2023–2024 World Snow Festivals BEST 9: Enjoy Winter 100x More
2023–2024 World Snow Festivals BEST 9
You may or may not know this: countries with long winters have a far higher rate of patients suffering from depression than countries with long summers. When winter is long, the days get shorter and there’s less time to see the sun, and indoor activities become more frequent than outdoor ones, so depression is said to be almost inevitable. In Korea, too, the number of people who suffer from depression or feel lonely is said to rise in winter. I also loved snowy winters when I was young, but these days I prefer autumn with its clear, crisp skies.
But! Even so, there are activities you can only enjoy in winter: sledding, skiing, and visiting the world’s snow festivals. Countries and regions with heavy snowfall use it to create tourism products that attract travelers and contribute to the national economy. From intricate ice art to ice sleds, skiing, and winter sports competitions, there’s a wide variety to enjoy. Today, join me in exploring the world’s snow festivals BEST 9 you can enjoy in 2023–2024. If you get the chance, do plan a trip.
2023–2024 World Snow Festivals List 9
1. Netherlands [Amsterdam Light Festival 2024]
Amsterdam Light Festival
Dates
November 30, 2023 – January 21, 2024
The first world snow festival I’ll introduce is the Light Festival held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Begun to help people overcome the winter blues, it’s no exaggeration to say this festival runs all winter long. So it looks easy to plan a trip around, too. As the name suggests, the Amsterdam Light Festival is an event where you can view hundreds of art installations made of light. It takes place on land and on the water at the same time, and as you stroll the streets you can enjoy delicious food, romantic lighting, canal tours, and more.
2. Germany [Cologne Winter Carnival 2024]
Kolner Winter Karneval / Karneval in Köln
Dates
November 11, 2023 – February 10, 2024
The second world snow festival I’ll introduce, Germany’s Cologne Winter Carnival, is larger in scale than the other festivals. It kicks off every year at 11:11 a.m. on November 11 and runs as late as the end of February. This year, in particular, the Cologne Carnival marks its 200th anniversary, so all kinds of events are said to take place. Beyond the parade processions, there are various performances, family festivals, and even separate events for couples and for women. And since the host country is Germany, you can enjoy fine beer and wine and get an indirect taste of Germany’s distinctive history and culture. There’s no art exhibition or skiing or sledding like we usually think of, but considering the scale and duration of the festival, visiting once seems like it could leave you with good memories. Germany really does seem to have a great variety of festivals, haha.
3. Denmark [Vinterjazz Festival 2024]
Vinterjazz Festival / Winterjazz Festival
Dates
February 2024
The Vinterjazz Festival held in Denmark is one I’d recommend to all of you who love music. Unfortunately, the exact dates aren’t known — it’s only listed as being scheduled for 2024. Judging by the fact that it ran from February 2 to 26 in 2023, the period doesn’t seem all that long. Instead, more than 600 jazz concerts are held across Denmark, so you can blow away the cold winter with music full of passion.
4. Italy [Venice Carnival 2024]
Venice Carnival
Dates
February 3, 2024 – February 13, 2024
It has no snow and falls at the tail end of winter, so calling it a “snow festival” is a stretch — but it’s still an event worth visiting. Held in the water city of Venice, Italy, this festival is said to have it all: elegance, color, and fun. Over about two weeks, there are water parades, street performances, the Festa delle Marie, and more. The processions in traditional Italian costume offer a chance to glimpse part of the country’s history and culture. People also wear distinctive costumes and masks like at America’s Halloween, and that turns out to be one of the more enjoyable activities than you’d expect.
5. USA [Portland Winter Light Festival 2024]
Portland Winter Light Festival 2024 in Oregon
Dates
February 2, 2024 – February 10, 2024
In Portland, USA, a Winter Light Festival is held every February. It’s said to have been inspired by light festivals all across Europe and reimagined in Oregon’s own style. The artworks installed to drive away the winter night shine brilliantly throughout the city, and the quality is said to be high too. Notable highlights include a tunnel of light, lighting displays, a fire festival, and a Christmas-light lighting ceremony.
6. USA [New York Saranac Lake Winter Carnival 2024]
New York Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Dates
February 2024
The New York Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is one of the oldest snow festivals in the United States. Since 1897, various events have been held centered on an ice palace. Activities you can enjoy include Nordic skiing, arctic frisbee, ice skating, fireworks, and more. The exact festival dates haven’t been announced, but they’re said to be holding meetings steadily for the 2024 carnival, so the dates will probably be released before long.
7. Canada [Quebec Winter Carnival 2024]
Quebec Winter Carnival
Dates
February 2, 2024 – February 11, 2024
There’s a world snow festival that boasts a long-standing culture and history: the Quebec Winter Carnival, held in Canada. Born in 1894 to get through the harsh winter, this festival is said to have been inspired by various European winter festivals. Activities you can enjoy include a winter parade, splendid music, sports races, daily events, and ice-sculpture viewing. It seems to be a festival held not simply to endure winter, but to truly enjoy it!
8. China [Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival 2024]
Ice Festival Harbin
Dates
December 17, 2023 – early March 2024
If you want to see a world snow festival of tremendous scale, I recommend the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival held in China. Since it’s held in China, it won’t disappoint — the festival reportedly uses more than 120 million liters (about 32 million gallons) of ice and over 111 million liters (about 29 million gallons) of snow. Not only can you view China’s distinctive ice sculptures, but activities like snow slides, sledding, skating, and night-view sightseeing are also possible. That said, since Harbin is located in China’s far north, it boasts bitterly cold weather that drops as low as −4°F (−20°C), so keep that in mind as you plan your trip.
9. Japan [Sapporo Snow Festival 2024]
Sapporo Snow Festival
Dates
February 4, 2024 – February 11, 2024
There’s one place you can’t leave out when it comes to world snow festivals: the Sapporo Snow Festival, held on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. It doesn’t boast a tremendous scale like China’s, but it’s so world-renowned that the snow festivals above are, frankly, little more than buildup for introducing the Japanese one, haha.
Held in Sapporo every February, this festival attracts more than 2 million visitors, where you can enjoy activities like viewing ice sculptures, dazzling lights, snow slides, and all kinds of events. Since it’s a nearby country, why not enjoy the snow festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan this coming winter?
Beyond the places I’ve introduced, all sorts of winter festivals are held around the world. I left out the ones whose dates aren’t fixed, that have no 2024 plans, or that aren’t well known. As a notable example, Korea’s Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival was also featured, but since its date was undecided, I didn’t write it up separately. Getting your hopes up only for it not to happen would just be disappointing! For festivals that are planned but whose exact dates haven’t been announced yet, I’ll update as soon as the dates come out. I hope this was helpful, and I’ll wrap up the content here!