Minneapolis Gearing Up To Host City Of Lakes Loppet

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The City of Minneapolis is getting ready to host one of its biggest events of the winter later this month, the City of Lakes Luminary Loppet.

More than 50 volunteers spent Sunday outside, adding ice to an already frozen lake. They were hatching 1,200 ice blocks on Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. The Luminary Loppet has grown from an idea to a huge event over the last decade.

"This idea was actually my wife's, 10 years ago she came home and said 'Hey want to do a winter ski on Lake of the Isles, think you can make 1,000 candles by next Saturday?' And I said yeah, why not?" Organizer Hal Galvin said.

He was able to make it happen because the buckets only need one night to freeze. All of the ice luminaries hatched Sunday will be safely stored for the next three weeks. They'll be lit to create a candle-lit trail during the City of Lakes Luminary Loppet on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Registration is still open, but it's filling fast.