These four winter festivals are worth a day trip to Madison in February
From Summerfest to Germanfest to Mexican Fiesta, Milwaukee is no doubt a "City of Festivals" ... but most of them take place in the summer.
If you've been missing the fun festival atmosphere this winter, we have some good news for you. Just over an hour's drive from Downtown Milwaukee, Madison offers four consecutive weekends of exciting winter festivals with activities ranging from snowshoe hikes to beer and live music to trapeze and self-defense classes.
Here are four winter festivals worth the weekend trip to Madison this February.
Feb. 2-4: Clean Lakes Alliance Frozen Assets Festival
The Clean Lakes Alliance is holding its 12th annual Frozen Assets Fundraiser and Festival on Friday, Feb. 2 through Sunday, Feb. 4. According to the festival website, since 2012, Frozen Assets has raised over $1.2 million for lake improvement projects, educational programs and water quality monitoring.
The weekend will feature plenty of outdoor family fun, performances and demonstrations. Most activities are free and open to the public. Saturday activities include free ice skating with skate rental, a winter craft station, a dance demonstration from Central Midwest Ballet, figure skating demonstrations from the Figure Skating Club of Madison, and movie showings of "March of the Penguins" and "Disney Nature: Oceans."
Festival-goers will also be able to learn from educational activities including the "What's Colder Than Ice?" liquid nitrogen demonstration by the UW-Madison physics department, information on winter lake monitoring from the UW-Madison Center for Limnology and multiple "Mad Science" demonstrations.
Although the bulk of the festival activities are scheduled for Saturday, Friday evening and Sunday afternoon will feature kite demonstrations from the Wisconsin Kiters Club.
In years past, one of Frozen Assets' most popular events has been the Frozen Assets 5K, where participants run or walk entirely on the frozen surface of Lake Mendota. Although festival organizers hoped early and mid-January's cold snap might freeze the lake enough to safely hold the 5K, more recent warm weather canceled the on-ice race. Instead, Saturday's activities will kick off with "Madison's Largest Winter Workout," an outdoor strength, cardio and mindfulness session organized by Barre3.
Where: Lake Mendota and the Edgewater Hotel, 1001 Wisconsin Pl., Madison
When: Friday, Feb. 2 - dusk kite demonstration only. Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Cost: Most events are free. Registration for "Madison's Largest Winter Workout" is $45 per person.
Learn more: cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets/#festival
Feb. 7-10: Wisconsin Union Winter Carnival
The Wisconsin Union's annual Winter Carnival is famous for the large replica of the Statue of Liberty's head that sits on the ice of Lake Mendota during the event. The carnival returns for 2024 from Wednesday, Feb. 7 through Saturday, Feb. 10.
Wednesday's events include family ice skating (reserve tickets here) and curling. Thursday features a new Taylor Swift ice skating night and the Connolly Classic Pond Hockey Tournament. On Thursday, the Wisconsin Fishing Team is also offering free ice fishing lessons for beginners along with awards for smallest fish, biggest fish, best fishing photo and other impressive catches. A current fishing license is required.
Lady Liberty will be on the ice Friday and Saturday. Friday events also include a guided snowshoe hike to Picnic Point and horizontal ice climbing.
Saturday features a winter photo booth with mini horses, a "Secret Agent Scavenger Hunt" across the UW-Madison campus, maple taffy making with fresh snow and more. The festival closes out Saturday night with the Winter Carnival Fireworks show over Lake Mendota.
A full schedule of each day's events can be found online. The Union recommends those interested in attending visit union.wisc.edu/wintercarnival for the most up-to-date events list.
Where: Memorial Union and Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St., Madison
When: Wednesday, Feb. 7 - Saturday, Feb. 10
Cost: Most events are free but may require registration, so be sure to check online in advance.
Learn more: union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/special-events/wintercarnival
Feb. 16-18: Monona East Side Business Alliance Self-Discovery Weekend
Have the shorter days and colder weather been stressing you out? The first annual Monona East Side Business Alliance's Self-Discovery Weekend offers a full slate of relaxing workshops in and near Madison's east side to recharge and maybe even reignite your New Year's Resolutions.
Attendees can purchase weekend or day passes, or they can just buy tickets for the events they're interested in. It's a great way to explore the area's local businesses.
The weekend begins Friday afternoon with a happy hour at Delta Beer Lab and ice skating at the Lake Ridge Bank River Rink. Workshops kick off Saturday morning with a two-hour experiential session by Soul Seed's Amber Swenor titled "Discovering Your Authentic Self for Greater Personal and Career Success."
Other Saturday workshops include "Reflecting and Journaling in Nature" with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, "DIY Furniture Repair" with Habitat ReStore, "Kinesiotaping Basics" for pain relief with Life City Chiropractic and "Mastering Money: Practical Strategies for Financial Success." Saturday also offers some unique ways to get in a workout ― an "Intro to Flying Trapeze" class with Flying Trapeze Madison and Madison Circus Space, and an axe-throwing happy hour with Madison Axe.
Sunday's workshop schedule features "Home Staging – Tips and Tricks for a Stylish Home" with The Cozy Home Staging and Consulting, a bath bomb-making class, "Art-Therapy for Self Expression" with Elite Cognition, basic self-defense with LVLUP Martial Arts and more.
When: Friday, Feb. 16 - Sunday, Feb. 18
Cost: $175 for a Weekend Pass. $75 for a Day Pass. $15-$60 per workshop. Buy passes and tickets here.
Learn more: discovermonona.com/self-discovery-weekend-workshop-descriptions
Feb. 24: Capital Brewery's 27th Annual Bockfest
A fixture in the Madison suburb of Middleton since 1984, Capital Brewery is known by many as "Middleton's Backyard." The brewery is holding its 27th Annual Bockfest on Feb. 24.
"Join us to celebrate the beer release of Capital’s platinum award-winning Blonde Doppelbock and Maibock," the brewery says on its website.
The outdoor event features live music from Sixteen Candles Band, a fish toss, the 1K "Running of the Blondes" and food for sale from local vendors. A valid ID is required for admission to the festival; attendees must be 21 or older. The event will occur "rain, snow, sleet, or shine."
VIP packages are available for purchase through Feb. 23, according to the brewery website. VIP tickets include 10 a.m. entry and one free annual or seasonal beer.
Contact capbrew@capitalbrewery.com with questions.
Where: Capital Brewery, 7734 Terrace Ave., Middleton
When: Saturday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $20 through Feb. 23, $30 for day-of admission
Learn more: capitalbrewery.com/events2/27th-annual-bockfest
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison winter festivals to visit: Bockfest, Winter Carnival, more
