Ohio Winter Festivals
The festival season continues even during the winter months in Ohio. So bundle up Ohio! Time to get out and enjoy one or all of these traditional Ohio winter festivals and events.
2025 EVENT DATES
JANUARY
CANTON FIRST FRIDAY – Have An Ice
Stark County NE OH
Date: January 3, 2025
Time: 5pm-9pm
Location: Canton Centennial Plaza
330 Court Ave. NW, Canton, OH
Facebook event.
First Friday is a walkable celebration of the arts, incorporating galleries, shopping, and dining in Downtown Canton alongside lively entertainment at the Hall of Fame Centennial Plaza.
WILD LIGHTS WEEKEND
Wood County NW OH
Dates: January 10-12. 2025
Workshop – January 8th
Time: 5 to 8pm.
Location: W.W. Knight Nature Preserve
29530 White Road, Perrysburg, OH 43551
wcparks.org
Stroll the illuminated forest at night. Warm up with hot chocolate and activities inside of the nature center during the event courtesy of the Friends of the Parks.
MOHICAN WINTER FEST
Ashland County NE OH
DATE: January 10-12, 2025
TIME: 8am-5pm
LOCATION: Main Street, Loudonville, Ohio
Weather permitting, the sponsored sculptures will be placed along Main Street around 5 p.m. Friday evening and will remain in place throughout the weekend. If the weather is too warm or rainy, the sculptures may go up Saturday morning instead.
For more information loudonvillechamber.com
SECOND SATURDAY WINTER CARNIVAL
Champaign County SW OH
DATE: January 11, 2025
TIME: 11am-4pm
LOCATION: Downtown Urbana
visitchampaignohio.com
“CHILLOUGHBY” WINTER FESTIVAL
Lake County NE OH
Date: January 11. 2025
Time: 4pm-7pm
Location: West Point Park, Willoughby, OH
Facebook event page.
WINTER ICE FESTIVAL
Franklin County – Central OH
Dates: January 16-18, 2025
Location: Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH
fpconservatory.org
The Franklin Park Conservatory is excited to announce its inaugural Winter Ice Festival on January 17 and 18. The Conservatory will close at 4 PM to prepare for these special evening events. Highlighting the festival will be “Fire & Ice,” an ice carving competition from 6:30 PM to 8 PM, featuring professional ice carvers from Rock-on-Ice. Guests are encouraged to cheer for their favorite carver as they compete for bragging rights!
During the festival, guests can enjoy ice skating each night from 5 PM to 9 PM on our Super Games synthetic ice rink. Skates will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own! Capture fun moments in a sculpted ice frame and warm up with hot beverages and food from on-site food trucks. You can also grab an adult beverage at the Watershed bar or try a refreshing Kona Ice. Weather permitting, there may even be some snow for you to play in. If you start to feel chilly, step indoors to enjoy the warm tropical oasis created by our annual Orchid exhibition. Kids can also join in on winter crafts and games in the Grand Atrium.
Enjoy some of the Family Fun events happening during this festival:
Frozen Sisters
Watch the frozen sisters perform on ice, followed by a meet & greet with opportunities to get your picture taken with this famous duo.
Saturday, January 18, 2025; performances at 11am & 2pm
Ohio Wildlife Center
School’s Out! Come and do a winter animal craft, then at 11am & 12:30pm meet the wild Animal Ambassadors from the Ohio Wildlife Center. During these thirty minute presentations, you can learn about OWC’s efforts to help and protect our native wildlife. Animals vary but may include native Ohio mammals, reptiles and birds.
Monday, January 20, 2025; 10am – 2pm
Public ice skating will be available on Sunday, January 19, and Monday, January 20, 2025, from 11 AM to 4 PM as part of general admission.
Additionally, be sure not to miss our “Cocktails at the Conservatory: Fire & Ice” event, which will kick off the Conservatory’s first annual Ice Festival! This adult-only event will take place on January 16 from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, providing access to the Conservatory’s winter-themed grounds and indoor exhibits, along with desserts, ice wine, and cocktail samples from local vendors.
MARIETTA ICE FESTIVAL
Washington County – SE OH
DATE: January 18, 2025
TIME: Noon – 6pm
LOCATION: Historic Downtown Marietta, OH
mariettamainstreet.org
FIRE & ICE WALK – Lorain County Metroparks
Lorain County NE OH
Date: January 18, 2025
Location: Vermilion River Reservation – Mill Hollow
Carriage Barn Meeting Room
51211 North Ridge Rd., Vermilion, OH 44089
Limited tickets. Pre-registration required.
loraincountymetroparks.com
Enjoy ice sculptures and ice carving demos, relax & roast S’mores (while supplies last) at fire pits, visit with sled dogs & Frozen characters, and more. Local food vendors will be selling concessions.
