Fridley daily brief: Winterfest, lantern hikes and summer plans

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Fridley wakes up to a packed winter weekend, with today’s Winterfest, last night’s lantern hike and fresh updates on summer festivals and school events.

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Winterfest 2026 at Springbrook Nature Center

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From noon to 3 p.m. today, Springbrook Nature Center turns into a Winter Wonderland. The free Winterfest event offers outdoor games, story time, campfires, and plenty of s’mores and hot cocoa, along with kick sleds, snowshoeing and fat-tire bike activities as conditions allow. A winter gear drive is running alongside the fun, with freshly washed or new coats, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens being collected and shared with neighbors who need them.

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Lantern hike lights up the trails

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Residents started the weekend with a lantern-lit hike at Springbrook on Friday night, following glowing lights along the trails while listening for owls and watching for other nocturnal wildlife. The program included optional snowshoe rentals and a campfire to warm up afterward. Another lantern hike is scheduled for March 6, giving families a second chance to experience the park after dark.

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Fridley ’49er Days moves to mid-July

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The community’s signature summer festival is shifting on the calendar. The city has announced that the 2026 ’49er Days celebration will move from June to July 16–18. The weekend will open with the Lions parade on Thursday and wrap up with a ribbon-cutting and grand opening celebration at the rebuilt Commons Park on Saturday.

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Commons Park is in the midst of a multi-phase upgrade that adds new ballfields and pickleball courts, an inclusive playground and splash pad, and a year-round park building with indoor gathering space and a winter warming area. Volunteers and sponsors are being recruited now to help shape the expanded festival lineup.

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Schools pack the February calendar

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Fridley Public Schools also have a busy stretch. Friday’s schedule included an emergency board meeting and a free family movie night, while today features an Early Childhood Family Education friendship dance. Looking ahead, families can mark a middle school winter concert on February 10 and a districtwide holiday on February 16, with additional arts and activity nights filling out the rest of the month.

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Sources

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• https://www.fridleymn.gov/Community-Recreation/Events/Fridley-49er-Days

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• https://www.fridleymn.gov/News-articles/2025-News/Winterfest-2025-Save-the-Date

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• https://www.fridleymn.gov/Community-Recreation/Parks-Trails/Park-System-Improvement-Plan/Commons-Park

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• https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/calendar

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• https://www.familyfuntwincities.com/events/springbrook-lantern-hikes/

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Look for updates to this story