Your Guide to Winter Festivals & Events Happening in Northeastern PA
Winter in Northeastern Pennsylvania may come with colder temperatures, but that doesn’t mean things slow down. The season brings a full lineup of winter festivals, ice festivals, and seasonal winter events happening all across the region. From multi-day downtown ice festivals and community celebrations to slope-side fundraisers and cold-weather competitions, NEPA’s events calendar is packed with plenty of things to do from January through March.
So many of these winter festivals are easy to build into a full weekend or use as a starting point for your NEPA winter bucket list. Spend the day exploring an ice festival before heading to local ski resorts or snow tubing parks, try outdoor winter activities like ice fishing, or mix things up with winter workshops & classes and winter concerts.
Whether you’re planning a family outing or a weekend with friends, Northeastern PA’s events calendar highlights some of the best things to do all season long.
January 16–18 | Scranton, PA
Downtown on Ice takes over downtown Scranton from Friday through Sunday, January 16–18, with activities running at scheduled times throughout the weekend. Highlights include live ice carvings, a downtown scavenger hunt, and entertainment spread throughout the district, making it an easy way to explore the city while enjoying winter-themed attractions.
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January 17 | Pottsville, PA
Schuylkill Winterfest takes place in downtown Pottsville on Saturday, January 17, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The festival features ice sculptors, local vendors, food trucks serving hot seasonal favorites, live entertainment, a beer garden, and a dedicated kids’ corner.
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January 17 | Scranton, PA
ShiverFest takes place in Scranton on Saturday, January 17, launching at 12:00 PM from Parker Street Landing for a non-competitive winter paddle on the Lackawanna River. Paddlers complete a 2.7-mile route to Sweeney’s Beach, with required PFDs, recommended wetsuits, and advance check-in and registration through Lackawanna River Conservation Association.
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January 17 & 18 | Tannersville, PA
Boarding for Breast Cancer takes place at Camelback Mountain in Tannersville on Saturday and Sunday, January 17–18. Saturday features Bingo for a Cause with on-mountain challenges and raffles, while Sunday includes the Tribute Ride & Celebration honoring the breast cancer community, with raffles and a group ride to close the weekend.
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January 24 | Kingston, PA
WinterFest takes place at Nesbitt Park in Kingston on Saturday, January 24, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Families can gather for outdoor winter activities while warming up with free hot chocolate and s’mores provided during the event.
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January 24 | Stroudsburg, PA
Pocono Winter BeerFest takes place at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg on Saturday, January 24, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Attendees 21+ can sample more than 100 craft beers from local and regional breweries, meet brewers, and spend the afternoon tasting a wide range of styles from lagers to stouts.
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January 25 | Stroudsburg, PA
Pocono Winter Wine & Food Festival returns to the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg on Sunday, January 25, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM after a four-year hiatus. Guests 21+ can sample wines from regional wineries, enjoy gourmet bites, browse artisan vendors, and shop for wine accessories and specialty goods.
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January 30–February 1 | Clarks Summit, PA
Clarks Summit Festival of Ice takes over downtown Clarks Summit from Friday through Sunday, January 30–February 1. Now in its 22nd year, the event features more than 60 hand-carved ice sculptures, live music, carriage rides, artisan vendors, and downtown shopping specials themed “The American Dream: Carved in Ice.”
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January 31 | Jim Thorpe, PA
The 13th Annual Polar Plunge takes place at Mauch Chunk Lake in Jim Thorpe on Saturday, January 31, with registration from 10:00 to 11:30 AM and plungers entering the water at noon. Proceeds benefit Marian Catholic High School, and spectators are encouraged to join the lively winter celebration.
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January 31 | Scranton, PA
Northeast Polar Plunge takes place at Montage Mountain Resorts in Scranton on Saturday, January 31, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM. In addition to the plunge, the event includes music, food, dancing, games, and fundraising efforts supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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January 31–February 1 | Newfoundland, PA
Wally Ice Fest takes place at Kresswood Lake in Newfoundland from Saturday, January 31 through Sunday, February 1. The winter weekend includes hockey games, bonfires, live entertainment, skating, axe throwing, and hands-on activities designed for families and groups.
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February 7 | Scranton, PA
Carve 4 Cancer takes place at Montage Mountain Resorts in Scranton on Saturday, February 7, beginning at 10:00 AM. Guests can enjoy banked slalom races, rail jams, ski and snowboard demos, live music, and lodge-side festivities, with proceeds benefiting the Live Like Brent Foundation.
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February 7 | Skytop, PA
Winter Beer Fest takes place at Skytop Lodge in Skytop on Saturday, February 7, from 12:00 to 3:00 PM. The outdoor event features a curated winter menu, warming stations, campfires, and craft beer pairings, with tickets available for adults and children.
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February 14 | Stroudsburg, PA
WinterFest takes place in downtown Stroudsburg on Saturday, February 14, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors can explore more than 40 ice sculptures, watch live carving demonstrations in Courthouse Square, enjoy warming stations, and participate in kids’ activities and downtown promotions.
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February 14 | North Abington Twp., PA
Winterfest takes place at Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Township on Saturday, February 14, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Activities include snowshoeing, guided hikes, winter crafts, maple sugaring exhibits, fly tying demonstrations, birdwatching, and campfire cooking, with hot food and cocoa available for donation.
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February 14 | Scranton, PA
Presidents’ Day Fireworks Celebration and Torchlight Parade takes place at Montage Mountain Resorts in Scranton on Saturday, February 14, at 6:30 PM. The event includes a torchlight ski procession down the Mainline Trail followed by a free pyro-musical fireworks display visible from the lodge and surrounding slopes.
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February 14 & 15 | Jim Thorpe, PA
Jim Thorpe WinterFest takes place in downtown Jim Thorpe on Saturday and Sunday, February 14–15. The weekend features ice carvings, live entertainment, food and drink specials at participating businesses, and possible carriage rides depending on weather conditions.
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February 21 | Bloomsburg, PA
Uncorked Wine Fest takes place inside the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds in Bloomsburg on Saturday, February 21, from 2:00 to 8:00 PM. The indoor festival features wineries, distilleries, cideries, cheese and chocolate vendors, retail exhibitors, live music, and optional workshops.
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March 6 & 7 | Scranton, PA
Mountainfest returns to Montage Mountain Resorts in Scranton on Friday and Saturday, March 6–7. The weekend includes Preston & Steve’s Cardboard Classic, pond skimming, live concerts headlined by Sugar Ray, tribute performances, and a fireworks finale.
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March 7 | Skytop, PA
Food and Wine Festival takes place at Skytop Lodge in Skytop on Saturday, March 7, from 12:00 to 5:00 PM. Guests 21+ can sample wines from local wineries, browse artisan vendors, enjoy food trucks, and receive a tasting glass and tote with admission.
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Keep the Winter Fun Going
Don’t let cold weather slow you down. Explore our NEPA events calendar to discover even more winter events and things to do near you.
