Starting this week on Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. is the 2026 Winter Carnival, with several events to look forward to.
Winter Carnival’s all-nighter statues will begin construction at 4 p.m. and go until 9 a.m. the next day, the same time month-long statues must be completed by. Students from all departments will come together to create statues following this year’s theme: “Through Ice and Snow, to Space We Go.”
Zarna Garg, a New York Times bestselling author and stand-up comedian, is coming to Michigan Tech and will be having a stand-up comedy gig in the Rosza. Other events include dog sled rides throughout the week, a drone light show, a snowshoe event called BigFoot Glowshoe, and the yearly torchlight parade at Mont Ripley. More relaxed and warmer options include getting free hot chocolate at the Cocoa Shack and mixing drinks with some mocktails and some home-cooked pancakes provided by the Air Force ROTC.
Hockey is also in the heat of the season, going against Augustana on Feb. 6 at 7:07 p.m. Men’s and women’s basketball will also be playing, with the men’s team having a game against Lake Superior State University on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and a game against Saginaw Valley State University on Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. The women’s team is going against the same teams with the Lake Superior State game on Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. and their game against Saginaw Valley State on Feb. 7 at 12 p.m. There will also be a Human Dog Sled Race on Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. and a Tug-o-War on Feb. 7 at 11 a.m.
For more information on the events of this Winter Carnival, go to mtu.edu/carnival/2026/.
