Medallion Found, Winter Tradition Continues - Snowflake Days’ signature hunt ends at Thorpe Park as festival enters its final stretch

Coon Rapids, MN

The quiet suspense of winter mornings, the daily clues studied over coffee, the slow circling of park trails with gloved hands and hopeful eyes all came to an end on February 5, 2026, when Caleb Jungbauer, a Coon Rapids resident, uncovered the Snowflake Days Medallion along the Marshland Trail at Thorpe Park.

The discovery closes the most anticipated chapter of the 62nd Annual Coon Rapids Snowflake Days, the city’s longest running winter celebration, which spans January 30 through February 8, 2026. While the medallion hunt has concluded, the broader festival now shifts toward its final weekend of community-centered events, culminating in the official awards ceremony on Sunday.

A find rooted in public space

According to announcements from City of Coon Rapids and Snowflake Days organizers, the medallion was hidden on city-owned land, a longstanding rule of the hunt that keeps the search anchored in shared civic space. This year’s location, the Marshland Trail corridor inside Thorpe Park, reflects the logic of the tradition: scenic, accessible, and easy to overlook unless one slows down and reads the clues closely.

Thorpe Park and the adjoining Marshland Park form a compact but varied landscape of wooded edges, open trail loops, and winter recreation areas. It is precisely this mix that makes the site a familiar destination for residents, yet still capable of holding a secret for days at a time.

The prize and the ceremony

As the finder of the medallion and a city resident, Jungbauer is eligible for the $500 cash prize, contingent on possession of the official 2026 Snowflake Days button, a requirement that ties participation directly back to the festival itself.

Traditionally, the prize is not simply handed over at the moment of discovery. Instead, it is formally awarded during the festival’s closing ceremony. For 2026, that presentation is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, at the Coon Rapids City Center, following the Community Waffle Breakfast, at approximately 12:00 p.m.

A hunt with memory and momentum

The Snowflake Days Medallion Hunt is not a novelty event. It is a civic ritual that stretches across generations, combining playful competition with an intimate tour of the city’s parks and trails. Clues are released daily at 8:00 a.m., beginning on the first Friday of the festival, and the hunt continues until the medallion is found.

Recent history shows how the tradition moves deliberately through different corners of the city:

Each location becomes part of the festival’s informal map, a record of how public land doubles as communal storytelling space.

The celebration continues

Although the medallion hunt has ended, Snowflake Days is far from over. The remaining schedule reflects the festival’s broader purpose: drawing residents together during the coldest weeks of the year.

Chili Challenge
February 5, Civic Center, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Local cooks compete for bragging rights as attendees sample and vote.

Senior Snowflake Party
February 6, Civic Center, 11:00 a.m.
A luncheon with live music by Coda, designed specifically for older residents.

Winter Fun at Sand Creek
February 7, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
A family-focused afternoon featuring skating, crafts, and a children’s medallion hunt for ages 5 to 10.

Waffle Breakfast and Grand Finale
February 8, Civic Center, 8:00 a.m. to noon
Hosted by the North Star Lions, followed by the official awards ceremony for all Snowflake Days contests.

Family Fun Day
February 8, Coon Rapids Ice Center
Outdoor games begin at 5:00 p.m., followed by a free indoor public skate at 6:00 p.m.

Art, neighborhoods, and winter identity

In addition to scheduled events, the city has released its Snow Sculpture Tour Map, encouraging residents to take a self-guided driving tour of seven neighborhood snow sculptures created by local artists. The sculptures, spread across residential areas, extend Snowflake Days beyond official venues and into everyday streets, reinforcing the festival’s core idea: winter belongs to everyone.

More than a game

The medallion hunt may end with a single winner, but its real impact is cumulative. It sends residents walking trails they may not otherwise visit, studying city maps, and paying attention to the quiet design of public land in winter. In a season often defined by isolation, Snowflake Days uses play, food, art, and shared space to reaffirm something essential.

In Coon Rapids, winter is not endured alone. It is searched, solved, and celebrated together.

MinneapoliMedia