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In-person winter celebrations to return to Memorial Union, Alumni Park in February 2022

Posted: 12/16/21

In-person winter celebrations to return to Memorial Union, Alumni Park in February 2022

The Wisconsin Union’s annual Winter Carnival will return to Memorial Union Feb. 7-12, 2022, and the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Winter Carnival Family Fun in Alumni Park will return on Feb. 12, 2022. 

The Wisconsin Union’s more than 80-year-old Winter Carnival tradition features a variety of events and activities that showcase the fun wintertime opportunities available to Wisconsin Union members and guests.

Last year, the Union’s Winter Carnival events took place in-person and virtually due to COVID-19. This year, the Wisconsin Union team anticipates holding Winter Carnival fully in-person, returning time-honored events, such as freestyle skiing and snowboarding contest Rail Jam; the food and dance event, called Snow Ball; a to-scale, inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch on frozen Lake Mendota; as well as welcoming new additions.

The Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Winter Carnival Family Fun in Alumni Park began in 2018 and will bring people of all ages together on Feb. 12 for an afternoon of family-friendly, winter-themed activities in Alumni Park and One Alumni Place. The event will include a performance by DJ Mike Carlson, an outdoor dance party, children’s storytelling, hands-on art activities presented by the Chazen Museum of Art, a visit from Bucky Badger, and complimentary hot cocoa and apple cider.

The winter celebrations will feature a wide variety of family-friendly events including but not limited to:

“Even though Wisconsin winters can get chilly, the Wisconsin Union’s Winter Carnival reminds folks that there are still plenty of ways to get involved outside,” said Outdoor UW Director Dave Elsmo. “It’s inspiring to see how hard Wisconsin Union student leaders and team members work to put on all these great events for campus and community members and visitors to enjoy.”

The Wisconsin Union team offers many on-site dining options at its building Memorial Union, including an ice cream and dessert café, called the Daily Scoop; an Italian eatery, called Strada; and an iconic pub fare destination, called der Rathskeller. 

All must follow University of Wisconsin–Madison health and safety protocols, which currently require face coverings when indoors unless actively eating or drinking. The Wisconsin Union team and Wisconsin Alumni Association team frequently clean and disinfect their spaces, operating with the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. The teams look forward to welcoming guests to the Winter Carnival and Winter Carnival Family Fun in Alumni Park experiences. 

Events are subject to change. For more information about these winter celebrations, including an up-to-date full schedule of events, visit union.wisc.edu/wintercarnival

 

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