If you’ve checked the weather forecast for the next 10 days, you know we’re in for a harsh dose of winter reality.

We know it’s coming every year; after all, it is winter. Still, the cold, snow, and wind all add up to our annual search for things to do while staying safely out of winter’s icy wrath.

Winter resilience, let’s call it. Well, we’re all in luck, because there is a growing number of activities to keep us warm and entertained. Have you heard anyone recently ask that age-old question, “What is there to do in Minot?” The answer is easy: There’s a lot to do in Minot, and in this age of digital information, it’s readily accessible.

If you have young children, there are numerous activities sponsored by the City of Minot and a host of other community organizations that are either free or very inexpensive. You can keep your little ones as busy as you want through these programs.

The Minot Public Library offers so many things to do that it’s impossible to list all of them. Whimsical Wednesdays. Game Night. 3D printing. Cinema Series. Gamers Saturday. Adult Coloring Club. Children’s Library. And don’t forget about the Library’s main focus: Books. Don’t take my word for it; go to minotlibrary.org to see for yourself.

Full STEAM Ahead is an organization that offers an endless variety of programs for children to participate in, from robotics to theater to a Lego league to talent shows (steamnd.org).

The Minot Park District (minotparks.com) offers so many things to do for both children and adults that you could participate in something different almost every day of the week. Fun Zone is held every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday through March from 9 a.m. to noon at the Minot Armory, which is connected to the east side of the Auditorium. For children under 10, there are endless games, coloring opportunities, bounce houses, and toys.

Tots on the Turf, also through the Park District, is held Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at Maysa Arena through March. It’s also for kids 10 and under, and includes bounce houses, toys, and other activities. A reminder: At Fun Zone and Tots on the Turf, children must be supervised; these are not drop-off programs.

If you enjoy embracing the outdoor opportunities presented by winter weather, the ice rinks at Roosevelt Elementary School, Polaris Park, Perkett Elementary School, and Corbett Field are all open. New cross country trails have been groomed at Souris Valley Golf Course, and the sledding hill there is also open. Don’t forget, the Roosevelt Park Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Sunday, and there are lots of animals there that enjoy being out in the winter weather.

Of course, this is just a small sampling of the activities going on in Minot. There are sporting activities available almost every night of the week, including high school, college, and other teams like the Minot Minotauros.

Need more ideas? There are always local concerts, plays, art shows and other events happening in Minot. You can find more at visitminot.org. There’s also a Facebook page called Things to do Today in Minot, ND that is full of information on events.

Yeah, I know the weather outside will soon be frightful, at least according to the forecasts. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying the wide variety of events and programs that make our community such a great place to live and raise a family. As mayor, I’m thankful the City of Minot has such amazing community partners who have made it their mission to educate and entertain the residents of Minot and the region.

I think we can all agree we’re tired of hearing “There’s nothing to do in Minot” because it’s simply not true. Our community has grown beyond that stale sentiment, whether you want to embrace winter and go ice skating at a local rink or ice fishing at a nearby lake, or whether you choose to stay indoors to enjoy game day at the library or a theater production.

The events to cure the winter blues are out there – it’s up to us to take advantage of them.

Sincerely, City Hall

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.