On Saturday, Feb. 10 the City of Winona held their annual Winter Carnival. This  is the first year that Winona State University held an event during the carnival.

Kendra Weber, Winona State’s director of student and community advancement, said that the event for the carnival is a chance for community members to build relations with the University.

“Winona State is doing a campus open-house showcase for community members on that Saturday, Feb. 10 since the Frozen River Film Festival is going on, as well as the Winter Carnival,” Weber said. “The hope is to bring community members to campus for something other than a football game, although those are great as well.”

For this event, the bookstore was open during the afternoon and had a sale going on.

The library also offered hot cider and bagel bites. The goal was to encourage community members to get a courtesy card, which allows them to check materials out of Winona State’s library.

Weber also shared that events such as the Winter Carnival have lots of positive effects on the community.

“There are lots of positive effects, especially this time of year. It’s good to have the opportunity to go out and do fun things,” Weber said. “This is a chance to get out and do something fun, especially things that you wouldn’t otherwise do.”

The winter carnival also had women in business cabin fever dash, frozen dance and art adventure, a bike race and a chili cook off.

Patrick Menton, the assistant recreation director said that this year’s Winter Carnival differed in a few ways from the ones in past years.

“It was originally centered on the Goose Bump Jump, the polar plunge of Winona, which was a fundraiser for the City of Winona Parks and Recreation Department’s youth scholarship fund,” Menton said. “As participation of the jump declined, we recognized a need to change and thus partnered with other groups to host a Winona weekend of play.”

Menton also talked about what the Winter Carnival included and focused on this year.

“This year’s Carnival has focused on more outdoor play with events like the Winona Area Mountain Bike fat bike race and Winona State University’s Outdoor Education snow shoe race both of which had record participation,” Menton said. “People love to play in the snow and these two events showcased the fun that can be had in the bluffs no matter the temperature.”

Menton also said that there is change to be expected for the Winter Carnival of 2019.

“We are in the planning stages for an ever-bigger event for 2019,” Menton said. “The intention is to partner with the Recreation Alliance of Winona to serve up a bigger menu of outdoor activities over the weekend that may include fat bike tours of the bluffs, ice climbing, music, kid’s events, bob sled run and lots of food.”