The 8 most magical winter festivals in Iowa
Iowa’s winters may be cold, but there’s plenty to warm your hands and your heart at these beautiful winter festivals across the state.
The winds are howling across the Hawkeye State, and everyone you know is talking about snow tires and insulated boots. It can only mean one thing: Winter is rolling across Iowa once again. While the cold midwestern winters may have a harsh reputation, Iowans know that all that ice can sparkle like diamonds, and winter can be a magical time of year in the state.
Many of the best ways to enjoy a Hawkeye winter can be done on your own or with family—whenever the mood strikes. After all, activities like making hot chocolate, going for a walk in one of Iowa’s many parks and forests after a snowfall, and sledding don’t need a special occasion to be fun. But for something really special, winter in Iowa is filled with festivals and events across the state. From the chilling, thrilling competition of winter sporting events to cultural events that turn ice into art, there are festivals throughout the season to light up the dark winter months.
So, without further delay, here are some of the most magical winter festivals in Iowa for you to explore this season:
1. Waukee WinterFest
Consider Waukee Winterfest your official kickoff to Iowa winter! On December 5, 2025, Winterfest rolls into Waukee once more, marking the first weekend in December, the holiday season, and the beginning of winter. Expect ice sculpture, hot soup, cozy s’mores, food trucks, caricature artists, mini golf, games, and more. And remember, when the clock strikes 6 pm, Waukee Mayor Courtney Clarke will be lighting the town Christmas tree, with a little help from none other than Santa Claus!
2. Winterfest in Amana Colonies
You may already be familiar with Amana Colonies, formerly a series of interconnected religious communities living communally, now a National Historic Landmark beloved by Iowans and out-of-state visitors. But did you know that every year, Amana Colonies hosts Winterfest? This free, family-friendly festival, held in January, is jam-packed with activities. These include a 5k run, live music, a wine and beer walk, and two Amana Colonies special winter games: the ham-throwing competition and the wreath toss. Be sure to explore the area while you’re there, and check out some of their famous dining and shopping spots!
3. Icestravaganza
Come January 16, downtown Davenport will put on its winter best for its annual winter festival, better known as Icestravaganza! For three days, visitors can enjoy this free, family-friendly event, located at the Freight House and along Bierbeck Drive.
While the delicious food stalls and cozy warming stations are always lovely, it wouldn’t be an Icestravaganza without ice. The highlight of the festival is the display of ice sculptures of all shapes and sizes lit up with LED lights. Be sure to swing by Saturday evening for an “After-Glow Party” complete with a live DJ—keep warm by dancing your socks off!
4. Keokuk Bald Eagle Appreciation Days
While everyone knows bald eagles as a symbol of America, did you know that they’re native to Iowa? That’s just one of the things to celebrate at Keokuk Bald Eagle Appreciation Days, which will celebrate its 42nd year on January 17, 2026. Visitors at the event can expect shows featuring eagles and other birds of prey, Native American displays, a vendors market, and even a chance to join a guided eagle-watching trip to try and spot these beautiful birds in the wild.
5. Winter Rec Fest
Worried that staying to avoid the cold winter weather will bring “cabin fever”? In Iowa Falls, they have the perfect remedy for that at their annual Winter Rec Fest! When January 27-28 rolls around, visitors to Winter Rec Fest can try their hands at ice skating on a frozen river, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and warming up with a marshmallow roast and a chili cook-off. Be sure to stay to the end, as the festival always finishes with a stunning fireworks display.
6. University of Okoboji Winter Games
Are you an alum of the University of Okoboji? Or maybe you just listen to the campus radio station, or cheer for the undefeated Fighting Phantoms during football season? Many Iowans will recognize the joke here—the University of Okojobi is a fictional university dreamed up in the 1970s, and referencing it has been an Iowa tradition ever since.
But while the school may be fictional, many aspects of it are entirely real, from the KUOO radio station (which bills itself as the campus station) to the annual University of Okoboji Winter Games. The Games, which will celebrate their 46th year on the last weekend in January of 2026, include broomball, bowling, axe throwing, and “human dog sledding”—not to be confused with the dog show that will also take place! Visitors to the Games can also enjoy something tasty from the chili cook-off or the chocolate competition while listening to some live music!
7. Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival
One of the most picturesque things to watch out for each winter is a crisp, sparkling snowfall, but what if nature’s art met human art? Every year, on the second weekend in February, the City of Dubuque looks to answer that question at the Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival. This family-friendly event at the Dubuque Museum of Art features towering sculptures made of packed and carved snow. Previous prize-winning snow creations have included haunted houses and larger-than-life nature-inspired pieces. If you visit, you can vote for your favorite, or just stroll the festival, enjoying a hot chocolate and taking in the sights!
8. Color the Wind Kite Festival
Look, up in the sky! It’s not a bird or a plane, it’s a kite! Lots of them, in fact. While the winter skies of Iowa are typically varying shades of grey, with a rare bit of blue, for a few days over Clear Lake, you’ll see a full rainbow fluttering in the wind. That’s because of the annual Color the Wind Kite Festival, the largest winter kite festival in the midwest! This event draws kite enthusiasts from across the country, and on February 21, 2026, all are invited to take in the spectacle of kites of all shapes and sizes.
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