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Winter in Milwaukee is a season of celebration, where the cold brings people together for creative, family-friendly fun — especially when ice sculptures and winter festivals take center stage.
From live ice carving demonstrations to large-scale sculpture displays, these winter festivals feature some of the best ice sculptures in and around Milwaukee, many within an easy drive of the city.
❄️Looking for even more ways to make the most of winter? Check out our ultimate list of 100 Fun Things to Do in Winter With Kids and start planning your adventures!
Quick Picks: Where to See Ice Sculptures Near Milwaukee
Short on time? These winter festivals are the best bets for ice sculptures around Milwaukee.
- Best overall ice sculpture festival: West Bend Winter Warm-Up (55+ sculptures downtown)
- Best large-scale snow & ice event: Lake Geneva Winterfest (national snow sculpting teams)
- Best free, family-friendly option: Cool Fool Kite Festival (live ice carving)
- Best mix of winter activities + ice carving: Cedarburg’s Winter Festival
- Best multi-day winter celebration: Waukesha Janboree
What Kind of Ice Sculptures Will You See?
Not all ice sculpture events are the same. Depending on the festival, you may see:
- Live ice carving demonstrations (artists carving blocks on site)
- Themed ice sculptures lining downtown streets
- Large competitive snow sculptures created over multiple days
- Interactive winter displays paired with festivals, food, and music
Large Ice Sculpture Displays & Signature Festivals
Lake Geneva Winterfest (Free!)
When: January 28 – February 1 | Where: Riviera Plaza & Flat Iron Park, Lake Geneva
Watch 15 teams compete in America’s Snow Sculpting Invitational. Celebrate with bonfires, live entertainment, and special activities in Lake Geneva.
West Bend Winter Warm-Up (Free!)
When: January 16 – January 17 | Where: Downtown West Bend
West Bend Winter Warm-Up
Downtown West Bend transforms into a winter wonderland during the annual Winter Warm-Up! This free, family-friendly festival features over 55 stunning ice sculptures lining the streets and Riverwalk, with a live ice sculpture demo at Old Settlers Park on Saturday at 11 a.m. Don’t miss the enchanting Luminary Walk on Saturday evening at Lac Lawrann Conservancy. Families can also enjoy free screenings of Ice Age 2 at The Bend Theater, shopping promotions, and unique festive drinks from local bars and restaurants as part of the Polar Express. For more details, visit downtownwestbend.com/west-bend-winter-warm-up.html.
Festivals with Live Ice Carving & Downtown Events
Cool Fool Kite Festival (Free!)
When: January 1, 2026 (11 AM – 5 PM | Where: Veterans Park, Milwaukee
Kick off the year with colorful kites and family fun at the annual Cool Fool Kite Festival at Veterans Park! Enjoy free hot cocoa, snacks, giant kites, and live ice carving. Bring your own kite or buy one from the Gift of Wings store.
Winter Festival in Cedarburg
When: February 21 – 22 | Where: Downtown Cedarburg
This classic festival features ice sculpting, bed races, food trucks, a soup contest, a chili competition, and a pancake breakfast. Don’t miss outdoor fun like iceberg golf and the dog pull contest!
DelaFREEZE (Free!)
When: January 10, 10 AM – 3 PM | Where: Downtown Delafield
Watch ice carvers create stunning sculptures, ice skate, and warm up with hot cocoa or a Bloody Mary at the ice bar. Families can enjoy crafts and scavenger hunts at the Delafield Public Library.
Waukesha Janboree (Free!)
When: January 16 – 25 | Where: Various Locations in Waukesha
This 10-day celebration features ice sculpting, lumberjack shows, indoor skating, a Frosty 5K, planetarium shows, and more. Some activities require registration.
Neighborhood & Nature-Based Winter Festivals
West Allis Winter Week
When: January 18 – 24 | Where: Various Locations in West Allis
This week-long event includes scavenger hunts, trivia nights, a soup crawl, and a Taylor Swift-inspired party. Perfect for families or date nights, there’s something for everyone!
Winterfest in New Berlin (Free!)
When: January 10 (3 PM – 7 PM) | Where: Malone Park
Enjoy snowman-building contests, snow kickball, skating, sledding, candlelight hikes, and more. Warm up with s’mores by the fire and visit food trucks and the winter beer garden.
Snow Daze Festival
When: January 24, 1 PM – 3 PM | Where: Downtown Kenosha
Ride the electric streetcar, ice skate, and marvel at ice sculptures downtown and in Veterans Memorial Park. Warm up by the fire pits with s’mores.
If you’re looking for more places to glide this winter, check out our guide to the Best Places to Ice Skate Around Milwaukee.
Urban Ecology Center Winterfest (Free!)
When: February 7 (10 AM – 2 PM | Where: Washington Park, Milwaukee
Celebrate the reopening of the Washington Park branch with sledding, carriage rides, winter hikes, and more. Warm up by the campfire with drinks and enjoy this free, community-centered event.
Winter Break Milwaukee
Bradford Beach:
Havenwoods State Forest: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Free!
Embrace the season at Winter Break Milwaukee, a free family-friendly winter festival that’s all about enjoying the great outdoors, no matter the weather. Highlights typically include fat tire bike rides with Wheel & Sprocket, winter surfing lessons from High 5 Surfing, nordic walking, and dog sled demonstrations. Families can also enjoy tea-tasting classes with Tootsies Teas, a cold dip challenge, free hot cocoa, and cozy bonfires with s’mores. Snowy conditions unlock even more fun, like snowshoeing and snow sculpting competitions.
Flannelpalooza
Celebrate National Flannel Day at Flannelpalooza on Saturday, Feb. 7, on Harwood Avenue in Wauwatosa. Enjoy axe throwing, ice carving, a beard contest, a pub crawl, local food, drinks, vendors, and more.
Event highlights include:
- Best Dressed Dog Contest: 12 p.m.
- Ice Carving Demo: 1–2:30 p.m.
- Beard Contest: 2:30 p.m.
Winter Carnival at the Lynden Sculpture Garden
When: January 25th | Where: 2145 W. Brown Deer Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53217
Lynden welcomes winter with a day of outdoor art-making, scavenger hunts, tree-walks, workshops, and whatever other winter activities the weather permits – ice skating, painting the pond, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and more!
TBD for 2026
- Mequon Nature Preserve Winter Frolic
Enjoy sleigh rides, s’mores, and snowshoeing while exploring the preserve. - Boerner Botanical Gardens Winterfest
Take a guided winter walk and enjoy cozy indoor activities at this family-friendly event. - Winterfest in Lisbon
- Canceled for 2026: Lake Geneva Ice Castles / Winter Realms
More Winter Fun Activities
Want more winter adventure ideas? Find the best sledding hills around Milwaukee and explore our list of the Best Places to Go Snowshoeing Around Milwaukee.
In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.
