On the Town

White Bear Township to host 17th annual hockey event in Polar Lakes Park.

IF MINNESOTA IS A STATE STEEPED IN HOCKEY HISTORY, White Bear is the epicenter. Since the early 20th century, the City of Lakes and Legends has been home to many firsts—for both players and teams. Long ago, a community hockey team became one of the first in the state, with area resident Moose Goheen becoming the first local to put the area on the Minnesota hockey map. It is this legacy and the efforts of Jon Anderson, former Gopher hockey forward, and Corey Roberts, owner of The Minnesotan, that have brought Hockey Day Minnesota to White Bear Township at long last.

From January 26–29 at Polar Lakes Park, state high school and college teams will compete for glory, with some highly anticipated area hockey rivalries. And for the first time ever, Hockey Day Minnesota will feature a NCAA Division III game between Saint John’s University and Augsburg University on Friday, January 27. An estimated 20,000 visitors will gather over the course of the week, with a 16-hour television broadcast by Bally Sports North featuring all matches followed by the Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabers game from the Xcel Energy Center.

Between matches at Polar Lakes Park, visitors can enjoy live music, vendors and food trucks. The festivities on Saturday, January 28 will include a military honor guard, flyover and fireworks display. Sunday is “Hockey Changes Lives Day,” which will highlight the Hendrickson Foundation, MN Warriors and Shine-a-Light organizations. Net proceeds from the event will be donated to White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association to support youth

hockey. —Nicole Berglund

Tickets are available for purchase at hockeydaymn.com.

Polar Plunge

The Niceties

01/06–01/15 This production stars Zoe, a Black liberal arts college student who experiences a political conflict with her white professor. All ages. $20. Times vary. Lakeshore Players Theatre, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake; 651.478.7427; lakeshoreplayers.org

Family Storytime

01/13–01/27 Bring the whole family for songs, stories and more activities to develop your child’s literacy skills. Ages 2–5 recommended. Free. 10:30–11 a.m. Ramsey County Library, 2150 Second St., White Bear Lake; 651.724.6007; rclreads.org

Polar Plunge

01/28 The 22nd annual Polar Plunge returns to White Bear Lake! Bring some friends and plunge to benefit Special Olympics Minnesota. All ages. Noon. White Bear Lake County Park, 5050 Lake Ave., White Bear Lake; 763.270.7119; plungemn.org

Mary Poppins Jr.

02/03–02/12 Bring the whole family to enjoy this Disney classic as a live musical. All ages. Prices vary. Times vary. Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake; 651.478.7427; lakeshoreplayers.org

BEAR’ly Open Golf on Ice

02/05 Step out onto the ice for a round of winter golf to raise money for the local food shelf. The realistic golf course features real pine trees, challenging holes and a guaranteed fun time. All ages. $125 for a team of four. 11:30 and 1 p.m. White Bear Lake County Park, 5050 Lake Ave., White Bear Lake; 651.983.5202; bearlyopen.org Newsies Jr!

02/24–02/25 Join the students of Lincoln Elementary as they perform this Tony-Award winning Disney musical. All ages. $10. First show at 6:30 p.m., second show at 2 p.m. District Center Auditorium, 4855 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake; 651.653.2820; lincoln.isd624.org

String in the New Year

01/01 Celebrate the New Year with the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall. Bring your loved ones to listen to classical music as recent and memorable works are played. All ages. Starting at $47. 2 p.m. Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Hall, Mpls.; 612.371.5600; minnesotaorchestra.org

Yukon Challenge

01/14 Put your running shoes on and get ready to race the five mile Yukon Challenge at Gold Medal Park, which raises money for the ACBC Food Shelf in Anoka. All ages. $35.50. 8 a.m. Gold Medal Park, Second St. and 11th Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.904.5607; yukonchallenge.net

St. Paul Winter Carnival

01/26–02/05 Join the community in scavengers hunts, sledding, parades and more. All ages. Free. Times vary. Locations include Rice Park, Vulcan Snow Park, the Landmark Center and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds; 651.223.7400; wintercarnival.com

To have your event considered: email whitebearlake@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication.

Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.