Township hosts four-day hockeyfest this weekend

BY RANDY PAULSON STAFF WRITER

WHITE BEAR

TOWNSHIP — The biggest event to occur this year in White Bear Township is here.

The first puck of Hockey Day Minnesota 2023 drops Thursday evening, and the weekend-long athletic extravaganza will last through Sunday. All the action will take place at Polar Lakes Park, located at 1280 Hammond Road.

An estimated 10,000 people are expected to attend the annual hockey event based on ticket sales as of last week. Preparing for Hockey Day has therefore been a massive undertaking, according to White Bear Township Administrator Pat Christopherson.

“We’re coordinating our staff and the whole volunteer group that’s been working on this to pull this off. We have an appreciation for the people who have put a ton of time into this,” Christopherson said. He added that pulling off the logistics for such a large-scale, public-private event is challenging but that Hockey Day 2023 has momentum behind it and people who are completely dedicated to making it a success.

Corey Roberts, who’s on the Hockey Day Minnesota 2023 volunteer committee, praised the committee members who have devoted countless hours and resources to making Hockey Day a reality. The committee is chaired by Jon Anderson and Nick Guzzo.

“Most of us started as strangers, and came together as a team to pull this off,” Roberts said. He also noted how the tagline for the event is “more than a game.”

“This sport is so rooted in the community that it

SEE HOCKEY DAY, PAGES 2-3

Snowmobilers will trade paint at BeaterCross

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER INTERIM CITIZEN EDITOR

HUGO — Twenty years is a good, respectable age for a snowmobile. It’s broken in and reliable, and can handle a dent here and there. And it’s perfect for the first official BeaterCross snow- mobile race.

Only sleds ages 20 and older are allowed to compete in this event, which will be hosted Jan. 28 by the Hugo Knight Riders Snowmobile Club. The day will feature a series of races in a delightful multitude of classes, in addition to food and entertainment.

Snowmobiles built in 2002 or earlier are eligible to race.

The event hosts, Grant and Erika Whitaker, have previously held informal snowmobile events at their home, but this year’s BeaterCross will take it up a notch and open the fun to all members of the community.

Event coordinator Andy Michels is a member of the Knight Riders and is involved in coordinating snowmobile

SEE BEATERCROSS, PAGE 11

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HOCKEY DAY: Action-packed festival

FROM PAGE 1 is more than a game; it’s their lives, in a lot of respects,” Roberts said.

To anybody who hasn’t yet decided whether they’ll attend, Roberts said they won’t regret getting tickets and experiencing Hockey Day.

“It’s going to be a spectacle,” he said.

Press Publications assembled some helpful information for those who will attend Hockey Day. Visit hockeydaymn.com and its associated social media pages throughout the event for additional information.

Where can I get tickets?

Tickets for Hockey Day

Minnesota are available at hockeydaymn.com. Individual day passes and weekend passes are available.

If I have my own vehicle, where can I park?

Parking near Polar Lakes Park will be a challenge, given how many people are expected to be coming and going to the park. It’s therefore encouraged that visitors be dropped off, park at available sites near the park or ride the free shuttle to the park.

Handicapped parking will be located near the event entrance, and VIP parking will be to the south. The parking lot at the MedTech Center to the east of the park will also be open to the public Thursday through Sunday.

How else can I get to Polar Lakes Park?

Free shuttle services will transport people to and from Polar Lakes Park throughout

Hockey Day Minnesota. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes throughout their operation. Here are the shuttle sites and hours:

Taymark Shuttle, 4875 White Bear Parkway:

• Thursday: 4:15 p.m. to midnight

• Friday: 4:15 p.m. to midnight

• Saturday: 7:45 a.m. to midnight

• Sunday: 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Trane Shuttle, 4833 White Bear Parkway

• Saturday only: 8:45 a.m. to midnight

Podvin Park/International Paper Shuttle, 1700/1699 Ninth St.

• Saturday only: 10 a.m. to midnight

High School North Campus Shuttle, 5045 Division Ave.

