Capital City Partnership and Culture, Inc. form
a successful public/private partnership with the
City of Saint Paul to create a magical downtown
experience that captures the spirit of the
winter season for all who work, live, and visit the
Capital City.
Saint Paul’s historic Rice Park transforms into
an enchanting winter wonderland from Thanksgiving
to New Year’s Eve, and Landmark Plaza
transforms into Wells Fargo WinterSkate, Saint
Paul’s outdoor artificially-chilled ice rink during
the holiday months. Together, these initiatives
create vitality, establish downtown Saint Paul
as a holiday and winter destination, complement
the Ordway Center for the Performing
Arts holiday programming, and complete the
vision of the world famous Rockefeller Center in
Minnesota’s Capital City.
Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy features a
75-foot lit Christmas tree, towering Nutcrackers,
and glowing angels. The downtown trees
are adorned with white twinkling lights that
create a magical experience. Wells Fargo
WinterSkate creates a fun, winter experience
amidst the beauty of downtown Saint Paul’s
charming European architecture and old-world
ambiance. The rink has become a downtown
Saint Paul institution and is filled with noontime
employee skaters, youth hockey scrimmages
and practices, hockey and figure skating clinics,
corporate broomball, family open skating, and
corporate events.
Wells Fargo WinterSkate has received recognition
from the Great Lakes Region of the
National Recreation and Park Association with
a Partnership Award and an Award of Excellence from the Minnesota Recreation and Park
Association. The rink was cited as the region’s
best public/private partnership that enhanced
the quality of life of a city.
To further create a centralized “winter village” atmosphere, in January 2008 the US Figure
Skating Championships are at the Xcel Energy
Center and The Saint Paul Winter Carnival
activities will take place surrounding Rice Park.
Capital City Partnership purchased the Taste of
Minnesota festival in 1996 and has significantly
expanded it, creating a wonderful annual event
held over the 4th of July.
In 2007, Taste of Minnesota celebrated its
25th anniversary and is now the largest, free,
family-friendly, outdoor festival in the state,
drawing more than 400,000 people annually
to Harriet Island Regional Park. Cornerstones
of the festival include great food, show-stopping
entertainment, and a nightly spectacular
fireworks display.
Over the past eleven years, Capital City Partnership
has reinvested the net proceeds from the
Taste of Minnesota in revitalizing and promoting
the city. A Taste of Minnesota has become one
of the top summer traditions in Minnesota.
