lot about this, as growing up near there, I participated in many of the activities including the polar plunge and one year, yes, I was even Miss Polar Fest...but that's a story, maybe for another time.

What I had not seen before at Polar Fest are these "Cool on ice Kites" flown over the frozen lake. Here's a video from last year.

For those in the Central Minnesota area who thinks this looks like fun, but farther than you'd like to go at the moment. Then Buffalo, Minnesota's "Kites on Ice Festival" might seem like a better day trip and there is plenty to do during the event.

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Here are the "5 Things to Bring" according to the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce:

• Bring the kids - free kid's kites (while supplies last)

• Bring an appetite - there will be food trucks, beer garden and hot chocolate and treats.

• Bring it on - play in the cornhole tournament and win a cash prize

• Bring your sense of adventure - see all the other great things Buffalo has to offer: Shopping, wine bar, tap room, eateries

• Bring your camera - it's a sight you simply won't want to miss

Look for the kites in the sky on Buffalo Lake and other fun can be had also in Sturges Park. Embracing winter the best I can and trying cool winter activities like this, I feel, will most definitely make it bearable. Here's to the winter months ahead my friends and making them the best we can with what we have.