Chelsey Lewis

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Why should warm-weather months have all the fun?

Whether you're looking for something wacky or wondrous, here's a winter festival to fill every weekend of your winter calendar.

Jan. 12: Winter Festival, La Farge

Winter brings its own brand of beauty to the Kickapoo Valley Reserve in the Driftless Region. Head to the visitors center for everything from sledding and skiing to archery and ice-cave hikes. The festival also will feature horse-drawn bobsled rides, a sled dog race and weight pull, fat-tire bike demonstrations and wildlife talks and hikes.

It's all free, and dogs are welcome if they're on a leash. See kvr.state.wi.us.

Another festival this weekend: Sleigh & Cutter Rally, Ashland (Jan. 12).

Jan. 18-19: Bald Eagle Watching Days, Prairie du Sac

Learn about eagles and watch them fish along the Wisconsin River. The Ferry Bluff Eagle Council will also offer bus tours starting at the Sauk Prairie High School. If you're watching on your own, the council advises you stay in your car so as to not scare the birds.

One of the last toboggan runs in the Milwaukee area sees a lot of action as the "Arctic Avalanche" during this annual festival.It's free to ride and toboggan rentals are free, during the festival weekend only.

Other highlights of the festival include fireworks on Friday, winter footgolf (a combination of golf and soccer), s'moorball (a mix of billiards and soccer), an ice sculpting contest, horse-drawn wagon rides and a dog-pull event.

Events take place around the city, including at Lowell Park (where the toboggan run is) and Minooka Park. See janboree.org.

Jan. 25-27: Lake Superior Ice Festival, Superior

Mix water, freezing temperatures, balloons and food coloring and you've got Orb365, a community art collaborative that features a beautiful display of colorful ice orbs — one for every day of the year — at this festival.

That's not the only icy highlight. Dozens of teams will compete in the Great Lakes Pond Hockey Classic on frozen Lake Superior around Barker's Island, with bonfires, music and food for spectators (and competitors). The festival also includes a snow slide, curling, ice golf, ice sculptures, a kids zone with ice princess characters, food trucks, an ice bar and fireworks.

It all goes down on Barker's Island. For more, see superioricefestival.com.

More festivals this weekend: Winter Fest, Wausau (Jan. 26); Schnee Days, Elkhart Lake (Jan. 25-27); Phillips Winter Fest, Phillips (Jan. 24-27).

Jan. 26-Feb. 3: Winterfest, Lake Geneva

Sorry, Frosty, but the simple snowman is nothing compared with the creations at this festival, home to the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition.

More winter fun options include human sled dog races, a fishing derby and a hovercraft experience. See visitlakegeneva.com.

Here's a case where a lot of hot air is a good thing.

It's used to fill dozens of balloons during the day — when they take to the sky — and at night, when they turn a field of winter darkness into a brilliant, glowing display.

The festival got its start in 1990 and now includes mass ascensions of colorful and shaped balloons on Saturday and Sunday morning (weather-permitting), plus a Moon Glow on Saturday night.

Other activities include a parade and fireworks Friday, and a pancake breakfast, craft fair and ice carving Saturday.

Note that there are no hot-air balloon rides during the festival, but seeing them is enough of a thrill. See hudsonhotairaffair.com.

Feb. 2: Jack Frost Fest, Spooner

This is your quintessential winter festival: pond hockey, ice fishing contest, chili contest, hot drinks — oh, and turkey bowling and minnow races, naturally.

The family-friendly festival also includes bonfires and a s'mores bar, fat-bike demonstrations and snowshoe sprints. It's held on the Yellow River Flowage in Spooner, Spooner City Park and downtown Spooner. See spoonerchamber.org.

More festivals this weekend: Winter Festival, Fish Creek (Feb. 1-3); Iola Winter Carnival (Feb. 1-3); Scandihoovian Winter Festival, Mount Horeb (Feb. 1-3); Frozen Tozen, Boulder Junction (Feb. 2); Frozen Assets Festival, Madison (Feb. 1-3); Madison Winter Festival (Feb. 2-3).

More festivals the following weekend: Sturgeon Spectacular, Fond du Lac (Feb. 5-10); Winter Carnival, Luck (Feb. 7-9); In Celebration of Chocolate, Kohler (Feb. 8-10).

Ladies and gentlemen, start your bar stools.

In Drummond, the bastion of the bar moves outside, where winter-weary Wisconsinites strap skis to the bottom and handles to the back and send a brave fool sliding down a hill to a finish line.

The races raise money for Sno-Jacks, the local snowmobile club, and include food, drinks and raffles. It kicks off at noon behind the Black Bear Inn on Highway 63.

For more information, see drummondwi.com.

More festivals this weekend: Winter Festival, Cedarburg (Feb. 16-17); Sky Circus on Ice, Delavan (Feb. 15-17); Fire & Ice Festival, Sturgeon Bay (Feb. 16); Northwoods Blizzard Blast, Conover (Feb. 16); Pig in the Ice Festival, Elkhart Lake (Feb. 16); Fun on the Frozen Flambeau, Tony (Feb. 16-17).

Feb. 23-24: Bald Eagle Watching Days, Prairie du Chien

The bald eagle comeback in Wisconsin over the last few decades has been one of the best conservation stories in recent times.

There's no better spot to appreciate the majestic bird and its comeback than at this festival at the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, where the eagles congregate in the winter to feed at open-water spots.

Birding experts will help visitors watch the birds using spotting scopes, and there will also be free birding programs at local hotels Friday and Hoffman Hall Saturday. See prairieduchien.org.

More festivals this weekend: Winter Fest, Chetek (Feb. 24).

March 1-3: Bayfield Winter Festival

Highlights of this festival include fat tire bike tours, a polar plunge, a snow sculpting contest and a skijoring race.

Another festival this weekend: World's Longest Weenie Roast, Cable (March 1-3).