15 Best U.S. Winter Festivals That Are Worth Braving the Cold

Winter will be here sooner than we know it, and you can get into the festive spirit by attending a fantastic outdoor winter festival.

Whether you're bundling up to enjoy the snow, twinkling lights, or great food these festivals have to offer, here are 15 great winter festivals across the U.S.

So grab your favorite travel credit card and get ready to add these to your bucket list this winter.

The Lake Chelan Winterfest, which takes place in Chelan, Washington, is scheduled for Jan. 17-26. The event will feature live entertainment, ice sculptures, an outdoor “ice bar,” and more.

During the festival, children and adults can hunt for a character named “Tsilly” and earn a prize if they find it.

The ski town of Aspen, Colorado, celebrates its love for snow with a winter festival known as Wintersköl.

The Dec. 12-15 festival includes spectacular fireworks, as well as a soup contest and craft beer festival. You can also take in a torchlight descent featuring skiers and snowboarders on the mountain.

Jan. 29- Feb. 2 is the perfect time to head to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for the annual Winterfest.

The festival includes the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Championship, giving you the perfect opportunity to see some amazing sculptors convey their artistic visions through snow.

It can get icy in St. Paul, Minnesota, and locals celebrate that fact with the Winter Carnival. The Jan. 23-Feb. 2 festival includes an ice fishing tournament for anglers who don’t mind the cold. 

Adventurous types can trade in their autumn corn mazes for a snow maze that is sure to be a fun challenge for all.

Yes, you can have a winterfest in Florida. Check out Ice! at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee.

The exhibit runs from Nov. 15 to Jan. 4 and includes ice-sculpted scenes from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival started in 1897 and is still going strong as a 10-day festival in New York. This year’s event is scheduled for Jan. 31 through Feb. 9.

Each year, the festival's highlight is a giant ice palace built by volunteers. You can also enjoy alpine skiing and innertube races.

Fans of “The Sound of Music” may be familiar with the Trapp family, who inspired the movie.

The real Trapp family settled in Stowe, Vermont, and you can visit the Trapp Family Lodge during the Stowe Winter Carnival.

Check out the Jan. 22-26 carnival as it celebrates the season with ice sculptures, winter sports, and more.

Art lovers should head to Grand Rapids, Michigan, from Jan. 10 to March 2 to check out the World of Winter Festival. More than 100 art installations will be on display.

This event has been dubbed the largest winter festival in the Midwest.

The International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado, celebrate all that fluffy white stuff in the Rocky Mountains.

The ski town of Breckenridge seems like a fitting place for a competition based on snow. This year’s event is scheduled for Jan. 20-29.

The Fur Rendezvous winter festival in Anchorage, Alaska, was once scheduled around the time when trappers and miners brought their bounty to town.

The Fur Rondy — the festival’s affectionate nickname — is slated for Feb. 20- March 2. It will include winter sports, fireworks, and a celebration of native culture.

California is known for its warm weather and sandy beaches, but there's also plenty of snowy fun in North Lake Tahoe.

That includes Snowfest, which is scheduled for Feb. 28- March 9. See if you’re brave enough to take a polar plunge in the lake or play snow golf during the festival.

Head to the Midwest for some icy fun at the Meltdown Winter Ice Festival on Jan. 26-27.

The Indiana town of Richmond hosts professional carvers who transform 20,000 pounds of ice into one-of-a-kind sculptures.

Celebrate the greatest show in the snow with the Whitefish Winter Carnival in Whitefish, Montana, Feb. 7-9.

From a disco party to a penguin plunge and more, the Whitefish Winter Carnival has plenty of festive activities to offer.

The Fire & Ice Winterfest is scheduled for Feb. 7-8 in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.

Chill out at the Polar Bear Beer Garden or heat things up at the festival’s chili cook-off. You can also check out the Polar Bear Float on the Portneuf River.

The University of Okoboji Winter Games, started in the 1980s, have evolved to include all kinds of family-friendly winter fun.

The event in Arnolds Park, Iowa, is scheduled for Jan. 23-26 and will include ax throwing, a “human dog sled,” and snowga, a winter version of yoga.

Winter festivals can be a great way to celebrate the season. And unlike an exotic trip to the Caribbean or Europe, you won’t have to wreck your budget to have fun.

Which one will you be visiting?