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Other stories in "Winter fun"

• North Shore by snowshoe
  In winter, hikers find serenity and stark beauty on trails above Lake Superior.
• Waterfalls by snowshoe
  On a Michigan river, see a kaleidoscope of water and ice.
• Ice capers
  Along rivers and lakes, it's fun to play with Jack Frost.
• Great places to snowshoe
  The key is to get off the beaten path.
• Great winter festivals
  Hop a sleigh or dog sled and enjoy the season.
• Seeking an outdoor hot tub
  It's just the thing on a cold winter day, but only a few resorts and inns have one.
• Ice caves of the Apostles
  Near Cornucopia, people wait for the window into a crystalline world to open.
• Dog days of winter
  Deep in a forest, novice mushers tag along with some huskies.
• Chasing the Beargrease
  On the North Shore, the grueling sled-dog race enthralls onlookers.
• Snow asylum
  In northeast Wisconsin, a family resort stays on top of the heap.
• Staying snug in winter
  With the right clothes, winter is a breeze.
• Playground in the woods
  At Deep Portage, adults take a tip from the kids.
• Itasca in winter
  From cozy hostel, guests ski out the door onto park trails.

The coolest days of winter

Ditch the indoors to watch ski-jumpers, dog-mushers and snow-sculptors.

There's no use hiding from winter — it lasts too long, and eventually that living room will get old.

Many of the tourist spots we love to visit in summer work hard to lure us back when it's cold, offering festivals with lots of fun in the snow, plus bonfires and chili feeds to warm us up afterward.

For a spectacular spectator event, watch the start of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth or international ski-jumpers in Westby, Wis., or Iron Mountain, Mich. To join in yourself, try Madison's Winter Festival or the Gunflint's Winter Tracks.

There are two new festivals this winter, the Volks Ski Fest on Minnesota's North Shore and Chicago's Snow Days in February. Just dress for being outdoors (see Staying snug in winter).

Here are 13 winter festivals and events worth planning a weekend around.

Jan. 17-18, Flake Out Festival in the Wisconsin Dells.  Venture out to see the snow-sculpting competition, ice-carving and fireworks, then retreat to a hot tub at one of the many indoor water parks (see Making waves).

Jan. 22-Feb. 1, St. Paul Winter Carnival. Carvers create glittering ice sculptures in Rice Park, and there are two parades: the Grande Day on Jan. 24 and the Torchlight on Jan. 31.

Jan. 25, John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth. This is the most exciting spectator event of all: the departure of 80 mushers  and 960 howling huskies on a 390-mile race to the Gunflint Trail and back. It's also a lot of fun to volunteer; see Chasing the Beargrease.

Jan. 31-Feb. 8, Volks Ski Fest on the North Shore and Gunflint Trail. There's a candlelight ski from Cascade Lodge Jan. 31, free snowshoe use and guided hikes, sleigh rides, dog-sled rides, music, bonfires and s'mores.

Feb. 4-8, U.S. National Snow Sculpting Championship and Winterfest in Lake Geneva, Wis.: Watch artists shape snow into whimsical shapes or go on a helicopter ride.

Feb. 7-8, Snowflake Ski-Jumping Tournament in Westby, Wis. At the top of a hill that's the equivalent of a 41-story skyscraper, watch jumpers fly by at 55 mph. It no longer attracts many international skiers, but it's still fun to watch because the jump is built onto the side of a coulee, and spectators can climb it and watch from the top. For more, see A jumpin' joint.

Feb. 13-15, Pine Mountain Ski Jumping Tournament in Iron Mountain, Mich. This is where the international jumpers go; it's the only U.S. stop on the Continental Cup circuit in 2009. The jump is even higher here, but spectators watch from the bottom.

Feb. 12-16, Snow Days Chicago in Grant Park. There'll be an international snow-sculpting tournament, snowboarding competition, crafts and storytelling.

Feb. 13-15, Madison Winter Festival. See Capitol Square turn into a sports venue, with cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing plus music, family games and ice and snow sculptures.

Feb. 14, Book Across the Bay between Ashland and Washburn, Wis. Ski or snowshoe across Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay on a 10-kilometer route lined by ice luminaries. If you're not too fast, fireworks will fill the sky as you're approaching Washburn; a bonfire, chili feed and blues music follow.

Feb. 20-22, International Eelpout Festival in Walker, Minn.: It's fun just to wander (or drive) around Leech Lake during this goofy event. Be sure to have some 'pout nuggets, which are as tasty as the fish is ugly. For more, see Home of the eelpout.

Feb. 21-22, Klondike Days in Eagle River, Wis.There's a lot to see: a fur-trade encampment, powwow, dog weight pull, lumberjack show and chainsaw-carving contest, plus snowshoe races and sleigh rides.

Feb. 26-March 2, Winter Tracks Festival on Minnesota's Gunflint Trail. There's always lots of snow here for skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, skijoring and mushing. For the indoors-inclined, there's knitting by the fire.

Last updated on December 31, 2008