Owatonna shines in the heart of winter, inviting its community to wrap up warm and step into the allure of the Bold & Cold event series. Expertly orchestrated by the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department, in delightful cooperation with the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, this annual cavalcade of joy and togetherness through frigid temperatures lights a fire of unity and creativity within our city's heart.

The series launches with an open invitation to artistic expression during the Sculpture Building Contest. Citizens craft snow into expressive art at Central Park, fostering an environment ripe with creativity and wonder, as they curate an open-air snow-gallery. With the ripple of laughter across the whiteness, community bonds are forged and as fresh as the snow underfoot.

Echoes of joy bubble up from the Owatonna Middle School Pool during Family Open Swim & Pool Bingo. The placid water becomes a canvas of spirited fun, a testament to innovation in entertainment and community engagement, making a simple game a pool of prizes and cheerful competition.

The ice-bound beauty of Lake Kohlmier becomes the setting for an ice fishing escapade, combining the thrill of the catch with the warmth of familial laughter. It's here where the chilly pursuit of ice fishing is reframed as a cherished community tradition, welcoming to all ages and skill levels, and needing no license, just a hearty spirit.

Morehouse Park Skating Rink transforms into a fantastical glow with Rock on Ice. Skaters glide on a frozen dance floor under a symphony of lights and music. It's an icy rink alight with the glow of camaraderie, where the community comes together to spin, jump, and dance in the kaleidoscopic embrace of winter's night.

The Luminary Hike offers a twinkling trek under the winter sky at the Brooktree Golf Course. With each step along the luminous trail, attendees share a collective breath of wonder, inhaling the crisp air in the company of neighbors and nature's silent splendor.

Snowshoe adventurers leave a trail of laughter and exploration at Brooktree Golf Course in search of winter's quiet magic, surrounded by a community chasing joy in heaping snowshoes.

Owatonna's Bold & Cold event series is a palette of communal joy and celebration, proving that even in the heart of winter, the warmth of our community never fades. It's a toast to a city that comes together, boldly embracing the cold, forging memories that will sparkle long after the snow melts.