Twenty-Three Kilometres, a Closed Interstate, and the Largest Cross-Country Ski Festival in the Upper Midwest

The City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival returns January 31 through February 1, 2026, to Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, with Saturday’s 31K Classic Ski Loppet, Sunday’s 31K Skate Ski Loppet, fat biking, skijoring, snowshoeing, the Next Generation Loppet for children as young as five, and the Captain Ken’s Kubb Tournament, followed by the separate Luminary Loppet on Lake of the Isles on February 7.

Event details

On January 31 and February 1, 2026, Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis becomes the staging ground for the City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival, the most ambitious and inclusive celebration of urban winter sport in the upper Midwest. What began in 2003 as a single cross-country ski race has grown into a two-day festival across 23 kilometres of groomed trail threading through 759 acres of park woodland, across parkway overpasses, and through one of the more unusual passages in competitive skiing: a timed crossing of Highway 394, a major interstate that shuts down mid-morning on race day so that several hundred skiers, fat bikers, and skijorers can traverse it on their way to the finish. Races begin at 7 AM on Saturday. The Luminary Loppet, a separate nighttime event on Lake Harriet at Lake of the Isles on February 7, features 1,200 candlelit luminaries across the frozen surface and sells out by late fall each year.

The Race Menu: Something for Every Threshold

Saturday’s flagship event is the 31K Classic Ski Loppet, a point-to-point course from Cedar Lake Beach through wooded terrain, over parkways, and across Highway 394 to the finish at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park. Sunday mirrors this with the 31K Skate Ski Loppet on the same course. Both serve as Birkebeiner Qualifier Series events for athletes chasing national race credentials. The 20K Puoli Loppet offers the same terrain without the most demanding sections. The 10K Classic Ski Tour provides a scenic, non-competitive experience with no pressure on pace. The 5K Open Loppet actively encourages costumes and treats speed as optional. For children aged 5 to 12, the Next Generation Loppet runs at 1K, 2K, and 3K distances with age-appropriate divisions. Skijoring, fat biking, and snowshoeing courses run concurrently across both days. The Captain Ken’s Kubb Tournament on Saturday at The Trailhead is billed as the world’s largest winter Kubb competition, bringing the Swedish block-throwing game to the snow in a format that draws teams from across the Twin Cities.

Registration and Pricing: Entry fees range from $13.72 to $253.28 depending on distance and age category. Register at loppet.org. Distance changes are accepted until 4 PM the Friday before the race. All finishers receive one free Pryes Brewing beer (or a non-alcoholic option) and a bowl of Captain Ken’s chili at the finish. Children 12 and under are not charged a beer ticket.

Logistics That Reward Early Planning

Most participants park at the Mortensen lot at 700 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley, and walk or ski 10 to 15 minutes to The Trailhead. Highway 55 access to The Trailhead closes during race hours; approach via Plymouth Avenue from the east or Golden Valley Road from the north. A bag drop at Cedar Lake Beach near the start transports bags to the Trailhead finish before 3 PM. Arrive 60 to 90 minutes before your assigned wave start to handle parking, bag drop, waxing, and warm-up. January 31 in Minneapolis delivers average temperatures between minus 12 and minus 1 degrees Celsius; layer for motion, not standing. The festival runs even in low-snow years, as snowmaking on Trailhead trails ensures the course opens regardless of natural conditions.

Where to Eat and Where to Stay

Mill Valley Market at The Trailhead (1221 Theodore Wirth Pkwy) opens at 8 AM and serves breakfast and lunch from owners Mike and Abby Rakun, whose sourcing extends to local organic producers for bison burgers, grain bowls, and Belgian waffles. For dinner beyond the park, Hell’s Kitchen at 80 South 9th Street in downtown Minneapolis, employee-owned since 2002, serves breakfast through evening with a peanut butter bacon burger that has earned the restaurant 67 local awards. Theodore Wirth sits at the western edge of Minneapolis’s Chain of Lakes system, connected to Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, and Lake Harriet by the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Lake.com lists a family-friendly vacation rental near the best of Minneapolis that keeps you within a 10-minute drive of the festival and walking distance of the Chain of Lakes skating paths for the rest of the weekend.