Why complain about the weather when you can revel in it? From the mountains of North Carolina to the streets of Quebec, winter festivals offer a feast of frozen delights: snow sculptures, ice palaces, winter—and winterized—sports (think: snow golf and snowshoe softball), along with light shows, fireworks, torchlight parades, and seasonal treats like maple taffy on snow. Sound cool? Check out the 12 festivals that follow to find your personal cure for cabin fever.
Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Saranac Lake, NY
Feb. 3 – 12, 2017
Try snowshoe racing or cross-country skiing; enjoy concerts, dances, and parades; and watch the fireworks over the awesome Ice Palace at this 117-year-old festival. saranaclakewintercarnival.com
Saint Paul Winter Carnival
Saint Paul, MN Jan. 26 - Feb. 5, 2017
Go geocaching and thrill to fireworks, parades, hot-air balloon races, sled dog competitions, and the bouncing team's aerial acrobatics. winter-carnival.com
Fur Rendezvous
Anchorage, AK Feb. 24 - March 5, 2017
Celebrate Alaska's heritage with the Rondy World Champion Sled Dog Race, the Running of the Reindeer, the blanket toss, outhouse races, and the native arts market. furrondy.net
Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival
Steamboat Springs, COFeb. 8 - 12, 2017
Watch ski jumping, cross-country obstacle-racing, and the Dog Dash; compete in shovel and three-legged races; and cheer on the Lighted Man as he sets off fire-works down the slope. steamboat-chamber.com
Lake George Winter Carnival
Lake George, NYEvery Saturday & Sunday in February
This lakeside celebration features beach bonfires, ice-diving demos, hot-air balloon rides, a giant snow slide, kite flying, and chili and chowder cook-offs. lakegeorgewintercarnival.com
Stowe Winter Carnival
Stowe, VT Jan. 14 - 28, 2017
Vermont's best-known ski town goes all out with snow volleyball and golf, youth hockey and snowboard half-pipe competitions, ski racing, fireworks, and a kids' carnival. stowewintercarnival.com
Montreal en Lumiere
Montreal, Quebec Feb. 23 - March 11, 2017
This sprawling urban festival features light shows, guest gourmet chefs, life-size board games, a Ferris wheel, and a massive sled slide plus music, theater, dance, and circus performances. montrealenlumiere.com
Carnaval de Quebec
Quebec City, Quebec Jan. 27 - Feb. 12, 2017
The world's largest winter carnival boasts sleigh rides, snow slides, nighttime parades, an extreme canoe race, an ice palace, and more. carnaval.qc.ca/en
Winterlude
Ottawa, Ontario Feb. 3 – 20, 2017
Skate through downtown on a frozen canal, then check out the illuminated ice sculptures, annual bed race, the hockey classic, and the world's largest snow playground. ottawafestivals.ca/events/winterlude
Snowdown
Durango, CO Feb. 1 – 5, 2017
Activities all over town mark this annual winter blowout, including a parade, costume party, doggie Olympics, waiter/waitress race, and music. snowdown.org
Whitefish Winter Carnival
Whitefish, MT Feb. 3 - 5, 2017
A lake plunge, torchlit parade, horse-towed skiing (ski joring), battle of the bands, and pie social are all part of this kid-friendly fest. whitefishwintercarnival.com
Winterfest
Blowing Rock, NCJan. 26 - 29, 2017
Family-friendly activities abound, including ski and snowboarding lessons, ice carving demos, hayrides, bonfires, kids' games and crafts, and the Polar Plunge. blowingrockwinterfest.com
This piece was accurate at publication time, but all prices, offerings and availabilities are subject to change. Please contact each hotel and attraction for up-to-date rates and information before taking your trip.
Family Fun
