We love our festivals in Minnesota and the change in seasons doesn’t stop us from getting together for fun community celebrations. Add some joy into your winter by attending these area Winter Festivals showcasing the magic of winter with snow, ice, lights, parades, music, fireworks, and more! Festivals are listed below in chronological order.
Bold & Cold | Owatonna
January 19-25, 2026
Owatonna’s Bold & Cold festival is designed to highlight the magic and fun of winter! With snowshoeing, skating events, luminary hikes, winter walks, and some indoor activities like family swimming and pool BINGO to warm up, this fun family event is perfect for all ages.
Pine Island Winter Fest | Pine Island
Saturday January 31, 2026
Pine Island hosts their annual winter community celebration this year on January 31. Cheer on participants in the cardboard sled race, spin around the ice rink, listen to live music while enjoying BBQ, play family BINGO, and ski/snowshoe/walk on the luminary trail. Stay for the soup & chili feed and bonfire!
Social-ICE | Rochester
February 6-7, 2026
Social-Ice lights up downtown Rochester with illuminated ice sculptures, live music and DJs, ice bars with themed drinks, fire pits, photo booths and photo opps, FAM JAM event for families, and more! Check out our post for Everything You Need to Know About Social-ICE
Winterfest | Stillwater
February 15- 23, 2026
Stillwater’s Winterfest may be slightly out of the local area, but is worth the drive. This picturesque riverside town hosts an epic winter festival every year. This year’s Winterfest will feature live music all day & night, bean bags tournaments, winter market, kids activities, cassarole cookoff, fireworks display, and a whole lot more!
Sleigh & Cutter Festival | Waseca
January & February 2026
Visit the nation’s longest-running sleigh & cutter festival! With ice sculpting, dinner, dance, sleigh & cutter parade, kite show, and more, this is plenty of wintertime fun to enjoy! Events are scattered across weekends throughout January and February, giving many opportunities to join in the fun!
Grumpy Old Men Festival | Wabasha
February 27-28, 2026
Wabasha is the home of Grumpy Old Men. That’s right– the iconic movies were filmed right here in Wabasha, MN! To celebrate this legacy, Wabasha hosts their Grumpy Old Men Festival each year. Featuring live music, Plaid Out Your Ride lighted ATV/UTV parade, an ice fishing tournament, a beer garden, a curling tournament, a cribbage tournament, the legendary Grumpy Plunge, and more, this unique event is one you won’t want to miss!
