It is never too early to start planning a winter family vacation. The winter months are the perfect time to experience the beauty of ice festivals. However, accommodations and activities book quickly. So, the sooner you start planning, the easier time you will have booking exactly what your family wants for this time away from home. Today, I am going to share some of the ice festivals you should be aware of. Choosing one of these amazing ice festivals for your next family trip will allow you to experience the beauty of winter in incredible destinations around the world.  

Experience the Beauty of Ice Festivals  

Bergsjøstølen, Norway 

The ice music festival in central Norway has been held in Bergsjøstølen in recent years. The organizers took this ice festival to the next level by incorporating sound in each sculpture. As you wander from igloo to igloo, you will see musicians playing instruments that were carved from ice.  

The music sounds slightly unique, because the instruments melt once in contact with a person’s warm hands. So, the melodies may sound different than you are used to.  

Fairbanks, Alaska 

You don’t need to leave the US to find one of the best ice festivals in the world. The World Ice Art Championships festival is held in Fairbanks each year. Yes, this may seem to be a remote location to many. However, travelers from all over the world arrive to join in on the festivities.  

The ice sculptures created on the Tanana Valley Fairgrounds are crystal clear. They look like glass or Arctic diamonds. The sculptures are quite fragile, so you will see the artists working with care as they create masterpieces.  

Kiruna, Sweden 

The month of January brings the Kiruna Snow Festival in northern Sweden. This ice festival began in 1986 and has been a popular event since. Artists from all over the world arrive to create their best snow sculptures and enter the competition.  

When you are not looking at the snow sculptures, your family can spend time dog sledding, figure skating, and participating in many other winter activities.  

If this sounds like the perfect family trip, I highly recommend booking early so you can stay in the original Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi.  

Grindelwald, Switzerland 

Another ice festival held in January is the World Snow Festival in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Families like yours have been traveling to this area since the 1880s to ski in the Bernese Alps. The World Snow Festival was a wonderful addition that started in 1983.  

During the first festival, Japanese sculptors created a giant figure of Heidi, from the classic novel by Joanna Spyri. The theme of this festival changes every year, so you never know what types of sculptures you will be seeing when you arrive.  

Breckenridge, Colorado 

The International Snow Sculpture Championships take place in Breckenridge, Colorado for five days every year. Artists spend those five days chipping away at twenty-ton blocks of ice to create works of art.  

Artists simply use their imaginations to create reindeer, astronauts, fairytale characters, and so much more. The only rule that every artist needs to follow is that every sculpture must be carved by hand.  

Jelgava, Latvia 

Not too far from Riga, you will find the International Ice Sculpture Festival. This ice festival began when two brothers, Rinalds and Anrijs Opincāns, were asked to create ten ice sculptures to put on display in the city center.  

This event continues to get bigger each year. Now you will find an ice bar, children’s activities, live music, and fireworks.  

Hokkaido, Japan 

There are numerous ice festivals in the country of Japan. However, you will find the largest one, Sapporo’s Snow Festival, in Hokkaido. This ice festival began more than seventy years ago. There are more than one hundred ice and snow sculptures to see within Odori Park.  

Add in the ice rink, giant slides, and snow maze and you have a day’s adventure. If you really want to embrace winter and ice festivals in Japan, consider attending the Asahikawa Winter Festival, Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, and the Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival as well.  

These are the best ice festivals around the world. You should try to attend one of them during a family trip, so you can experience the beauty of an ice festival. You may even be interested in visiting one of the ice castles here in the US. As a travel advisor, I can personalize your family vacation for any of these ice festivals. This way you can see and do everything your family wants during this time away from home.  

So, are you ready to have me personalize your family vacation itinerary to attend ice festivals or visit another destination?  

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to click here to schedule a personalized family vacation planning session with me. When you click on this link, you will be taken directly to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you. 

Not ready to receive a personalized family vacation itinerary? Sign up for my newsletter and always receive all the travel information I share.