For the Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey teams, Hockey Day Minnesota 2025 offers a unique opportunity: a chance to compete outdoors on a rink set up at Shakopee’s Valleyfair amusement park.
Eden Prairie will participate in two matchups during the event. The girls hockey team faces Prior Lake at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, and the boys hockey team will play Hibbing at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
On Monday, during practice at the rink, Eden Prairie players (first the girls, then the boys) endured subzero temperatures. Conditions have since improved, though the cold remains a defining feature of the outdoor experience.
The four-day event, running Wednesday through Saturday, highlights Minnesota’s rich hockey tradition with high school, collegiate, and professional games, as well as other winter-themed activities. The collegiate schedule features the University of Minnesota Gophers vs. Bemidji State on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and the Gopher Alumni Stars vs. Collegiate Alumni Stars on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
While the Minnesota Wild will host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center, the outdoor rink at Valleyfair will showcase key matchups. Valleyfair, typically a summer destination, has been transformed for the event. Heated trailers will serve as locker rooms for players, and fans will have access to food trucks, warming areas, and fire pits. A few family-friendly rides will be open, providing a unique backdrop for the games.
The event also features live music performances in the Mystic Lake Warming House tent. The Mankato-based rock band IV Play will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday. On Friday, Minnesota singer-songwriter Jake Nelson will take the stage at 8 p.m., and on Saturday, GB Leighton, a roots-rock group from the Twin Cities, will perform at 7 p.m.
Since its creation in 2007, Hockey Day Minnesota has celebrated the state’s deep connection to hockey. Previous host cities have included Stillwater, Bemidji, and St. Cloud. This year’s event will benefit the Shakopee Youth Hockey Association and Shakopee High School’s hockey program.
Limited parking is available onsite at Valleyfair for $25 per day, with limited capacity. SouthWest Transit will run limited shuttles from SouthWest Station in Eden Prairie on Thursday and Saturday for $6 round trip, with free rides for children under 5 and disabled veterans with ID. Mystic Lake Casino in Shakopee will offer free shuttles on Friday and Saturday, with riders under 18 requiring an adult.
More information, including ticket details, can be found at hockeydaymn.com.
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