Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
Steve Doody, a lifelong South St. Paulite, proudly donned the crown of King Boreas at this year’s St. Paul Winter Carnival, and although he was overthrown by Vulcanus Rex following the Torchlight Parade in early February, his duties as the ice king have only just begun. He and the other members of the Royal Family will represent St. Paul this summer at about 350 community celebrations across the country. Their mission: to spread cheer and encourage people to support their communities in whatever way they can.
“It’s an honor to be involved in the longest running festival in the U.S. and part of its history, and it’s neat to spread some joy and cheer this time of the year because I think everybody can use it,” said Doody, who was South Wind Prince in the 2018 carnival. “The night of coronation, I attended in my South Wind Prince costume and then snuck out into a room and changed to the Boreas costume and came running up to the stage.”
Doody has been a member of the South St. Paul Lions Club for 20 years and is involved in the South St. Paul Open Foundation, South St. Paul Educational Foundation and Inver Hills Educational Foundation. He is also a member of the South St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame for his prowess in football, basketball, track and field, and tennis. He attended the University of North Dakota on a football scholarship and earned a bachelor’s in engineering. He later earned a master’s in finance from the University of St. Thomas and has been a financial advisor for Edward Jones in South St. Paul for 20 years. Maggie, his wife of 36 years, is also a South St. Paul native. They have three adult children, Steve, Megan and Sam.
Doody said one of the main reasons he accepted the call to be king was to be surrounded by the energy of the other people chosen to be Winter Carnival characters, each of whom is a dedicated volunteer in their respective community. Additionally, he has fond memories of attending the carnival’s ice palaces as a kid and even has a King Boreas coin from 1953. He recalled how his grandmother, who worked at O’Gara’s in St. Paul for 26 years, often came home with black smudge and other traces of the Vulcan Krewe. The Vulcan Krewe is noted for wearing smudge on their faces – and transferring it to others. His mother is an avid and longtime seeker in the carnival’s annual medallion hunt.
“The big mantra with the Winter Carnival is that it’s been around since 1886 and is ‘the coolest celebration on earth,’ but each person that becomes Boreas develops a mantra,” said Doody. “I’ve decided on, ‘Service and unity in the community, one snowball at a time.’”
Doody has already used the powers bestowed upon him as king to bring the cast of Winter Carnival characters back to his hometown to show some respect for other residents who have been part of the Carnival. He “knighted” Kaposia Elementary teacher Megan Frantzen – a former South Wind princess – in front of her classroom of students, and made a playful visit to Tom Leonard, co-owner of Fury motors and a former King Boreas.
For the uninitiated, the Royal Family personifies winter and the Vulcan Krewe summer, and their playful battle for control at events throughout the Winter Carnival symbolizes the changing of seasons. The Royal Family consists of King Boreas, Aurora the Queen of Snows, and the North, East, West and South Wind princes and princesses. This year’s Queen of Snows is Jennifer Westerhaus, a Chaska resident with roots in St. Paul. Past King Boreases from South St. Paul include Bob Carter, Greg Kuntz and Tom Leonard. For more information on the Winter Carnival, visit wintercarnival.com.
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