New Hampshire’s 10 most magical winter festivals
Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year at these magical New Hampshire winter festivals featuring sleigh rides, ice sculptures, hot cocoa, and much more.
With snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, and local businesses decked out with holiday decor galore, New Hampshire is the ultimate winter wonderland. All throughout the Granite State, there are festivals that celebrate the winter season with food, drinks, and fun festivities.
Keep reading to discover the best winter festivals in New Hampshire.
1. Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour
Date: Rides begin Nov. 22 and continue every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 21.
Location: Nestlenook Farm, 70 Dinsmore Rd., Jackson
Nothing screams wintertime fun like a cozy horse-drawn sleigh ride, which is one of the highlights of the Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour. After checking in at the Christmas Candy Land-themed welcome center—where you’ll find tables displaying chocolate treats crafted by local businesses, such as truffles, tortes, and cookies—you’ll embark on a sleigh ride through the trails at Nestlenook Farm. After the ride is over, you can warm up by the fire and make s’mores before heading home with a festive bag filled with any uneaten chocolates.
Tickets for this event cost $45 for riders who are three years old or older.
2. Gift of Lights
Date: Nov. 27 through Jan. 4
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1122 Route 106 N., Loudon
Load the car with snacks, turn up the holiday tunes, and head to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for a dazzling holiday light show. Gift of Lights kicks off on Nov. 27 and features about three million twinkling lights. The two-mile course takes about 45 minutes to drive through and takes visitors through glowing tunnels and past festive displays of holiday scenes and characters, ranging from “nine ladies dancing” and “10 lords a-leaping” to Santa Claus in a race car and wrapped gifts.
Tickets go on sale on Nov. 10 and start at $25 per car during the event’s flash sale before increasing to $35 per car.
3. Christmas in Bethlehem
Date: Dec. 6
Location: Downtown Bethlehem
Getting in the holiday spirit is easy at Christmas in Bethlehem, an annual festival held in downtown Bethlehem, which transforms into a true winter wonderland for the event. This free festival features plenty of holiday-themed activities and attractions, including appearances by Santa Claus and the Grinch, crafting workshops, including one for ornament painting, a parade with floats and vehicles decorated with Christmas lights, live music, and a fireworks show over the White Mountains.
4. Ice Castles
Date: Ice Castles typically opens in January and runs through late February or early March, though exact opening and closing dates vary depending on the weather.
Location: 24 Clark Farm Rd., North Woodstock
Embark on an icy adventure at Ice Castles’ New Hampshire location, where you can race down ice slides, explore ice caves, meander through an ice maze, crawl through frozen tunnels, tube down a snowy hill, take a sleigh ride, or stroll through a forest illuminated by festive lights. Other attractions include an ice bar where you can imbibe winter-themed alcoholic drinks, an arctic alcove located within a castle, and a winter fairy village.
Tickets for Ice Castles New Hampshire go on sale on Dec. 2.
5. Concord NH Winter Fest
Date: Jan. 24
Location: Main St., Downtown Concord
The main attraction at the Concord NH Winter Fest is an ice-carving competition featuring some of the area’s top sculptors. After the competition, celebrating its eighth year in 2026, attendees can sample fare from a variety of food trucks. There will also be an ice bar hosted by events venue Arts Alley—a new addition to the festival schedule for 2026.
In years past, sculptors have created icy masterpieces portraying everything from animals, such as a koala bear and a wolf, to iconic characters like Mickey Mouse. If you want to get a sneak peek at the sculptures before the festival, head to the State House on Jan. 23 between 3 pm and 9 pm to watch as they’re carved live.
6. Keene Ice & Snow Festival
Date: Feb. 7
Location: Central Square, Keene
Professional ice carvers will also take the stage at the 23rd annual Keene Ice & Snow Festival on Feb. 7. This family friendly festival will also feature other fun activities and attractions, such as an ice art exhibit, pony and train rides for the kids, hot cocoa stations, circus performers, a scavenger hunt, and s’mores.
Previous festivals have featured sculptures of TV and movie characters, such as minions and SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as animals, including giraffes, dragons, and butterflies, to name just a few.
7. Newport Winter Carnival
Date: Feb. 11-15
Location: 65 Belknap Ave., Newport
Every year for more than a century, Newport transforms into a winter wonderland for its annual winter carnival, which it claims is the oldest continuous winter carnival in the U.S. This February marks the 110th annual Newport Winter Carnival, with a patriotic theme of Red, White & Brr to tie into the country’s upcoming 250th birthday.
At the time of writing, not many details other than the theme of 2026’s event have been released, but 2025’s celebration featured a packed schedule with fun for the whole family. Activities and attractions included a parade during the opening ceremony, a midnight ice skating party, a macaroni and cheese cookoff, and horse-drawn wagon rides.
Protectworth Brewery confirmed it will be in charge of the commemorative beer for the 2026 event.
8. Squam Lakes Winterfest
Date: Feb. 14
Location: Squam Lakes Association, 534 US RT 3, Holderness
No Valentine’s Day plans? No problem. Grab a friend or family member and head to Squam Lakes Winterfest on Feb. 14 for a day of wintertime fun. This free event has something for everyone, including sledding, ice skating, and mini golf. There will also be fire pits to gather around and, in keeping with Squam Lakes’ mission, educational demonstrations about conservationism and other environmental topics.
If you need a break from the cold, head inside to warm up with a mug of hot cocoa or a bowl of chili from various local restaurants participating in the festival’s chili cookoff.
9. Alton Bay Winter Carnival
Date: Feb. 15
Location: Alton Bay
The Alton Bay Winter Carnival is coming back in 2026 after being canceled in 2025 due to a severe storm. Details for the event are still forthcoming, but previous carnivals have included plenty of fun on and off the ice, including a bob house decorating contest, sleigh rides, ice skating, an ice sculpture demonstration, a parade, a chowder contest, a beer and chili bar, live music, and plenty of food vendors.
10. Inn-to-Inn Chocolate Festival
Date: Feb. 22
Location: 279 NH Route 16-302, Intervale
Chocolate lovers, mark your calendars for the 36th annual Inn-to-Inn Chocolate Festival on Feb. 22. Dubbed the “sweetest day on the trails,” chocoholics are invited to cross country ski or snowshoe Mt. Washington Valley’s network of trails, stopping for sweet treats prepared by local businesses along the way. For those wanting to indulge further, you can present your ticket at other participating local businesses after your skiing or snowshoeing session for additional special offers.
The list of participating businesses and the treats they’ll serve at the 2026 event hasn’t been released yet, but some items offered at the 2025 festival included chocolate truffles with maple liqueur, double chocolate hot chocolate, pudding shots served in chocolate shot glasses, and brown butter chocolate chunk cookies.
Tickets for the 2026 event are expected to go on sale on Dec. 1.
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