The riverside trail under the Red River bridges from Viking Ship to Woodlawn parks is alight with photo-perfect displays through Saturday, Feb. 24. Photos/Moorhead Parks and Recreation.
With the temperatures dipping and chilly precipitation in the forecast, the final days of Frostival may look a bit more like what the annual community-wide festival’s planners had in mind.
Will Mother Nature whiten the landscape? That would make the last scheduled day of sleigh rides more seasonally spectacular. Don’t forget your when you arrive at M.B. Johnson Park on Saturday, Feb. 17, to jump on the wagon (with wheels, just in case). Rides will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m.
And there’s still time to take in the Enchanted River Walk between Viking Ship Park and Woodlawn. Day or night, the riverside trail under the three downtown bridges offers plenty to appreciate, both natural and created by community volunteers.
In September, families and other volunteers got together for the F-M Community Theatre’s Build-a-Ton-athon. Among the art installations they created are some of the key attractions of the Enchanted River Walk, including a colorful lighted billboard and a cluster of brightly – and creatively – painted teeter-totters.
The scenery also includes a tot-sized townsite of silhouettes that began as the set of the FMCT’s Christmas production, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The five lighted vignettes along the bank also include fanciful former sets rechristened with names of Moorhead landmarks.
One of the Enchanted Walk’s most popular draws is the Gaga Pit near the Hjemkomst Center. FMCT “minister of magic” Anna Kinn – also known as the theatre’s technical director – describes a modified dodgeball court enclosed in a corral. “When we worked on it last fall, many kids were already familiar with the game from summer camps,” she notes, citing its readymade audience.
FMCT “minister of magic” Anna Kinn – also known as the theatre’s technical director – credits Jenny Sheets of the Moorhead Park District with the idea for the Frostival walk. Kidco also played a part in the attraction. While some of the art installations have made their debut for Frostival, they’re designed to be portable and easy to set up for other events; expect to experience them on balmier days and in other locations.
Ongoing through Feb. 24
Enchanted River Walk: Enjoy the frosty nature with a stroll along the Enchanted River Walk, tracing Moorhead’s river corridor from Woodlawn to Viking Ship Park. Along the lighted trail, you’ll encounter interactive art installations from KidCo and the F-M Community Theatre – a Moorhead mural, a miniature village and other intriguing sights.
Saturday, Feb. 17
Sleigh Rides at M.B. Johnson Park, 1-4 p.m. Horse-drawn wagons will traverse the trails. Call 218.299.5340 for reservations; tickets may be available on-site if space allows. Admission is $5/person, but children 2 and under are free.
Monday, Feb. 19
Frozen Frost Off at Black Cat Bakery, 1500 11th St. N., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Frost your own sugar cookies before participating in a cake-decorating competition.
