Great Northern Guide: Our picks for 2023's top events in Twin Cities

The St. Paul Winter Carnival may have more name recognition, but another major festival kicked off this week with more than 60 additional events across the Twin Cities.

What's happening: The Great Northern, a separate festival running in tandem with the carnival, is now hosting panels on climate change, live performances, art installations and more through Feb. 5.

• The carnival has more flashy, family-friendly fun, while the Great Northern sticks to smaller arts and culture experiences — but both have plenty of events worth your time.

Here are some to put on your calendar.

To learn

👏 Feeling doomed? Climate expert Jonathan Foley will share some of the positive steps we've made and how to keep that momentum going at Project Drawdown: A Cautious Case for Climate Optimism. Jan 29, 2pm; free, registration required.

🎤 The Climate Heroes in Your Neighborhood talk features nine Minnesota speakers sharing ways you can be a part of local initiatives to fight climate change. Jan. 29, 7pm; free, registration required.

To experience

🔥 Chill out by warming up at the first-ever Sauna Village, a group of nine unique saunas set up at Malcolm Yards for visitors to explore. Bring swimsuits, a robe and towel for the 90-minute experience. Now through Feb. 5; $40.

🖼 Find all of "Our Common Home," four large interactive art installations around St. Paul. Stand in front of the screens and move around — the art will mimic your movements in real time. Now through Feb. 5; Free.

🤐 Honorable mention: This year's dinner sold out months ago, but set a reminder to sign up for the annual Secret Supper.

• No menu, no location, no details — pay in advance, and organizers will send coordinates 24 hours before.