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Winter Carnival Ice Palace Hints At Super Bowl LII Display

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The St. Paul Winter Carnival kicks off Thursday night with the Moon Glow Parade.

Say what you want about the snow, but it makes Rice Park a magical scene.

"It is magical. We love the fresh snow, so anytime it snows here we're happy," Rosanne Bump, president and CEO of the St. Paul Festival Heritage Foundation, said.

Workers were busy putting the final touches on the Mini Ice Palace in the park, a signature sight for the Winter Carnival. A sight that will be lighting up the sky Friday night.

"We're hoping that the people will come out and see this beautiful work of art we're creating," said lighting designer Keith DeFreese from Energy Management Collaborative.

He says the palace is made up of nine different towers. Each chunk of ice was harvested from Lake Phalen and weighs close to 700 pounds. Planning for how to light up the ice palace started months ago.

Vulcans March In 2017 St Paul Winter Carnival Parade
Vulcans march in the 2017 St. Paul Winter Carnival Parade (credit: CBS)

"We're using sketches, we're using drawings, we're using plans to try to lay out the lighting to best articulate and accentuate all these different pieces," he said.

DeFreese's beautiful work on the historic carnival has landed him a big job for the future -- next year's Super Bowl in Minneapolis.

"We are planning a very large-scale, grand palace," DeFreese said.

While he can't say exactly what the design will be, or where it will be located, the glowing ice palace on display for Minnesota's big night will be in good hands, especially when "DeFreese" is your last name.

If you want an early preview, perhaps, of a Super Bowl Sunday sculpture, or just to experience the beauty of winter, look no further than this annual tradition.

"Winter can be kind of long, so when there's something fun and unique going on, I think it gives people reason to get out and see something they don't get to see any other time of the year," Bump said.

The St Paul Winter Carnival runs for 10 days and attracts over 250,000 visitors each year. Here is a full list of activities for each day.

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