Public can own piece of Winter Carnival

Stock sale to raise money for two Winter Carnival events

By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune

Last update: December 3, 2007 - 11:16 AM

It doesn't trade on Wall Street, but the St. Paul Winter Carnival is selling shares of stock.

For $122 - that's one dollar for each year of the storied mid-winter celebration - the public can by one share and help the festival cover the cost of putting on the ice block and snow carving competitions and own a piece of the festival, a carnival spokeswoman said.

The goal of the stock sale is to raise $122,000. That would be enough to cover the costs of the two events, for which festival organizers were unable to find a sponsor.

Each stockholder will receive an official certificate of ownership, and the first 122 people who buy a share will be invited to march in the King Boreas Grande Day Parade on Jan. 26.

A portion of each sale will go to provide 1,400 meals at the Dorothy Day Center in downtown St. Paul.

The ice block and snow carving competitions will take place in Rice Park beginning Jan. 23. The "Coolest Celebration on Earth" runs Jan. 23 to Feb. 3.

To buy stock, see www.winter-carnival.com and click on the blue thermometer. A schedule of events also is posted.