• Saturday only: Noon to midnight

Additionally, Carbone’s Pizzeria & Pub, Jimmy’s Food & Drink and Manitou Bar & Kitchen will provide a “hospitality bus” shuttle that will take Hockey Day attendees to and from Polar Lakes Park between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.

The hospitality bus will start at Jimmy’s at 8 a.m., leave at 8:15 a.m. to go to Carbone’s, then leave Carbone’s after 15 minutes to head to Manitou and from there to the park. That cycle will repeat throughout the day.

The hospitality bus is free to use. The three bars providing it simply request that visitors who use the transportation service patronize their businesses throughout the day.

Will there be food and drinks?

Several food and drink options will be at Hockey Day Minnesota’s “Town Square” area at Polar Lakes Park. Those include the following:

• Caribou Coffee iPierogi

• The Original Burrito King

• BD Sammies

• Northeast Pretzels

• Up In Smoke

• Hoppers Mini Donuts

• Portable Pub

There will also be a “Treasure Island Warming House” tent, where Carbone’s will serve personal pizzas, pop and alcoholic drink options. What should I bring and not bring?

Visitors should dress appropriately for the weather, as most activities will take place outdoors.

No bags are allowed inside Hockey Day 2023. Clutches, wristlets and wallets measuring 4-by-6-by 1.5 inches or smaller are allowed, but will be subject to inspection. There will be two ATMs on site: one in the Warming House and one in the VIP tents. Guests should bring cash, though some vendors will also accept credit cards. Chairs are not permitted, as there will be plenty of seating space on bleachers. Spectators can also watch the livestream of the games in Town Square and in the Treasure Island Warming House if they choose.

Schedule Of Events

Thursday, Jan. 26

• 4:30 p.m. — Gates and Town Square open

• 5 p.m. — Opening ceremony with VFW Post 1782 and White Bear Lake Color Guard

• 5:20 p.m. — National Anthem with Forest Lake Girls Choir 5:30 p.m. — Forest Lake vs Cretin-Derham Hall (girls)

• 7:30-10:30 p.m. — Arch Allies perform

• 8:30 p.m. — Celebrity game, featuring Ryan Carter, Thomas Vanek, Joe Dziedzic, Paul Fletcher and more

Friday, Jan. 27

• 5-10 a.m. — Gates and Warming House open for KFAN show only

• 5:30 a.m. — KFAN: The Power Trip Morning Show

• 4:30 p.m. — Gates and Town Square open

• 5:25 p.m. — Opening ceremony with VFW Post 1782 and White Bear Lake Color Guard; National Anthem with Mike Litchey

• 5:30 p.m. — St. John’s vs. Augsburg (men)

• 7:30 p.m. — White Bear Alumni Game

• 7:30 p.m. — Good for Gary performs

Saturday, Jan. 28

• 8 a.m. — Gates and Town Square open 9:30 a.m. — National Anthem with White Bear Lake Choir

• 9:30 a.m. — Stillwater vs. White Bear Lake (girls)

• 1 p.m. — Hermantown vs. Mahtomedi (boys)

• 1-3 p.m. — Dave Burkart performs

• 4:30 p.m. — Hill Murray vs. White Bear Lake (boys)

• 7 p.m. — Fireworks

• 7-11 p.m. — Tim Sigler Band performs 8:00 pm — Broadcast of Buffalo Sabres vs. Minnesota Wild game at Xcel Energy Center

Sunday, Jan. 29

• 7 a.m. — Gates and Town Square open

• 8:15 a.m. — Minnesota Warriors game 1

• 10 a.m. — Minnesota Warriors game 2

• 11:45 am — Sled hockey

• Noon to 12:30 p.m. — Chester Bay performs

• Noon to 2 p.m. — School of Rock performs

• 1:30-3 p.m. — Open skate

• 3:15-4:15 p.m. — Herb Brooke’s Foundation 3:15-5 p.m. — Jake Nelson performs

• 3:30-4 p.m. — Chester Bay performs

• 4:30-6 p.m. — United Heroes League game

• 6:15 p.m. — AFC/NFC Championship Viewing Party

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