The Great Northern Winter Festival 2026

Join us for a special screening of Future Council at The Main Cinema during The Great Northern's Family Day. Millions of children around the world are frustrated by the dire lack of action to protect the planet and their future. Until now, their only avenue to express these concerns has been protesting on the streets. Director Damon Gameau (2040, THAT SUGAR FILM) invites eight children on an epic adventure across Europe in a school bus powered by biofuel. Their mission is to better understand the planet’s predicament, explore solutions and, most importantly, take the conversation from the streets, into the boardrooms of some of the world’s largest polluters and influential companies. This inspiring and rollicking journey results in the children forming a ‘Future Council’ to advise and influence the world’s most powerful companies on their decisions that impact nature. It is a coming-of-age journey that dares to imagine a brighter future.

Join us for a special screening of Lowland Kids at The Main Cinema during The Great Northern's Family Day. LOWLAND KIDS follows the story of the last two teenagers living on the once thriving Isle de Jean Charles, LA, their strikingly beautiful ancestral home that is now being swallowed by the sea. Surrounded by lush, crumbling landscapes, Howard & Juliette along with their Uncle Chris, navigate the emotional journey of growing up in a place that is soon to be lost forever. Entry to this screening requires a separate, paid ticket. A festival pass is not required to attend this film. However, festival passholders must also purchase a separate ticket for entry — festival passes do not include admission to this event.

Join us for a special screening of Arco at The Main Cinema. A magical and beautifully animated journey through time, Arco is a dazzling adventure about a 10-year-old boy from a peaceful, distant future who accidentally travels back to the year 2075 and discovers a world in peril. As Arco develops a charming and touching friendship with a young girl named Iris, they band together and, along with her trusted robot caretaker Mikki, set out on a quest to get Arco home, while the two children may also be the only ones who can save our planet. A wondrous odyssey filled with hope and optimism for our future, Arco is an enchanting fable from breakout filmmaker Ugo Bienvenu, produced by Remembers’ Bienvenu and Felix de Givry, and mountainA’s Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas. The film debuted at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and won The Cristal Award for Best Feature Film at the 2025 Annecy Awards. Entry to this screening requires a separate, paid ticket. A festival pass is not required to attend this film. However, festival passholders must also purchase a separate ticket for entry — festival passes do not include admission to this event.

Doors open at 3:00 P.M. | Performance at 3:30 P.M. | Skate Party (Free + Open to the Public) at 4:00 P.M. Join Brownbody for an afternoon of powerful artistry and skating at the beautiful TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul. Rooted in liberating Black artistry, Brownbody’s work radiates richness, nuance, complexity, and healing. Audiences are invited to witness and reflect on a unique blend of dance, theater, and figure skating. This performance will feature a solo and a duet by Brownbody’s apprentices, showcasing their growing voices through movement. Building on these voices, Brownbody will then share an excerpt from its evening‑length work, Tracing Sacred Steps. Performed by our professional skating movement artists, this excerpt comes from the third section, Sanctuary, a space of liberation, resilience, reverence, and affirmation where Black artistry on ice becomes both healing and transformative. Immediately following the performance, we invite you to join Brownbody and The Great Northern for a Skate Party at Tria Rink! Skate Party (Free + Open to the Public) Information: Lace up your skates and get ready for fun, music, and games on the Ice! Brownbody's talented team of instructors will be on hand to offer mini-lessons and skating tips for everyone - first timers and experienced skaters alike! What to know: • Open to all ages and skill levels — everyone is welcome! • Helmets are required for all skaters (bring your own or borrow one of ours). • Free skate rentals will be available Event Sponsored by Mairs and Power, Ecolab, and Securian Financial. Supported by the Saint Paul 2025 Cultural STAR program.

Fan of The Great Northern? Make it Official. If you’ve ever…bundled up for a sauna session, danced in the snow, or braved the cold for climate talks or a pop-up dinner, you already get it. This isn’t just a festival. It’s part of how we stay connected, even in colder climate! And it wouldn’t happen without people like you who show up, year after year, to make winter unforgettable. Now you can be part of the community that makes it all possible. Your membership fuels access to free and low cost programming, artist creations, musical performances, and dance productions. It supports fair and equitable pay to artists, thought leaders and innovators, supports local businesses through venue, service and equipment fees and supports the workers we hire during the winter, contributing to a thriving MN.