UPDATED 3/12 at 9 a.m.
Due to ongoing concerns regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival and Coop FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup are canceled.
“We are devastated to announce this cancelation,” says John Munger, executive director of The Loppet Foundation. “In keeping with updated information from the Minnesota Department of Health and after consulting with medical advisors, we are prioritizing the health and safety of our community, fans, athletes, staff and volunteers involved in these events.”
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Looking for outdoor family fun this March? Bundle the kids and head to Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis on March 14–17 for the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup hosted by The Loppet Foundation.
Want to know more? Here are all the event details you’ll need.
What You Can Expect
Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival attendees can participate in dozens of competitive and non-competitive events while listening to live music from the best of Minnesota’s music scene including Brother Ali, Bad Bad Hats, and The Okee Dokee Brothers. Spectators can watch the races from the jumbotron screens or take a break to explore the beer gardens, food trucks, and gear expo.
More than 10,000 spectators from around the globe will gather to watch the historic return of the Coop FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup to the United States. For the first time in 19 years, the world’s best cross-country skiers will compete on U.S. snow. On March 17, around 150 professional skiers will race head-to-head at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park for the World Cup Sprint Finals.
Among those competing will be Olympic gold medalist and Minnesota-native Jessie Diggins. In the 2018 Olympics, Jessie and her teammate Kikkan Randall made history by earning the first-ever U.S. Cross-Country Olympic gold medals in the Women’s Team Sprint. An advocate for her sport, Jessie used her historic win to help The Loppet Foundation and Winona-based international innovation supply chain partner, Fastenal, secure the bid for the Minneapolis World Cup.
What You Can Do
Join us at Theodore Wirth Park for this historic event, and cheer Jessie Diggins and the U.S. Cross-Country Team on to victory in the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup as you stand close enough to the action to see the snow fly off the competitors’ skis.
Grab a craft beer, socialize with other festivalgoers, and enjoy a great meal from a food truck at the Parallel 45 Village. Warm yourself by a fire and sneak a s’more. Watch your favorite local band or discover a new artist at the Parallel 45 Stage, where all concerts are free, open to the public, and nearly nonstop.
The Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival has events for the whole family. For experienced skiers, the Distance Ski or Ski Sprints may appeal. For the risk-takers out there, “Snowball in Hell” includes sharp turns, big jumps, and plenty of crashes for fat-tire bikers and skiers. “Fast & Female” brings Kikkan Randall and previous U.S. Women’s Olympic team members together to lead relays for girls and includes an all-ages discussion. Kids will enjoy the Midwest Youth Championships and MyXC Festival. Curious about how people can ski with their dogs? Be sure to check out a skijor race!
The event offerings don’t exclude newbies. Adult recreational skiers can take part in a tour of the World Cup course, and children from all backgrounds can ski in the Share Winter Minne-Loppet. To view these and more, visit the participant events page.
Watch the parade. North Minneapolis youth from The Loppet Foundation’s ski programs will parade from Northpoint Medical Center in North Minneapolis to Theodore Wirth Park to complete a symbolic lighting of the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival Torch, officially kicking off the 2020 Coop FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Sprint Finals on March 17.
To start celebrating, visit the mnworldcup.com and purchase your tickets today.
