ST. CLOUD -- Athletes young and old will be in St. Cloud over the next two weekends for the 26th annual Star of the North Games.

St. Cloud was the first host city in 1988 and since then, the games have rotated among St. Cloud, Rochester and St. Paul.

Star of the North Games Director Barclay Kruse says the event is unique in that it brings athletes from all across Minnesota to one competition.  Kruse says they literally have athletes coming from every corner of the state.

Kruse says there will be about 8,000 athletes and attendees in St. Cloud over the two weekends for an estimated economic impact on the St. Cloud area of about $1,000,000.

Kruse says the Star of the North Games consists of 16 different sports this year including both team and individual competitions.  He says it's an amateur athletic competition that is "like Minnesota's amateur sports olympics."

The games get underway tomorrow and will run for two consecutive weekends.

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