The Vikings have traditionally held their NFL draft party at Winter Park on the Saturday the event opens, enabling fans to spend several hours in the team's practice facility. But with the draft now opening on a Thursday, the Vikings have announced new plans for how they will approach the first round.

The team plans to hold draft parties from 6 to 11 p.m. at 12 different Twin Cities locations on Thursday, April 22. The Vikings are slated to draft 30th, so their selection will come later in the evening. The first round is supposed to run from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Here's a list of the 12 establishments that will be hosting the gatherings. Vikings' flagship station KFAN will broadcast from Jimmy's in Vadnais Heights.

The Vikings also will have an event on Saturday, April 24 at the Mall of America that will serve as the kickoff for the franchise's 50th season. Autograph sessions from alumni representing each decade, highlight films and a live KFAN broadcast will take place in the Best Buy Rotunda from noon to 2 p.m. The first autograph session will start at 11 a.m. that day. Click here for more details.

JACKSON'S DRAFT-DAY EXPERIENCE

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has posted a blog about his experience on draft day in 2006 when the Vikings took him in the second round. Jackson writes that he was very surprised when the Vikings called to inform him they were going to take him and admits he had never heard of the 952 area code when it showed up on his home phone. Here is the complete item.