The back of The Market at Malcom Yards in Minneapolis is filled with portable saunas and Black people who could be anywhere in the world. Instead, a few dozen chose community and wellness as they attended the BIPOC Community Steam event.
The market’s backyard transformed into “The Great Northern Sauna Village” during Minneapolis’s premiere celebration of winter, The Great Northern Festival. The BIPOC Community Steam was created by community leaders like Rebeka Ndosi, founder of the Maji ya Chai Land Sanctuary, and Anthony Taylor, founder of Melanin in Motion. They wanted a space where the Black and Brown community could relax during the festival.
The Great Northern Festival brings locals across the Twin Cities — and beyond — together to celebrate Minnesota’s long winter season in ten days. There’s no better place for a winter festival than Minnesota. The North Star State ranks as one of the top five coldest destinations in the United States, with an average year-round temperature of just 41 degrees. During the winter, the average temperature ranges between 15 and 25 degrees.
While it’s safe to say that Minnesotans handle the colder months better than most people, community leaders like Ndosi and Taylor want to ensure that Black and brown communities are also reaping the benefits of being outdoors in the winter. Black people make up approximately 8% of Minnesota’s population and are underrepresented when it comes to the outdoors.
“When we look at who’s not outdoors, it’s typically low-to-moderate income families,” says Taylor. “It’s also women and girls, and people of color with a particular emphasis on African Americans and African immigrants.”
Taylor is changing the narrative with Melanin in Motion emphasizing the winter. While they work to get communities of color outside year-round, his mission during the winter season is “finding Black joy below 32 degrees.”
It’s part of why Taylor found it imperative to collaborate with The Great Northern Festival organizers as they created programming and workshops.
“I have found, over time, that people engaged in the outdoors live longer,” says Taylor. “People who engage in outdoors are happier. They have deeper connections.”
An Inclusive Experience
Rather than hibernate and stay indoors during the colder months, people in Minnesota have created what feels like a nearly two-week-long winter block party. The Great Northern Festival has more than 50 events, including outdoor and indoor activities.
The main attraction for adults is The Great Northern Ice Bar. Minnesota’s natural beauty inspires the 100-foot ice bar, spanning a block along Nicollet Mall downtown. Even with the ice, things heat up as guests experience libations from world-class mixologists. People who prefer non-alcoholic drinks won’t be disappointed because the mixologists offer mocktails and hot chocolate on-site. Adam Witherspoon, beverage director of the festival, says the bar provides an inclusive experience for everyone.
“Skiing, snowboarding, and even spending time at the cabin are luxuries not everyone has growing up,” he says. “Activities like going to a bar, for example, is something that anybody can do no matter where you are or how much money you have. This festival is where two cultures collide for me.”
What’s unique about the festival is the itinerary is customizable to guests’ passions. The Broken Ice concert, for example, is where people can listen to Indigenous music. Visitors who want to explore the local music and scene can attend the American Composers Forum, where the most recent cohort of local artists perform new music.
To get into the winter spirit, another popular event for guests is the Nordic Village at the Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis. The cabins pay homage to Scandinavia and are each named after Minnesota communities. No matter the weather outside, the cabins are insulated with a warm, cozy meal for the soul.
The Midwinter Melt is a family-friendly event in partnership with the Melanin in Motion Festival and Target. The event allows people to break out their winter routine for kick sledding, walking through the luminary trails, or meeting people at what feels like a family barbecue. Instead of a grill, there’s a campfire and heating lamps to keep warm as people mingle and enjoy a soup dinner and a DJ set.