Holidazzle to be closed Sunday due to cold weather

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Some of the coldest temperatures in two decades are expected this weekend, and that’s having an impact on several events.

With Sunday’s temperatures and wind chills expected to reach potentially dangerous levels, Holidazzle organizers made the decision to close on Sunday. The warming house for ice skating at Loring Park will also be closed.

“At Holidazzle, we take the safety of our visitors, staff, vendors, partners very seriously,” said Leah Wong, Vice President of Events & Marketing for the Minneapolis Downtown Council.  “And based on what we're seeing right now for severe weather, we're not going to be open tomorrow, on Sunday.”

In exchange for the closure, Holidazzle will be open extended hours on Thursday and Friday.

The cold weather also forced changes to pregame activities for the Vikings/Colts game. They'll move indoors and officials urging people to avoid the frigid wind chills to use the skyway system to reach U.S.  Bank Stadium.
With wind chills potentially reaching as low as 40 below zero early Sunday morning, it will be dangerous for people to be outside for extended amounts of time.

Local agencies are encouraging those without a warm place to stay to find a local shelter or warming center.

“The big thing here is frostbite and other things,” said Major Butch Frost, with The Salvation Army. “People freeze to death, and we want to encourage people to get in off of the streets and be safe.”

While hundreds of people are already sheltered inside the Harbor Light Center in Downtown Minneapolis, The Salvation Army has added 75 slots for men inside the building and has also opened a daytime warming center.     

“There are also nine other agencies within the community, and we all try to team up together, partner together to do our best to serve the community,” Frost said.

The winter landscape can be enchanting, but even the most hardy need to be mindful of its dangers.