ANNUAL LOGAN FROZEN FESTIVAL
Hocking Hills – SW OH
Date: January 18, 2025
Location: Main Street, Logan, OH 43138
740-385-2750 | website
59TH ANNUAL HOCKING HILLS WINTER HIKE
Date: January 18, 2025
Location: St. Rt. 664 S, Logan, OH 43138
website
Enjoy winter’s splendor on this 6-mile trek from Old Man’s Cave to Ash Cave. Layered clothing and good footwear recommended. Continuous starts from 9-11a.m. Logan Kiwanis Club famous bean soup and cornbread muffins are served at Cedar Falls (donations appreciated). A shuttle bus returns hikers to Old Man’s Cave parking area.
MENTOR “CHILL-OUT” WINTERFEST
Lake County NE OH
Date: January 18, 2025
Time: 11am-6pm
Location: Mentor Civic Center Park
cityofmentor.com
WICKLIFFE WINTERFEST
Lake County NE OH
Date: January 18, 2025
Time: 1pm-4pm
Location: 29150 Ridge Road, Wickliffe OH 44092
Chili Cook-off, free hot dogs, hot chocolate and snacks. Hay wagon rides, games and activities.
FARMPARK ICE FESTIVAL
Lake County NE OH
DATES: January 24-25, 2025
TIMES: Jan 24th 5:30pm – 8pm | Jan 25th 9am-5pm
LOCATION: Lake Metroparks Farmpark
8800 Euclid ChardonRd. (Rt. 6), Kirtland, OH
Farmpark admission applies
website
Press release:
Shake the winter blues that fall upon Ohioans every January at the Ice Festival at Lake Metroparks Farmpark on January 24 & 25. Whether you’ve been longing for a winter outing with friends and family or looking to savor some delicious smores, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at this seasonal celebration.
The Farmpark Ice Festival kicks off Friday night with the unveiling of various ice sculptures (including Olaf, Super Mario and Yoda) and an ice carving demonstration. The night ends with a battle between fire and ice! On Saturday, come witness some of the best ice carvers from around the country take part in a speed carving competition. Visitors can also snap pictures with themed ice creations, including a “minion” ice chair and SpongeBob SquarePants’ house. Watch ice carvers sculpt a tractor, a rooster and more plus take a ride down the ice slide. Then sit by a fire pit and warm up with hot cocoa and s’mores (additional charge). Plus, many other winter-themed family fun activities.
“This event is great because it’s always different,” says Farmpark Events Manager Andy McGovern. “Seeing all the kids, they’re so happy when they see the carving, they’re squealing, and seeing the look in their eyes when they’re staring at the fire, it’s really cool. This is a great family-friendly event for all ages.”
Ice Festival takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on January 24 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 25 and is included in Farmpark admission ($7– $9). Farmpark members, children younger than two and active military and their families receive free admission.
Learn more at https://goto.lakemetroparks.com/ice-festival.
CROCKER PARK ICE FESTIVAL
Cuyahoga County NE OH
Dates: January 24-26, 2025
Times: Fri: 5:00pm-9:00pm
Sat: 10:00am-9:00pm | Sun: 11:00am-6:00pm.
Location: Crocker Park
177 Market St., Westlake, OH
crockerpark.com
BUCKEYE LAKE WINTERFEST
Licking County – Central OH
Date: January 25, 2025
Location: North Shore Boat Ramp
Buckeye Lake State Park, Buckeye Lake, Ohio 43008
website
SNOW DAY
Portage County – NE OH
Date: January 25, 2025
Time: Noon – 6pm
Location: Hometown Bank Plaza, Downtown Kent, OH
mainstreetkent.org/snow-day
“Join us (Main Street Kent) on Saturday, January 25th from 12-6pm for our family-friendly Snow Day! event. We are thrilled to bring you live music at the Hometown Bank Plaza, fire pits, free s’mores, ice carving demonstration at Dan Smith Community Park, free crafts with Kent Parks & Rec and the Portage Parks District and fun activities and specials at our local businesses!”
FEBRUARY
GENEVA WINTERFEST
Ashtabula County NE OH
Date: February 1, 2025
Location: Downtown Geneva, Ohio
visitgenevaoh.com
ICE-A-FAIR
DATE: February 1, 2025
TIME: 11am-7pm
LOCATION: Downtown (Liberty Ave & Main St) Vermillion
440.963.0772
Admission: FREE
website
Press release:
The Most Magical, Small Town. Ice -A -Fair. Celebrating 16 years!
