#aquatennial

Animals on Parade

The Aquatennial returns to Minneapolis this week with the Torchlight Parade kicking off events on Wednesday night. Aquatennial parades over the years have hosted all sorts of impressive floats, including many larger-than-life animals. Here are just a few of the bears, birds, giraffes, and of course, fish in the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections that have made their way down the Minneapolis parade route:

From top to bottom:

Dove float, 1964

Fish on Minneapolis Fire Department float, 1941

Fish on the Bloomington All American City Float, 1961

Turtle Walgreens Drug Stores float, 1941

Giraffes in Nighttime Parade, 1964

Iconic Spoonbridge & Cherry

Celebrating my love of Minneapolis during our virtual Aquatennial with a new print available featuring the iconic Spoonbridge & Cherry!

Plus, this week I'm offering this and my Limited Edition Mpls Aqua prints with a 10% discount, and I'll still donate 10% of sales of these to the Aquatennial Ambassadors Organization's Scholarship Fund.

Purchase yours here: https://etsy.me/3hxE7UT

Minneapolis Goes to the Winter Carnival

Since the Aquatennial began in 1940, Minneapolis has been a land of summer celebrations. Minneapolitans are certainly no strangers to winter, however, and many have gladly made the trip across the river to join in the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. From Aquatennial royalty, to Minneapolis Tribune reporters, to everyday citizens, here are just a few photos of Minneapolis residents enjoying Winter Carnival (from top to bottom):

Aquatennial Queen Patty McLane with Vulcan A.J. Brioscht and Aquatennial Chairman Bert Baston, 1948 (P05259)

Aquatennial Queen Ruth Tolman and Queen of the Snows Shirley Peterson with King Boreas Joseph Shiely, 1947 (P27180)

Aquatennial Officials wear matching parkas to Winter Carnival, 1947 (P22509)

Aquatennial Queen Float at the Winter Carnival, 1947 (P27167)

Minneapolis Tribune reporter Barbara Flanagan tries on Fire Queen costume, 1948 (FLAN0034)

Louis Claeson competes in the Winter Carnival fishing derby on White Bear Lake, 1948 (P18235)

The 2022 Saint Paul Winter Carnival runs through February 6.

Aquatennial Skippers

From its start in 1940 until the 2000s, the Minneapolis Aquatennial created an annual pin, called a "Skipper." For a small fee, local residents bought a Skipper and contributed to the funds needed to put on the annual Aquatennial celebration. And what a celebration it was!

In addition to two parades, a fireworks show, and the coronation of the Queen of the Lakes, the Aquatennial has included all sorts of festivities through the years. Some favorites included the Aqua Follies, milk carton boat races, sandcastle competitions, and canoe derby.

Wearing a skipper button, festival supporters could get discounted admission to events, be entered in raffles for prizes, and show the pride of supporting their hometown. The 2021 Aquatennial runs July 21-24.