Winter is here so it often can be difficult to find the inspiration to venture outside! Fortunately, I have a collection of 12 winter events in the Chicago suburbs worth going outside for!
- Frosty Fest at Bittersweet Golf Course in Gurnee on January 13 10:30AM-3:30PM. Ice sculpting, horse drawn carriage rides, dog sled demos and more, free.
- Vernon Hill's Winter Fest: January 13 Vernon Hills Winter Fest at Century Park from 11AM-2PM. Ice sculpting, sled hill, sled dogs, ice rink, s'mores, carriage rides and more fun for the whole family. Admission is free.
- Winter Carnival in Northbrook January 13 11:00AM-1:30PM at Meadowhill Park. Sled dogs, ice carving, ice skating , s'mores, hot cocoa and more fun will be available for families. Admission is free.
- Spring Valley Winter Fest January 13 & 14 at Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg. Snowshoeing, horse drawn wagon rides, marshmallow roasting, visits from a live wolf and coyote and more fun will brighten your winter day. The event is 12PM-3PM each day and costs $3 pp.
- Enchanted Railroad at The Morton Arboretum: January 13-February 19 The Morton Arboretum in Lisle will be hosting its annual Enchanted Railroad event. The display is quite intricate and families will enjoy picking out a variety of miniatures. Free with regular Arboretum admission.
- Volo Bog's Winterfest: On January 14 visit the Volo Bog from 12PM-4PM for an afternoon of live music, winter nature crafts, bog tours,cross country skiing, hot cocoa and more. Admission is free.
- Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition at Sinnissippi Park in Rockford January 17-20. Witness the snow sculpting talents of area snow sculptors. Admission is free.
- Winter Exploration Day at Thatcher Woods in River Forest January 20 12PM-4PM. Snowshoeing and other snow activities. Learn to track animals in the snow, navigate and make snowshoes from natural materials. Weather permitting. Free
- Norge Ski Jump in Fox River Grove January 27 & 28. A thrilling ski jumping tournament and true Illinois experience! The event runs 12PM-4PM each day with gates opening at 11AM. We had so much fun last year! Tickets are $15 at the door, $10 at select local merchants and $11 online. Kids 12 and under are free. Bring blankets and lawn chairs.
- Husky Heroes: January 27-28 The Morton Arboretum. Husky sled dogs demonstrate sled-pulling and skijoring. You can check out equipment, meet sled dogs and learn about adopting huskies. Free with regular Arboretum admission.
- Winterfest in Lake Geneva January 27-February 11. The event's focus is the US Snow Sculpting Championship. Other events include the Human Dog Sled Race, Cocoa Crawl, chili cook off and more. See schedule for details.
- Bald Eagle Watch Weekend at Starved Rock in Utica January 27-28. The evening includes a variety of hikes, kids activities, talks and birds of prey shows. There are some advance ticket sales. Day off is free admission but first come first serve to shows without tickets.
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