Grab a warm coat and your calendar. These are the 9 winter festivals in New York you won’t want to miss.
Winter in New York can feel endless, but the state’s festival calendar gives you plenty to look forward to. In Saranac Lake, crews build an actual palace out of ice. In Lake George, people race outhouses on a frozen lake. Skaneateles fills its streets with Victorian-era characters, and in New York City, the Rockettes high-kick their way through the holidays.
Whether you’re after twinkling lights, a hot chocolate bar, or an excuse to watch a frying pan toss, there is a winter festival for you. From late fall through early March, here are the best winter festivals happening across New York. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Winter Village at Bryant Park
Winter Village at Bryant Park is more of a seasonal hangout than a festival, but we couldn’t leave it off our list.
The main draw is a huge ice rink (about 17,000 square feet) where skating is free if you bring your own skates (rentals are available if you don’t). You can also catch skating shows and special events throughout the season.
Around the rink, a European-style outdoor market fills the iconic park with kiosks designed to resemble jewel boxes. Wander through, and you’ll find handmade goods, specialty foods, and gifts from artisans in New York and beyond. It’s a great spot to get some holiday shopping done.
Date: Oct. 28 through Feb. 28 (ice skating), Oct. 28 through Jan. 3 (holiday shops)
Location: Bryant Park, New York
2. Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Kick off the winter season with the world-famous Radio City Rockettes. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a dazzling stage show packed into 90 minutes, with 10 Rockettes numbers, including a brand-new tap routine this year.
Date: Daily from Nov. 4 through Jan. 4 (except Nov. 9 and 16)
Location: Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, New York
3. Dickens Christmas
Every weekend from late November through December, Skaneateles turns into a Dickens novel. During Dickens Christmas, Charles Dickens strolls the sidewalks, along with Father Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge, and other costumed characters, while musicians and carolers keep the streets humming.
The 2026 schedule isn’t out yet, but past festivals have featured a Christmas parade, a snowman-building contest, trunk shows, story time with Mother Goose, and horse-drawn wagon rides.
Date: Nov. 27, 28, and 29; Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, and 24
Location: Skaneateles
4. Fairgrounds Festival of Lights
If you want your holiday season to glow, head to Hamburg. Fairgrounds Festival of Lights is Western New York’s biggest holiday light show, with more than 70 displays, including glittering tunnels and arches you can walk (or drive) through.
On select nights, the experience gets even more festive, with a visit from Santa, train rides, live animals, festive crafts, and an animatronic holiday show.
Date: Select dates from Nov. 27 through Dec. 30; tickets go on sale Nov. 16
Location: The Fairgrounds, 5600 McKinley Pkwy., Hamburg
5. Long Lake Winter Carnival
Long Lake Winter Carnival packs a ton of winter fun into one day. There will be a live ice-carving demonstration, cardboard sled races, a ladies’ frying pan toss, a men’s keg toss, and broomball. The day wraps with the coronation of the Winter Carnival royalty and a big fireworks display. Ice skating and sledding are free all day.
Date: Jan. 16
Location: 6 Pavilion Ln., Long Lake
6. Cooperstown Winter Carnival
Think of the Cooperstown Winter Carnival as a good-natured shove against the winter blues. Cooperstown has been hosting this carnival since 1968, and the 2027 event’s theme is “Frozen in Time,” a retro look back at the carnival through the decades.
As usual, the fun is split between indoors and out. Past years have included snow sculpture contests, pancake breakfasts, crafts, ice skating, bowling tournaments, and live music. The 2027 programming will be shared on the event website near the end of 2026.
Date: Feb. 4-7
Location: Multiple venues throughout Cooperstown
7. Lake George Winter Carnival
Now in its 65th year, the Lake George Winter Carnival stretches across five weekends, so you’ve got plenty of chances to catch it. The lineup is full of friendly competitions, including a cook-off, a polar plunge, glacier golf, a pond hockey tournament, outhouse races, and even a dog talent show. There will also be ice skating lessons if you’d like to learn something new.
Not feeling competitive? Cozy up at the hot chocolate bar or sign up for a paint-and-sip session instead.
Date: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Feb. 5 through March 7 (subject to change)
Location: Lake George
8. Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Saranac Lake has been throwing this party since 1897, which makes it one of the oldest winter carnivals in the country. This 2027 carnival’s theme is Wizards and Dragons, so expect a little extra magic.
The star of the show is the Ice Palace, a towering castle built from thousands of blocks of ice. Around it, you’ll find dozens of events and activities packed into 10 days, including fireworks, parades, sledding, Arctic golf, cross-country and downhill ski races, and live music. Bundle up and plan to stay a while because there will be plenty to see and do.
Date: Feb. 5-14
Location: Saranac Lake
9. Syracuse Winterfest
Everyone knows the holidays are all about food, which is why we love Syracuse Winterfest. It’s built around eating and drinking your way through downtown, with a mix of indoor and outdoor fun, live music, and fireworks served on the side.
Last year’s schedule gives you a sense of what to expect: ice skating, a treasure hunt, kids’ activities, and plenty of food and drink events, including cook-offs for chili, chowder, martinis, and sangria, plus a wing walk and a sandwich stroll. Pace yourself, because there will be a lot of sampling to do.
Date: Feb. 11-21
Location: Downtown Syracuse
