4 Magical Winter Festivals to Check Out This February

Festive, frosty, and full of fun!

Winter might be cold, but that doesn’t mean you guys have to hibernate. When it feels like the cold weather has lasted for months, there’s only one thing left to do. Bundle up and celebrate! Because winter festivals bring a special kind of seasonal magic. With twinkling lights, icy art, and snowy adventures, they’re the perfect way to turn chilly days into unforgettable memories.

Ready to start the frosty fun? Grab your coziest layers and check out these incredible winter celebrations!

• Fur Rendezvous (Anchorage, AK)

  Quirky competitions and Alaskan traditions!

  Fur Rendezvous, affectionately known as Fur Rondy, is a lively, 10-day event—and calling it unique would be an understatement. Originally created to keep spirits high during the long, dark winter, it’s now one of Alaska’s most eagerly anticipated celebrations.

  The popular celebration features a number of exciting—and sometimes hilarious—competitions. If you’re a dog lover, don’t miss the thrilling World Championship Sled Dog Races. The exhilarating 26-mile course cuts right through downtown Anchorage. The annual Running of the Reindeer is an Alaskan take on Pamplona’s famous bull run. And the Outhouse Race, well, it’s exactly what it sounds like: teams race decorated, homemade outhouses down the street.

  More traditional activities include ice bowling, snow sculptures, a silent disco, and a fireworks extravaganza.

• Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (Saranac Lake, NY)

  Small town meets big winter fun in the Adirondacks.

  Dating back to 1897, this is one of the longest-running winter festivals in the U.S. And it’s absolutely packed with winter fun! The festival’s highlight is its Ice Palace, a winter wonderland built out of thousands of blocks of ice. The massive fortress has a completely unique design each year but often includes ice furniture, tunnels, mazes, and more. At the end of the carnival, you can watch the slideshow of the year’s festivities—projected onto the Ice Palace’s walls.

  Beyond the palace, Saranac Lake Winter Carnival features other fun winter events. Try your hand at snow rugby or snowflake volleyball, watch—or march in—the parade, or put on your winter party clothes and attend the Snow Ball.

• Steamboat Winter Carnival (Steamboat Springs, CO)

  Count on “Ski Town USA” to have one of the best winter festivals in the country.

  Steamboat Winter Carnival brings its Old West heritage to life with a high-energy celebration of winter sports. But this isn’t your average festival! The ski competitions are only open to kids 14 and under—and get this: they’re pulled by horses. That’s right; they race, slalom, and jump off ramps—all while being towed by horses. Prefer to enter a competition? Bring a helmet and join the Shovel Race, where you sit on a shovel—towed by a galloping horse.

  The fun continues into the night, with fireworks and torchlit skiing. And keep your eyes open for the carnival’s infamous “Lighted Man,” shooting off fireworks from his backpack.

  Only in Colorado, you guys!

• World of Winter Festival (Grand Rapids, MI)

  Who says winter festivals have to revolve around sports? Not Grand Rapids—and their winter celebration proves it!

  The World of Winter—WoW—offers a mix of art and seasonal magic with a stunning open-air art experience. Expect intricate ice sculptures, interactive exhibits, and dazzling light-based art installations from artists around the globe. The best way to see it? Take on the Chilly Challenge, a series of guided walking tours that showcase the festival’s top outdoor art displays.

  But WoW is much more than an art show. Pop-up events such as silent disco parties and ice games keep things fun and interesting. Other activities include painting workshops, sound baths, and even a live performance on an ice piano. Yes, that’s a piano made entirely of ice, you guys!

Winter festivals are the perfect way to find joy in the cold weather. And these four celebrations are among the best in the country!

And to make the most of your frosty fun, ship your winter gear to your final destination with LugLess. No more hauling suitcases full of sweaters through the airport, no more wasted time at the baggage claim. So you can hop off the plane and jump right into your winter celebration!