Vermilion, OH— Bundle up and enjoy the magic of Winter at Main Street Vermilion’s Ice A Fair, returning Saturday, February 1st with the support of Shores and Islands Ohio and the local business community throughout historic, walkable downtown Vermilion.
Celebrating its 16th year, Ice A Fair fun starts at 11AM. The event features beautiful ice sculptures created by Elegant Ice Creations, Cleveland’s top ice sculptors. But that’s not all. Enjoy narrated trolley tours of Vermilion’s historic district, shopping, and dining.
Want to see how it’s done? Watch ice craving demonstrations throughout the day.
“Main Street Vermilion is excited to celebrate 16 years of bringing this event to the heart of downtown Vermilion,” says Kate Repola, Executive Director of Main Street Vermilion. “Our small town, nestled on the shore of Lake Erie, transforms into a vibrant Ice-A-Fair, offering fun and excitement for the whole family to enjoy.”
Back by popular demand is the Kids Frozen Play Space. Made possible by generous donations from The DORN Foundation, Vermilion Booster Club, Vermilion Teachers Association and downtown merchants, it features an Ice Slide, giant climbable dinosaur and other games. Kids really have the best view of the action aboard a train ride – that snakes in and out of the action throughout the day.
Feeling Lucky? Stop by the Welcome and Information Center located in Main Street Vermilion, 685 Main Street and check out a collection of raffle baskets and items like Guardians tickets, 6 months of car washes from Liberty Auto Wash and more! You may have to don your gloves if you are the lucky winner of $1000 in Cold Hard Cash, ten $100 bills frozen in a block of ice.
At 6 pm, learn what happens when you add fire to a giant, skillfully carved chimney of ice. Will the fire that burns inside topple the ice or will the melting ice douse the flames? Enjoy the suspense, beauty, and spectacular fire dancing performance all set to music for this traditional finale to the day’s events.
Complete information and schedules can be found at mainstreetvermilion.org or follow Main Street Vermilion on Facebook or Instagram for updates as well.
MEDINA ICE FESTIVAL
DATES: February 14-17, 2025 (President’s Day Weekend)
LOCATION: Downtown Medina, OH
Admission: FREE. Parking: Free around town.
website
Enjoy four days of frozen fun as one of Medina’s favorite events returns to the historic Medina Square. Over 50 sponsored carvings will be on view starting Friday afternoon and through Monday afternoon.
Each day, more works of frozen art are added to the Square during the competitions. Visit during the day and see the carving take place. Visit during the night, and see each sculpture illuminated with multi-colored LED lights. It’s a magical time to walk through the Square.
To read more about our visit to the Square – click here.
Local Visitor Bureau
Medina County Convention and Visitors Bureau
PERRYSBURG WINTERFEST
Wood County NE OH
DATES: February 21-22, 2025
LOCATION: Downtown Perrysburg
Louisiana Ave. at Front Street, Perrysburg, OH 43551
downtownperrysburg.org/winterfest
BRITE WINTER
Cuyahoga County NE OH
DATE: February 22, 2025
TIME: 3PM-1AM
NEW LOCATION: East Bank of the Flats
Collision Bend – 1250 Old River Road, Cleveland, OH
website
“Returning for its 16th year, the event will take place on the East Bank of the Flats and expand its musical footprint to accommodate three outdoor stages and two indoor areas. Presale tickets are available for $10 through December 31, 2024, advanced tickets will increase to $12 in 2025, and general admission tickets will be available for $17 on the day of the event. Kids under age 12 get in free.”
BURNING SNOWMAN FEST
Ottawa County NW-OH
DATE: February 22, 2025
TIME:
LOCATION: Dock’s Beach House & Mr. Ed’s, 252 W. Lakeshore Dr. (SR 163), Port Clinton
317.694.8566 | facebook.com/burningsnowman
Say goodbye to winter with the burning of a giant snowman. Enjoy live entertainment and craft beers. All proceeds go to charity. Follow the Facebook page for entertainment line-up and activities.
Local Visitor Bureau Shores & Islands Ohio
MARCH
KURENROVANJE CLEVELAND – Parade and Festival
Date: March 1, 2025
Location: Cleveland, OH
website
Free and open to the public.
Kurentovanje (koo-rahn-toh-VAHN-yay) is the most popular carnival event in Slovenia and the central figure of the carnival, the Kurent, is believed to chase away winter and usher in spring.
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Article and photos, unless noted by: Diane, MyOhioFun.com
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