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COON RAPIDS, MN
In a city that has spent more than six decades learning how to live with winter rather than retreat from it, the cold is not an obstacle but an invitation.
On Saturday, February 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Coon Rapids will transform Sand Creek Park, at 1008 Northdale Boulevard, into a compact, family-centered celebration of outdoor play, craft, and community connection. Winter Fun Day stands as one of the signature moments of the 62nd annual Coon Rapids Snowflake Days, the city’s longest-running civic festival, which runs from January 30 through February 8, 2026.
Snowflake Days began in 1964 as a deliberate act of civic imagination. Rather than endure winter in isolation, the city chose to build traditions around it. Winter Fun Day distills that philosophy into two hours designed for children, parents, and neighbors to share the season together.
A Hunt, A Canvas, A Rink
The heart of the morning belongs to the Kids Medallion Hunt, scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. Sponsored by the Coon Rapids Fire Department Community Fund, the hunt is open to children ages 5 to 10 and structured in two separate heats. A girls-only hunt will begin at 11:15 a.m., followed immediately by a boys-only hunt.
Participants must gather at the Sand Creek Park warming house by 11:00 a.m. for check-in. Each heat requires a minimum of ten participants to proceed. Winners in each category will receive a $200 gift card to Jerry’s Schwinn, a prize that adds a layer of anticipation to a tradition rooted more in excitement than competition.
At 12:00 p.m., the focus shifts indoors with Cookies and Canvas, a guided art session that invites children to paint winter-themed artwork on canvas. Hosted inside the warming house, the activity includes free cookies and hot chocolate, offering both creative expression and a welcome break from the cold.
Throughout the event window, Sand Creek Park’s outdoor rinks will remain open for skating and casual winter games. Families may also encounter Rocky the Raccoon, the city’s official mascot, making an appearance to greet young attendees and add a playful note to the afternoon.
Community Support, Quietly at Work
While Winter Fun Day is free to attend, organizers encourage pre-registration for both the Medallion Hunt and Cookies and Canvas to ensure adequate supplies and participant numbers. Additional refreshments, including hot chocolate, will be available in the concession building, provided by the Coon Rapids North Star Lions, while supplies last.
The event’s smooth operation reflects a broader pattern that defines Snowflake Days. City departments, volunteer organizations, and local sponsors work largely behind the scenes, reinforcing a civic culture where participation matters as much as spectacle.
Part of a Larger Winter Story
Winter Fun Day is one chapter in a larger, citywide narrative. The 2026 Snowflake Days schedule also includes a Community Medallion Hunt with a $500 prize beginning January 30, a Snow Sculpture Contest, and the annual Guns ’n Hoses charity hockey game, which brings together Coon Rapids police officers and firefighters for a friendly competition that benefits local causes.
Together, these events form a seasonal rhythm that has endured for generations. Snowflake Days does not attempt to conquer winter or romanticize it. Instead, it treats the season as shared terrain, something navigated collectively, one gathering at a time.
At Sand Creek Park on February 7, that idea will take its simplest and most enduring form. Children scanning the snow for a hidden medallion. Paint drying on canvas. Skates carving lines into ice. A city reminding itself, once again, that winter is better when it is faced together.
