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!
2023 Icebox Days Schedule of Events
Thursday, January 26, 2023
3:00-5:00 PM- Cribbage Tournament at the Elk’s Lodge. Contact Shawn Mason 218-341-6809.
7:00 PM- Icebox Days Bingo at VFW. Doors open at 5:30 for dinner and bingo cards. Supporting Rainy Lake Medical Center Foundation.
Friday, January 27, 2023
5:00 – 7:30 PM- Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard run Headquarters for registration opens at Backus Community Center.
5:00- 8:00 PM- Icebox Burgers at the VFW.
6:00-7:30 PM- Moonlight Snowshoe Hike in Voyageurs National Park, Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Contact the center at 218-286-5258.
8:00 PM- DJ at On The Rocks.
8:00 PM - Karaoke at Loony's Brew, Ranier
9:00 PM- Karaoke at the VFW.
Saturday, January 28, 2023
8:00 AM – 10:30 AM- Pancake breakfast at Backus Community Center. Supporting the International Falls Education Foundation.
8:00 – 9:30 AM- Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run registration and packet pick-up at Backus Community Center.
9:00 AM- 5K Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run starting line Backus Community Center.
10:00 AM- 10K Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run starting line Backus Community Center.
10:00 AM- Icebox Boot Hockey Tournament at the Ranier Rink. Sponsored by Ranier Municipal Liquor Store. Contact Jess Seegert at Ranier Muni at 218-286-3343.
11:00 AM - Corn Hole Tournament - On The Rocks
11:30 AM (approx)- Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run Awards Ceremony for 5K and 10K races at Backus Community Center.
12:00 PM – 3:00PM- Icebox Kids Days at Bob Walls Memorial Union Hall. Inside: contests, games and hot chocolate bar with homemade marshmallow.
12:30 – 3:00 PM PM- Kids Smoosh Races and Frozen Turkey bowling outside Bob Walls Memorial Union Hall parking lot to the west.
1:00 PM- Toilet Seat toss outside On The Rocks Bar.
2:00 PM- Adult Smoosh Races outside On The Rocks Bar.
4:00 PM- Dart Tournament at Border Bar. Contact the bar at 218-283-9919.
6:00 PM- Fireworks in Smokey Bear Park.
8:00 PM- DJ at Ranier Municipal Liquor Store.
8:00 PM- Music at Border Bar
9:00 PM - Cosmic Loony's at Loony's Brew, Ranier
