Voyageurs Spring Thaw
April 25, 2024

Glass House, 145 Holden Street NE, Minneapolis, MN
& Online

Celebrate open water season and gather with hundreds of park enthusiasts at the fourth-annual Spring Thaw! Hosted on April 25, the Voyageurs Spring Thaw is a signature event celebrating and protecting Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park. The evening features speakers and park staff; dinner, drinks, and music inspired by the North Woods; a nature-themed silent auction; and experiences that bring Voyageurs to life.

A limited number of tickets are available at the door.

SILENT AUCTION - ends 7 PM CT April 25

If you're unable to join us at the Spring Thaw but still want to show your support for Voyageurs, consider making a donation! Every contribution helps.

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CELEBRATING VOYAGEURS WITH:

Speaker and Musician: Douglas Wood

Douglas Wood is a Minnesota author, illustrator, musician, naturalist, wilderness guide, and passionate explorer of Voyageurs National Park. Doug is the creator of forty books for children and adults, including his latest memoir A Wild Path. As a wilderness guide, he has led scores of trips for the National Wildlife Federation, Science Museum of Minnesota, The Smithsonian Institute, the Road Scholar organization, and countless others. His books and music are grounded in his background as an environmental educator, and emphasize the timeless bond between nature and the human heart.

Nature-Inspired Silent Auction

Our online silent auction features outdoor gear, park experiences, inspiring artwork, and more! Even better, all proceeds benefit your national park. Anyone can participate in the online silent auction.

Are you a business, artist, or park enthusiast who’d like to support Voyageurs with a silent auction donation? Please fill out this form to let us know what you’d like to donate. Thank you!

Special Address from Superintendent Bob DeGross

Hear priority updates from the Superintendent of Voyageurs National Park, Bob DeGross. Learn about the landmark projects you’re supporting, engage with park rangers, and experience the inspiring impact of dark sky programs with the Bell Museum’s Traveling Planetarium.

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Join us as a sponsor

5:00 p.m. VIP Reception

5:30 p.m. Walking Dinner, Interactive Indoor-Outdoor Reception

7:00 p.m. Program and Music

Dress code: North Woods Business Casual

Spring Thaw Event Ticket

Your Spring Thaw ticket not only supports critical projects and programs at Voyageurs National Park, but also grants you access to exclusive park-themed event experiences:

Enjoy a program with special remarks from author Douglas Wood, executive director Christina Hausman Rhode, and park superintendent Bob DeGross
Immerse yourself in the stars inside the Bell Museum’s mobile planetarium
Enjoy signature North Woods cocktails with Cantilever Distilling and exclusive ice cream from A to Z Creamery
Learn about the park’s diverse ecology at interactive stations with Minnesota Master Naturalists, Voyageurs Wolf Project, Leave No Trace, and our Voyageurs Mobile Classroom.

Can’t join us in Minneapolis? Register to Thaw Out from Home

Our community of park supporters span across the entire country. We hope you’ll take advantage of our Spring Thaw virtual experience. You’ll receive.

Exclusive recorded messages from Superintendent Bob DeGross, Doug Wood, and Executive Director Christina Hausman Rhode.
Powerful program impact updates happening now at Voyageurs National Park
Access to our online, nature-inspired silent auction

GET YOUR TICKETS

VIP Reception Sponsored by Fredrikson & Byron PA

Reserve a VIP Event Ticket to attend a reception with special guest Doug Woods and Superintendent Bob DeGross. You’ll see the first unveiling of Voyageurs National Park Faribault Woolen Mills Co blanket and a chance to win one!

you make a difference for voyageurs

Your participation in the Spring Thaw benefits the projects and programs that will sustain Voyageurs national Park for generations to come. By participating in the Spring Thaw you are:

Protecting over 60 acres of shoreline and forest habitat

Supporting important science, including muskie and loon surveys, water quality monitoring, invasive species detection, and wolf ecology research.

Collaborating with Indigenous partners to make major improvements to park education programs that uplift the heritage and contributions of the Indigenous communities who shaped and continue to influence what is now Voyageurs.

Introducing over 2,000 visitors to dark sky tours, fishing clinics, and citizen science projects

Funding exhibits at the new Crane Lake Visitor Center

Restoring wetlands to bring back wild rice and other critical species

Connecting over 10,000 kids to park field trips, mobile classroom visits, and interactive virtual programs