The Great Northern Winter Festival 2026

Don’t miss the world premiere of The Great Northern’s first original documentary, “Rooted: Stories from Minnesota’s Farming Future” on Thursday, March 26th. In this short documentary, three Minnesota farmers share the true effort, passion, and resilience behind their work that drives small-scale agriculture in the Upper Midwest. Rooted is a love letter to land stewardship and climate resilience, reminding us that local solutions can respond to global challenges and model a more sustainable food future for all. This special screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Director and Producer Liz Tracy and Onesmus Mutio (a farmer featured in Rooted), moderated by Jothsna Harris (Founder, Change Narrative LLC). Join us for a post-screening reception with Chowgirls Catering and O'shaughnessy Distilling Co. ROOTED is made possible by the generous support of Eastside Food Co-Op, Wedge Community Co-Op, Seward Community Co-Op, Sustainable Farming Association, Red Star Rentals, Farm Aid, and FilmNorth.

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.