Dining Experiences
We’re celebrating Minnesota chefs, cooks, mixologists, farmers, and growers with an exciting lineup of cooking demos, hands-on workshops, markets, dinners, and more!
Highlights
Check out The Great Northern Winter Festival’s dining experiences below. We’ll also have plenty of food trucks at the festival grounds, with a variety of different options to try while moving throughout the festival!
Workshops with Minnesota’s top cooks and mixologists
Grazing board demonstrations, cocktail classes, and other hands-on workshops led by some of the most talented cooks and mixologists in Minnesota.
Chef demos
From campside-inspired techniques to creative takes on BBQ and comfort food, these demos invite audiences to savor the warmth, flavor, and camaraderie of cooking together in the cold.
National Hot Chocolate Day
Celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day with Caribou Coffee! Warm up at the Great Northern Warming Grounds and enjoy a free small hot chocolate made with real chocolate chips from the Caribou Coffee ‘Bou Truck on January 31.
VIP Patio Lounge at The Cabana Club
Saturday All Access and Festival Supporter passholders get special VIP access to the patio lounge at The Cabana Club, enjoy a specially crafted ice bar, sip on specialty cocktails, and enjoy one of the festival’s most exclusive hangouts.
Chef-curated dinner and music experiences
We’ve teamed up with Aster Cafe to offer a special chef-curated dinner and music experience, featuring MMYYKK + Omar Abdulkarim
Winter Farmers Market
The Winter Farmer’s Market will have a sampling of vendors building a local, sustainable, and organic food economy. Presented in partnership with Mill City Farmer’s Market.
Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2026
Vikre Winter Lounge
Step into the Vikre Winter Lounge, a cozy après-ski pop-up bar crafted by the flavor-obsessed minds behind Vikre Distillery. The Vikre Winter Lounge will be open Friday-Sunday.