The Origin, The Legend & The History of the Winter Carnival

The legend of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival centers on a battle between the forces of winter and the forces of spring, personified by King Boreas and the fiery Vulcans respectively. The festival was created in 1886 by Minnesota business leaders to counter negative reports of the state being uninhabitable and to celebrate Minnesota's beauty and strength in winter. The legend, written by Frank Madden in 1937 and revised since, depicts King Boreas, Queen Aurora, and their royal court ruling the winter, only to be challenged and defeated by the Vulcans, signaling the arrival of warmer weather and the end of the Winter Carnival.

The Origin
A Symbol of Change:
The Vulcans' victory is a symbolic act that drives away the winter King, bringing an end to the carnival and ushering in the promise of spring and warm weather.

Evolution of the Legend:
While the general theme of a winter vs. spring battle is consistent, the specific characters, names, and details of the legend have evolved over the years, with the modern version featuring King Boreas and the Vulcans.

A long, long time ago, Astraios, the God of Starlight, and Eos, the Goddess of the Rosy-fingered morn, were wed. Their union was blessed with five sons: Boreas, Titan, Euros, Zephyrus and Notos. As the eldest, Boreas was granted the title of “King of the Winds.”

As the “King of the Winds,” Boreas assigned to each of his brothers a permanent reign over a great force and power. Titan was given the blustery North Wind. Euros was granted the rule of the irresponsible East Wind. Zephyrus reigned over the bountiful West Wind. Notos ruled the balmy but unstable South Wind. The brothers cavorted gaily over land and sea.

King Boreas, while on his extensive travels, came upon a winter paradise known as Minnesota. He paused to behold the enchanting beauty of a magnificent group of seven gently sloping hills in within whose embrace nestled a beautiful city. Boreas whistled in sheer ecstasy, “Historic Saint Paul and her seven hills! An ideal place. I will make Saint Paul the capitol of all my domains! It will henceforth be emblazoned throughout the world as the winter playground of the Realm of Boreas.”

Meanwhile, Vulcanus Rex, the God of Fire, and the implacable enemy of Boreas, crackled in defiant disdain. “By the great sword of Mars, I will temper the blustering of Boreas with the heat and roar of my forces.” He was tireless in his bitter resistance to all the festivities of Boreas.

Undaunted, King Boreas proclaimed a celebration in the spirit of gay Carnival. “So be it!” shouted Boreas, “There will be a Carnival in Old Saint Paul!” Boreas selected a Prime Minister to coordinate preparations in all the principalities, provinces and royal houses within the Realm of Saint Paul.

And so, for ten glorious days, there was Carnival and many joyous celebration in Saint Paul. Feasting, dancing, fun and frolic reigned over by King Boreas and the Queen of Snows, the fairest maiden in the Realm, along with his brothers, the Four Winds, who were each accompanied by a lovely Princess from the Realm of Boreas.

Klondike Kate, a lady of song and merriment, added her sassy but enchanting voice to the festivities by singing songs of desire and sentiment. Senior King Winter, Queen of the Northlands, and their court contributed goodwill and wisdom, while Junior King Frost and Queen of the Snowflakes, and their court add youthful exuberance to the festivities.

On the final day of celebration, Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe stormed the magnificent Ice Palace and confronted the King’s Guard. Upon the good counsel of the Queen, Boreas bade farewell to the people of his winter capitol and, in the interest of peace and goodwill, and returned to dwell among the Gods of Olympus.

King Boreas and his court looked forward to the time when summer’s warmth would once again relinquish its hold on the Realm and the frosty atmosphere of winter would prevail.

Since 1886, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival continues to bring family-friendly events and community pride to Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro area. It is the oldest winter festival in the United States. It predates the Tournament of Roses Festival by two years.
Several Eastern newspaper correspondents kindled the start of the Winter Carnival by visiting Saint Paul in the fall of 1885 and returning home to report that Minnesota, in general, was another Siberia, unfit for human habitation.

A group of business owners decided to retaliate by creating a wintertime festival which would showcase all the beauty of Minnesota winters. They worked with the City of Montreal which already had a winter carnival in place. Due to a small pox epidemic which suspended the 1886 Montreal Festival, Saint Paul lured Alexander Hutchinson, the designer of Montreal’s ice palaces in 1883, 1884, and 1885 to blueprint Saint Paul’s first ice castle. The castle was constructed on February 1, 1886 at a cost of $5,210 with a height of 106 feet. A comparison to this first castle is the Pepsi Palace of 1992 with a cost of $1,900,000 and a height of 165 feet (a Guinness record).

As with the concept of the Montreal Festival, the Legend and other activities were also adapted. Montreal’s Ice King accompanied by Queen Aurora. The Saint Paul characters in turn became King Boreas and the Queen of the Snows. The mischievous Vulcan and his red-caped Krewe were created from the Germanic tradition of the energy and disruption which springtime brings to the final days of winter.

The Winter Carnival Legend itself was initially written down by newspaper columnist Frank Madden in 1937 and has been updated and revised ever since.

Today, King Boreas and the Queen of the Snows rule over approximately 21 members of the Royal Family including Boreas’s four brothers Titan, Euros, Zephyrus and Notos along with their four princesses, the Prime Minister and up to ten Royal Guards. The culmination of the Winter Carnival is the dethroning of Boreas by the Vulcan Krewe.

The Royal Family and Vulcan Krewe are made up of volunteers that make over 400 appearances during the year to local and national festivals, nursing homes, schools and hospitals on behalf of the Winter Carnival and the City of Saint Paul.
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is produced by the Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation and is funded by private donations and corporate contributions. The Board of Directors, supported by corporate and individual members, employs a lean staffing model to help plan this community celebration.