Midwest Winter Festivals
A winter wonderland awaits. Bundle up and have some fun!
Art Shanty Projects-Discover whimsical art on a frozen lakes in the heart of the Twin Cities at this unique winter festival. Inspired by pop-up ice fishing villages, artists create a temporary art show in a winter wonderland. No ice fishing, here, just engaging art experiences on Lake Harriet and Bd Uman in Minneapolis. Open weekends January 21-February 12, weather permitting.
Chilly Open-Ever thought of golfing on a frozen lake or flying a kite in the dead of winter? The sky’s the limit on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata for the Chilly Open. The frigid fun starts with SNOWGA (yoga on ice) February 11 at 9am, followed by live music and snow kite rices. Note: tee times for golf are sold out, but anyone can watch.
Delafield DelaFREEZE-Stroll along the charming streets of Delafield and watch ice sculpting in action and join in family friendly activities all afternoon. This event is one day only; January 14 from 10am-3pm. Don’t worry if you can’t make it that day, visit “Wisconsin’s Winter Wonderland” any day of the week, and you’ll feel like you stepped into a Hallmark movie scene. Discover dining domes and more in my travel guide that can easily fill a weekend.
Frozen Assets Festival-The Clean Lakes Alliance of Madison, Wi hosts the free festival on Lake Mendota February 4-5th at The Edgewater Hotel. Family friendly events included a 5K run/walk, pond hockey, ice skating, live music and a lakeside kite show. Each year, the festival raises funds to help educate people about the importance of water conservation and shoreline preservation in order to keep our lakes clean.
Ice Castles-The magnificent Ice Castles opened early this year, due to the cold temperatures here in the Midwest. Explore ice slides and caves after taking a sleigh ride to the castle. Tickets go fast for locations in New Brighton, MN and Lake Geneva, WI. Event dates and hours depend on weather. Dress warm!
Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival-Kite flying fun doesn’t have to take a break in the winter. Come check out this family tradition in the scenic Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis. The action starts at noon on January 28th and runs until 4pm, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council, East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood and Renewal by Anderson.
Minnesota Ice Maze-Find frozen fun for the whole family in the Twin Cities largest ice maze ever! Located in Eagan, this event is open daily from January 6-February 19, weather permitting.
Saint Paul Winter Carnival-A century-long tradition filled with winter fun for the whole family; scavenger hunts, ice fishing tournaments, parades and more. The 137th annual tradition runs January 26-February 5.
The Great Northern Festival-The mission of the Great Northern is to celebrate winter through creative programing that inspires action to protect your changing climate. Catch the resilient spirit of Minnesotans at one of the many events, which kick off with a launch party on January 25 at Surly Brewing Beer Garden in Minneapolis. Events are held at a variety of locations in the Twin Cities through February 5, many of which are listed separately on this page.
US Pond Hockey Championships-In Minnesota, hockey is more than a game, it’s a way of life-all winter long. Registration is open for those who want to play, referee or volunteer. Watch hockey the way nature intended, outdoors on scenic Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, January 19-29. It’s all part of The Great Northern Festival.
More Midwest Winter Fun
If you have a favorite Midwest winter festival or event coming up to share, please do so here in the comments, or send it my way for a chance to be featured in a future story!