NHL announces free fan festival for 2022 Winter Classic at Target Field

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Fans will have some free festivities to look forward to when they come to downtown Minneapolis for the 2022 NHL Winter Classic, which is being played at Target Field in just a few short weeks.

Tuesday, the National Hockey League revealed the attractions, live music performances and other activities planned for the free Truly Hard Seltzer NHL Pregame, which is the official fan festival of this year’s Winter Classic, according to a news release.

The NHL on Monday held a media event to announce details for the 2022 NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2022, between the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues at Target Field.

The NHL Pregame will take place inside the Target Center and outside along 1st Avenue and North 6th Street. It will be free and open to the public—no Winter Classic game ticket is required for entry.

The fan festival will feature hockey-themed experiences inside the Target Center and outside along 1st Avenue and North 6th Street. The attractions include games an interactive shooting station with the Minnesota Wild, slapshot games where participants can win prizes, the opportunity to create your own personalized NHL Winter Classic trading cards as well as numerous photo booths and swag giveaways.

Minnesota’s own Viva Knievel will perform on the outdoor music stage while local DJ Mad Mardigan will be spinning tunes inside the Target Center. A schedule and full list of attractions can be found here.

The Minnesota Wild play the St. Louis Blues at Target Field at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 1. It will be the second time the Wild is playing in an NHL outdoor game, having beaten the Chicago Blackhawks at what was then TCF Bank Stadium in the 2016 NHL Stadium Series.