Ice palace at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, Minnesota

© Joe Mamer Photography/Alam

In winter's embrace. St. Paul Winter Carnival

A chilly paradise awaits at the St. Paul Winter Carnival! This annual celebration, taking place between January 25 and February 4 this year, transforms Minnesota's capital city into a winter wonderland. It all started in 1885, when a group of reporters visited and referred to Minnesota as another Siberia, unfit for human habitation. This offended city officials who devised a plan to showcase the area's winter beauty. The Winter Carnival was born, featuring seasonal activities such as bobsledding and ice horse-racing. Today, the carnival attracts visitors and strengthens community bonds through parades, markets, and winter sports. And ice sculptors carve stunning but fleeting works of art, like the frozen palace towering over today's image.