Voting ends Sunday for canine versions of King Boreas and Queen of the Snows – Twin Cities

After being crowned canine royalty of the 2017 St. Paul Winter Carnival during Union Depot’s Doggir Depot event in Lowertown on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, Canine Queen of the Snows Dory (left) and Canine King Boreas Revere pose for photos with their people, Emily Schmail of Falcon Heights (left) and Donna Mankowski of Prior Lake. (Courtesy of Union Depot)

There’s still time for the public to vote for the canine versions of King Boreas and Queen of the Snows of the 2023 St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Voting for the Canine King Boreas and Canine Queen of the Snows concludes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22.

The competition, which dates back to 2013, is working differently this year: Every dog that was entered in the online contest automatically moved on to the voting round of the puppy pageant. This means there are a lot of dogs — 202 of them — seeking your vote.

While scrolling through the 11 pages of candidates at uniondepot.org/doggiedepot, remember you can only vote once a day.

The canine candidates are varied and include new puppies, rescued dogs, rare breeds, service dogs, therapy dogs and one dog who survived a “near-death owl attack.”

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 26 on Union Depot’s Facebook page at facebook.com/uniondepotFacebook.

For the first time ever, the winners will make their public debut by marching in the St. Paul Winter Carnival’s King Boreas Grande Day Parade on Saturday, Jan. 28.

A week later, the human King Boreas and Queen of the Snows will crown their canine counterparts at the dogs’ official coronation at Union Depot’s annual Doggie Depot event at about 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Afterward, the royal family will be available to greet fans until about 11:30 a.m.

Doggie Depot, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 4, is free and open to the public — and dogs are invited to attend, too. It will be like a dog party, a big dog party, with a pre-event doga session at 9 a.m. (yoga with your dog), freebies, pet-related vendors and experts and meet-and-greets with adoptable dogs from local animal rescue groups.

“It’s a really fun, unique event that brings the dog-loving community together,” said Maurina Rondeau, Union Depot’s marketing manager. “It’s also a way to get dog-themed vendors and local rescue groups together in one spot, to support them and meet dogs available for adoption.”

Doggie Depot/Coronation of 2023 St. Paul Winter Carnival’s Canine King Boreas and Canine Queen of the Snows

• When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4; coronation is at about 11 a.m.
• Bonus: 9 a.m. doga session (yoga with your pet) taught by Studio 9-to-5.
• Where: Located in the Waiting Room at Union Depot, 214 4th St. E., Lowertown in St. Paul
• What: Pet-related vendors, pet experts, local rescue groups with dogs available for adoption.
• Cost: Event is free and open to the public. Dogs welcome to attend.
• Voting and info: Vote once a day through Sunday and get more info about event at uniondepot.org/doggiedepot.