2026 Winter Fun Guide in the Madison Area

Upcoming winter festivals and places to play, hike, and explore with your family

Winter Fun in the Madison Area

Snow, cold temps, and the occasional school closure mean winter is officially here in the Madison area. To help you make the most of it, we’ve rounded up winter festivals, free and low-cost outdoor adventures, and plenty of indoor events and activities to keep kids busy all season long.

We’ll continue updating this guide as new events pop up so check back often! And if you’re not sure what to do or need ideas for your family, just ask. We know the Madison area and are always happy to share personalized (and free!) recommendations.

**If you’re specifically looking for ways to burn energy indoors, be sure to check out our Indoor Play Guide as well.

Plus, see our cool-weather ideas and experience gift guide for more ideas.

Winter Festivals

Don't worry about getting dehydrated or sunburned, or eating too much fried food at any of these fun winter celebrations.

Lake Mills Knickerbocker Ice Festival 2/6-2/8 with winter sports competitions and games, sculptures, and tons of food and drinks.
Sun Prairie Frozen Fest 1/28-2/2: A full week with kids open gym, puzzle contest, cabin fever contest, craft market, 5k, and more.
Lake Geneva Winter Fest 1/28-2/1: Snow sculptures, beach bonfires, entertainment and other games by the lake
Madison Frozen Assets Festival 2/7: See figure skating, dance, and science demonstrations. Festival goers can also enjoy free hot chocolate and more!
Madison Winter Carnival (UW), 2/6-9: The whole week is full of fun, including skate nights, games, crafts, and the special family fun day Saturday, 10 with more crafts, a scavenger hunt, Bucky, FIREWORKS and more

Outdoor Play/Adventures

See our friends at Playful Acorns, Naturing in Madison, Nature Net, and Dane County Parks, for ideas and activities outside all year.
Candlelight hikes: Enjoy the beauty of winter at night and stay warm with a candlelight hike and fire - often with s'mores, hot drinks, and other treats. More likely to come, but for now check out:
- Aldo Leopold Nature Center - 1/10/2026
- Silverwood Park - 1/17/2026
- Warner Park - 1/17/2026
- Blue Mounds State Park - 2/7/2026
- Mirror Lake - 2/7/2026
- Castle Creek Conservancy - 2/14/2026
- MacKenzie Center - 2/20/2026
- Sunday afternoon family walks at the UW Arboretum
Groove and glide, Fridays at a rotating list of Madison parks 1/23-2/13: Ice skate (with some free rentals) with music and games.
Ice skating - you can skate outdoors at Madison parks (Elver, Tenney, and Vilas are personal favorites) or at other rinks with concessions at the Edgewater (see special event nights with favorite characters and themes).

Indoor Adventures/Outings

Ice Cream for Breakfast Day 2/7: The Chocolate Shoppe locations around Madison are open early (8am) for ice cream donuts and waffles, with all kinds of fun toppings. One of our kids favorite mornings of the year!
Warner Park Family Night, the second Friday of each month. Arts, crafts, a movie, and lots of space and games to run around in their gym. Just $5 per family!
Kid-friendly performances
- Kids in the Rotunda each Saturday at Overture has FREE performances at 3 convenient times
- One of our favorite kid singers, David Landau, does Monday shows at the Harmony Bar (plus we love the walnut burger)
Indoor Ice Skating - too cold for outside? You can skate at indoor ice arenas in Verona, Madison, on the UW campus
Indoor gyms: stay active at some of our favorite places like Play N Wisconsin, Wisco Kidz, and The Little Gym of Middleton (and now Sun Prairie)
Warm pool swim - stay summer ready and enjoy
- Lapham Open Swim - the warm pool is managed by MSCR, you can bring toys/floaties or use the ones they have on Fridays from 4-730 pm.
- East High School - Tuesdays from 4:15pm-5:45pm.
- Goldfish Family Swim in Fitchburg has family swims during the week and on Saturdays for $5/person up to $15 for a family.
Kid movie series at Marcus Movies. Sure we've got streaming at home, but they offer a cheap outing to relax and see something on a big screen!
Olbrich's Orchid Escape, through 3/8/2026. In the tropical Bolz Conservatory, featuring hundreds of orchids including specimen from Olbrich's collection.