Downtown St. Paul will become a winter playground starting next week when the Bold North Breakaway Fan Festival opens in Rice Park and inside the RiverCentre, running alongside the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The free festival opens at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26, and runs through Jan. 5, offering outdoor and indoor activities alongside the international hockey tournament.
Bold North Breakaway will give fans a place to gather between the tourney’s games at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
“Bold North Breakaway was always envisioned as more than a fan fest,” Wendy Blackshaw, president and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events, said in a statement. “This festival becomes a place where hockey, culture, community, and Minnesota winter come together in a way only our state can deliver.”
Outdoor attractions in Rice Park will include live music and more:
Play at the ice bumper car rink
Take a free horse-drawn carriage ride
Enjoy a St. Paul Pioneer Press trolley tour
Skate at the TRIA Skills rink that will offer open skating, daily games and hockey-themed challenges
Pose at the “We Love Hockey” sign near the Rice Park fountain
Visit a 5,000-pound hockey puck commissioned by Visit Saint Paul and billed as the world’s largest
Warm up at the PNC Bank Bonfire Zone with s’mores and hot chocolate.
At 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve there will be a fireworks show after the USA vs. Sweden game. In addition, that day will feature live music and a Red Bull DJ truck.
Metro Transit will offer free rides beginning at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
Inside the RiverCentre, festivalgoers will find additional attractions on the upper level, including the PNC Snow Globe photo area and the Minnesota Wild Rink Activation Area, offering open shoe skating and interactive hockey games.
Other special events that weekend include the St. Paul Winter Carnival Day on Saturday, Dec. 27 with appearances by the carnival’s Royal Family.
From 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 28, there will be a Stanley Cup display at RiverCentre.
The festival will also highlight hockey history and cultural storytelling through multiple exhibits, including displays from the Hockey Hall of Fame, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the newly established Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame.
The full festival schedule and daily hours are available at mnsportsandevents.org/2026-Bold-North-Breakaway.
The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, bringing the world’s top men’s hockey players under age 20 to Minnesota. Games will be played in St. Paul and Minneapolis, with exhibition games held earlier in Bemidji, Duluth, Mankato and Rochester. Tickets and tournament information are available at WorldJuniorsMN26.com.
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