A wacky winter festival
Icebox Days, a nod to our moniker, "Icebox of the Nation," is our annual celebration staged in the middle of winter.
Events through the years have been covered by networks including CBS, NBC and ABC as well as The Travel Channel, The Weather Channel, MSNBC, Lifetime and dozens of national and international publications. A few years ago, Emmy Award-winning television journalist JuJu Chang visited with her son and producer, resulting in a feature of International Falls on the ABC program “Nightline.”
Icebox Days is packed full of fun and zany games for all people, including frozen turkey bowling; the locally invented “smoosh” races; moonlight skiing in Voyageurs National Park; the infamous “Gizzard” runs and much more.
Coordinated by the International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, IceBox Days wouldn't be possible without the support of generous sponsors and dozens of volunteers.
Grab a jacket and join us in the Ice Box!
ICEBOX DAYS 2026 JANUARY 16-25
FULL LIST OF EVENTS & SPONSORS COMING SOON!
2026 Icebox Days Schedule of Events
Friday, January 16th
- Choice Therapy-Free Screen Event from 1pm-3pm at 1610 Highway 11-71
- History on Tap: Controversy of Conservation: Creating Voyageurs National Park. Presented by Koochiching County Historical Society at the Cantilever Distillery at 6:00 p.m.
- Prohibition Party @ Loony's starting at 8pm
Saturday, January 17
- MN North College Pickleball Tournament 9am
- 10:30 am The International Falls Public Library - with winter stories. Ages 8 and under welcome to come with their caregiver and enjoy stories, rhymes and more.
- Dodgeball Tournament @ Loony's. 12:00 final sign up, $10/ team with teams of 6
- Board games at the library. Noon - 2 pm All ages are welcome to come and enjoy playing board games with friends and family and enjoy snacks and hot cocoa.
- 12p-2p Soup for Troops at the Elks. Enter in a soup and vote for your favorite soup at this heartwarming fundraiser serving our servicemen and women.
- 11am-2pm Sammy’s-$5 Mimosas and $2 off chips and salsa
- Loony’s- Second annual beer pong tournament 8pm start time, final signups at that time
Sunday January 18th
- IceBox Days Brunch Buffet at the Thunderbird Lodge from 10-2
- Bridge Tournament (bring a partner) First Lutheran Church Doors open at 1 Tournament starts at 1:30 Contact Will Awe: 218-349-7178 for more information
- Loony’s- Kids cookie decorating hosted by Cake and Crust Artesian Bakery from 1 to 4. Free will donation along with kids karaoke at that time as well.
- 11am-2pm Sammy’s-$5 Mimosas and $2 off chips and salsa
Monday, January 19th
- AmericInn by Wyndham Beach Party
Wednesday, January 21st
- Loony's Icebox Trivia 7pm
Thursday, January 22nd
- RLMC Foundation’s Icebox Bingo at VFW. Bingo sales start at 5pm, games start at 7pm.
- Loony’s - Icebox Idol 7pm. Sign up from 6pm-7pm start time of 7:30pm
Friday, January 23rd
- Loony’s-Ranier bakery fundraiser for Cake and Crust Artesian Bakery from 1pm - 5pm
- Choice Therapy-Free Screen Event from 1pm-3pm at 1610 Highway 11-71
- Candlelight Snowshoe Hike Time: 5:30–7:30 PM Location: Rainy Lake Visitor Center Step into a winter wonderland as you snowshoe through the boreal forest along a path glowing with candlelit luminaries. Snowshoes will be available to borrow (final loans at 7:00 PM), and a cozy campfire will be waiting when you’re done hiking. Stop by anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 PM for a magical winter evening on the trail!
- Freeze Yer Gizzard Race Registration @ Backus Community Center 5-7:30pm
Saturday, January 24
- FEF Pancake Breakfast 8-11am @ Backus
- 8:00–9:30 AM – Pre-registration for Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard 5K/10K Run @ Backus Community Center
- 9:00 AM – Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard 5K Run Starts
- 10:00 AM – Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard 10K Run Starts
- 11:00 AM – Signup for Dart Tourney @ Border Bar
- 11am-2pm Sammy’s-$5 Mimosas and $2 off chips and salsa
- 11:30 AM – Freeze Yer Gizzard Race Awards @ Backus
- 12:00–1:30 PM – Turkey Bowling (Adults/Kids) @ Timber Pins
- 12:00–1:30 PM – Toilet Seat Toss (Adults/Kids) @ Timber Pins
- 1:00 PM – Finals: Dart Tourney @ Border Bar Sponsored by Hazelwood Corp.
- 1:30–3:00 PM – Smoosh Races (Adults/Kids) @ Timber Pins
- 6:00 PM – FIREWORKS @ Smokey Bear Park
- Loony’s-Karaoke 7pm
- 8Pm-1AM-Beach Party @ Border Bar
Sunday, January 25th
- Int’l Falls Figure Skating Club’s Icebox Days Competition is Sunday, January 25th at 9:30 a.m. at Bronco Arena.
- 11am-2pm Sammy’s-$5 Mimosas and $2 off chips and salsa
- Loony’s- Chili Contest 2pm start time with voting ending at 4pm. All are welcome to come eat
- The International Falls Figure Skating Club’s 40th Annual Skating Exhibition at 3:00 p.m at Bronco Arena.
