The first Saint Paul Winter Carnival took place in 1886, during the last week of January, often the coldest week of the year. The carnival continues to be held at this time because most of the carnival’s activities depend on the presence of ice. One of the carnival’s exciting yearly attractions is a giant ice palace. Construction for this amazing castle usually begins in December and often requires more than 25,000 blocks of ice. During the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, a reenactment of a fictional dispute between King Boreas, the king of the winds, and his archenemy, Vulcanus Rex, the fire king, takes place. King Boreas is said to have made the city of Saint Paul his winter playground. This action-packed reenactment between the two kings involves hundreds of costumed actors and spectators. One carnival competition is the ice-block carving competition. People carefully carve huge blocks of ice into fascinating shapes. Other activities that take place during the carnival are Car Racing on Ice, and the Frozen 5K and a Half Marathon, and a broomball tournament.