Mush the team toward a cool Midwestern winter fest

Everyone knows the old saw, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade," but we Midwesterners know that saying to be more like, "if you can't melt it, belt it with a winter festival."

Lucky for us, we have some ultra-fun family-oriented fests from which to choose.

One would expect the Saint Paul Winter Carnival to be a seamlessly fun event because the Minnesota city has been hosting the fantastic fest since 1886. About 350,000 visitors are expected to attend the 122nd version, to be held Jan. 23 through Feb. 3.

The kids might like to learn about some of the legends associated with the carnival: there's Boreas, king of the winds, and his arch enemy Vulcanus Rex, the god of fire, as well as the Queen of Snows and Klondike Kate for the Hannah Montana crowd to get to know. You can download the whole legend at the official site, www.winter-carnival.com.

The fables might better coalesce when the young ones cast their eyes upon the Ice Palace, ice carvings and snow sculptures of unlikely proportions and the King Boreas Grand Day Parade (Jan. 26) featuring the legend's cast of characters.

In between, enjoy the giant snow slide; figure skating championships; an avalanche of kids' activities; sled dog rally; fireworks shows; Showcase St. Paul, a multicultural event offering performing and visual arts and ethnic traditions; and the "Hot Dish" tent where you can warm the belly with everything from tater tot casserole to curried chicken and rice. Although events take place in various locations, most are held in Rice Park, the Ice Palace grounds and the historic Landmark Center.

For more information on carnival events, call (651) 223-4700.

For lodging and ideas on other local activities, go to Saint Paul RiverCentre Convention & Visitors Authority's site at www.stpaulcvb.org or ring (800) 627-6101.

Only a mere two years in age, the Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest in Traverse City might be a toddler, but it has a couple of notable parents for guidance. The marriage between Michigan's Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and organizers of the National Cherry Festival produced a lively, three-day pageant of winter sports, music and entertainment, food and fireworks in 2007, and they're aiming to reproduce the successful extravaganza in 2008.

Scheduled President's Day weekend, Feb. 15-18, WonderFest grows to four days with an expanded lineup of events. Families will want to hang out at the Winter Fun Zone for ice skating, pony rides, inflatable play structures, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowmobile rides, sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Spectator events include a 5K frozen foot race, broomball tournament, cherry-pit-spitting contest, frozen fish toss and a Polar Plunge where brave competitors jump into an icy pond to see who lasts the longest. Warm up around a bonfire and sample wares at the chili cook-off; take a hot air balloon ride; watch fireworks and ice-carving demonstrations, too.

Take some time to explore the Traverse City area for great skiing and snowmobiling opportunities. Get detailed event information about the 2008 Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest at www.grandtraverseresort.com/index.php/do/Cherry_Capital_Winter_WonderFest and ideas about area activities courtesy of the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 872-8377 or www.VisitTraverseCity.com.

Trig's Klondike Days in Eagle River turns 18 and unleashes a load of winter activities family style Feb. 16 and 17. Voted Wisconsin's No. 1 winter festival, Klondike Days takes a historical bent with an authentic voyageur encampment featuring costumed re-creators in living quarters demonstrating work, food prep and other turn-of-the-last-century activities.

See sled dog races, chainsaw carving, horse pulls, the only winter competitive lumberjack event in the Midwest and American Indian exhibitions, such as storytelling and drumming. Families can sample dogsled, pony and sleigh rides, learn about raptors and geology and taste a wide selection of North Woods food and drink.

For a complete list of events at the winter festival that attracts around 15,000 visitors, go to www.klondikedays.org. The Eagle River Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center is happy to help with lodging ideas. Call (800) 359-6315 or mush over to www.eagleriver.org.