Downtown St. Paul gears up for a hockey extravaganza as the Bold North Breakaway fan festival descends upon the city next month. As 250,000 international fans, athletes, and media descend upon the area, a festive atmosphere will take over Rice Park and the streets surrounding Grand Casino Arena.
The festival's main attraction is the World Junior Hockey Championship, where top prospects from around the world aged 17-19 will face off in a premier tournament. To complement the action on the ice, organizers have planned an array of free or low-cost activities, including bumper cars on ice, trolley rides, and outdoor "glice" skating.
For those who want to get their kids involved, a mini-mites zone is set up to cater to young hockey fans, while horse-drawn carriage rides will take place throughout the festival. Indoor vendors will offer everything from food to merchandise, all within walking distance of the arena.
Fans can now gear up for the big event by visiting the World Juniors HQ, a dedicated retail space on the third floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington, which opens its doors just before the tournament kicks off. The store promises an immersive experience, complete with interactive displays and giveaways, including a buy-one-get-one-free offer for ticket purchases made between November 24 and December 1.
The St. Paul City Council has also granted special permits to bars and restaurants in the downtown entertainment district, allowing them to stay open later than usual during the tournament. The Bold North festival is set to take place from December 26 to January 5, with a fireworks display on New Year's Eve marking its conclusion.
The festival's main attraction is the World Junior Hockey Championship, where top prospects from around the world aged 17-19 will face off in a premier tournament. To complement the action on the ice, organizers have planned an array of free or low-cost activities, including bumper cars on ice, trolley rides, and outdoor "glice" skating.
For those who want to get their kids involved, a mini-mites zone is set up to cater to young hockey fans, while horse-drawn carriage rides will take place throughout the festival. Indoor vendors will offer everything from food to merchandise, all within walking distance of the arena.
Fans can now gear up for the big event by visiting the World Juniors HQ, a dedicated retail space on the third floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington, which opens its doors just before the tournament kicks off. The store promises an immersive experience, complete with interactive displays and giveaways, including a buy-one-get-one-free offer for ticket purchases made between November 24 and December 1.
The St. Paul City Council has also granted special permits to bars and restaurants in the downtown entertainment district, allowing them to stay open later than usual during the tournament. The Bold North festival is set to take place from December 26 to January 5, with a fireworks display on New Year's Eve marking its conclusion.
️ like who doesnt love hockey?! and the fact that they have all these fun activities for kids is amazing! bumper cars on ice?! trolley rides?! glice skating? 
my little bro is gonna freak out when he finds out about the mini-mites zone 
and i need to check out that World Juniors HQ at the Mall of America ASAP 
plus, i heard some bars are gonna be open super late?! 
december 26 cant come soon enough!
they got bumper cars on ice n outdoor glice skating... who wouldn't wanna be there?! 
I'm just hoping they won't get too caught up in all the excitement and forget about their lunchtime routines... mom life is hard enough without adding hockey fans to the mix! 
The mini-mites zone sounds awesome, though - it'll be great for my youngest who loves watching junior hockey. Fingers crossed we can snag some tickets and make the most of this fun-filled event with our little hockey heroes 
. I mean, who needs a "festive atmosphere" when you've got 250k people crammed into one area? Rice Park is gonna be a zoo, no doubt about it. And those bumper cars on ice? Just what the world needed to make hockey more...well, not boring, but definitely more chaotic 
. At least they're trying to cater to the kids with that mini-mites zone, I guess. And hey, horse-drawn carriage rides are always a thing...or so I've heard 
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, just when you thought things were gonna be chill in St. Paul... 250k people descending upon the city? That's just asking for trouble 
. And what about all those young hockey players competing? They're only 17-19 years old, don't they need to focus on their studies instead of getting all hyped up for a tournament? 
And have you seen the bumper cars on ice? That's just begging for a lawsuit waiting to happen 
. And what about the traffic congestion? The St. Paul City Council is basically creating a recipe for disaster by allowing bars and restaurants to stay open late during the tournament. It's gonna be chaos! 
. And can't wait to try out that "glice" skating... hope my knees can keep up 
. Anyone know if the fireworks display on NYE is gonna be lit 
and "glice" skating? That sounds like so much fun, especially with the mini-mites zone for little kids. It's awesome that they're setting up a World Juniors HQ store at the Mall of America, I bet it's gonna be lit! 
My friend's little brother is really into hockey and he'll love that 
. I might have to come visit my cousin during the festival and check out the World Juniors HQ, sounds like an immersive experience 
. Fireworks on New Year's Eve? That's going to be lit 
? It sounds like they've got some awesome activities lined up for all ages, from mini-mites to horse-drawn carriage rides 
. And can we talk about the World Junior Hockey Championship - those young athletes are gonna bring it on the ice! I'm a bit sad that I won't be able to attend myself, but I'll def be following along online and cheering on my faves 
. The fact that there's an immersive retail space at the Mall of America is pretty cool too - gotta love some good old-fashioned shopping 
! The mini-mites zone sounds like a great way to involve young hockey fans, my nephew loves playing hockey and this would be so cool for him 
. And omg, bumper cars on ice? 
that's genius! I need to get to that festival ASAP, who's going with me?