All the best things to do – here’s the sweet stuff going on in the Twin Cities during the month of February! For more ideas, browse our other February pages:
- TWIN CITIES GUIDE TO FEBRUARY FOR FAMILIES
- TWIN CITIES FEBRUARY WEEKEND GUIDE
- 50 FREE THINGS TO DO IN FEBRUARY IN THE TWIN CITIES
- ULTIMATE TWIN CITIES 2022 WINTER FUN (AND SURVIVAL) GUIDE
St Paul Winter Carnival family events in February
THROUGH FEBRUARY 5, 2022: St Paul Winter Carnival
- Snow Park at the State Fairgrounds: Chill out at the Fair viewing the results of the Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competitions. Sculptures will be on display at the Fair through the run of Winter Carnival.
- Winter Carnival ice sculpture carving and displays in Rice Park.
- Frozen Family Fun Night at Landmark Plaza. Feb 1.
- Winter Carnival Family Fun Day – The second Saturday of the St Paul Winter Carnival will offer indoor family fun at Landmark Center: cultural entertainment, education, arts and crafts, stories and more. Feb 5, 2022, 11am-5pm, FREE.Feb 5 at Landmark Center.
More February winter festival picks in the Twin Cities
The hardy Minnesota spirit is still going strong during the month of February. Here are several winter festivals we think are worth braving the chill, one for each corner of the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area. Make sure to check our big list of Twin Cities Winter Festivals in February to get ALL the details.
Twin Cities Northwest Metro: Anoka Winterfest
George Enloe Park, 631 Lund Blvd, Anoka MN
Winter fun activities to enjoy include skating, snowshoeing, skiing, kick sleds, disc golf, snowballs, and a snow hill. February 5, 2022, 12-4pm. FREE admission.
Twin Cities Northeast Metro: Stillwater Winterfest
Wintry highlights include snow sculptures, an ice maze, games and a free LED light show displayed nightly in the historic downtown. February 13-28, 2022.
Twin Cities Southeast Metro: Apple Valley Mid-Winter Fest
Johnny Cake Ridge Park WEst, 14255 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN
Activities include: snowshoeing, horse-drawn wagon rides, frozen kite flying, fire department open house, live music, fireworks and a scavenger hunt. There is so much to choose from at this winter festival in the Minneapolis-St Paul SE Metro. February 5, 2022.
Twin Cities Southwest Metro: Dodge Nature Center Winter Fun Festival
1701 Charlton Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118
Live DJ, bonfires and outdoor heaters, horse-drawn sleigh rides, icy games, snow sports, nature activities and crafts. Food & beer available. February 19, 2022, 2-5pm, FREE.
Last chance for the ice skating rinks
Mid-February is when we typically see our outdoor ice skating rinks turn slushy. Get out for a spin (use our handy ICE RINK FINDER if you’re looking for something either local or new) while you can! Here are a few of the fancier offerings in the Twin Cities this year:
- CENTENNIAL LAKES PARK, EDINA: Skate a lovely network of canals and ponds with a deluxe warming house. Skating is free, rent a pair of skates for $6-$7.
- CENTRAL PARK ICE SKATING LOOP, MAPLE GROVE: Skate a leisurely serpentine ice loop illuminated in the evening and in close proximity to fireplaces indoors and out. Skating is free, bring your own or rent a pair for $7.
Twin Cities Valentine’s Day events for families
The whole family can feel the love with these activities designed to be shared with children. Make sure to check our complete listing of Valentine’s Day family events in the Twin Cities. The listings include crafty ideas for DIY Valentines and other ways you can spread warm fuzzies to family and friends.
School break in February – long weekend for President’s Day
If you’ve got the long President’s Day weekend to while away with the kids, you might be looking for a way to get out and make the most of it. Our President’s Day Weekend Guide is filled with both active, outdoor play ideas and cozy, indoor suggestions.
A free STEM event in February
Get youth introduced to STEM-related careers in super fun environments! This event at MILL CITY MUSEUM in February should be a big hit with kids:
STEM Family Day at Mill City Museum
Activities throughout the museum tie in the history of flour mills on the riverfront to STEM. This place is a “blast” for kids – and this year, the event is FREE! Feb 19, 12-3pm.
Last call for Twin Cities winter activities in February
Before they melt away, catch these winter attractions:
Art Shanty Projects
4135 W Lake Harriet Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Not only are these unique ice houses designed by local artists, they are strongly encouraged to be interactive and fun! Great for families with kids. A note for this year, the shanties are designed to be experienced from the outside (no enclosed spaces). Weekends only, 10am-4pm. FREE admission!
Stillwater Winterfest
Wintry highlights throughout February include snow sculptures, an ice maze, games and a free LED light show displayed nightly in the historic downtown.
Take advantage of indoor playgrounds when it’s cold out
When we can handle stir-crazy, tusseling children around the house no more, there are plentiful play spaces in the Twin Cities to absorb their need to run, climb and jump. These havens are organized in our TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS GUIDE by areas of the metro and also includes a link to find TOT TIMES, OPEN GYM & SWIM SPOTS.
Stay cozy indoors in February
Personally, by mid-February I’m sick to death of outdoor activities and would prefer to pretend I’ve flown south. All winter long we’ve touted the sledding hills, skating rinks, tubing spots, and winter samplers that keep you out among the snow and ice. This month we round up a list of 28 ideas – one for each day of the month – that are not allowed to involve the cold. They include suggestions for:
- KID-FRIENDLY COFFEE SHOPS
- TWIN CITIES NATURE CENTERS with interactive, indoor exhibits
- Cozy LIBRARIES to curl up with a book
- Local businesses to order CRAFT KITS from
- A huge list of INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS & PLAY AREAS
- Places that screen FREE & CHEAP MOVIES appropriate for kids
- INDOOR WATERPARKS to splash winter blues away
Get a jump start on planning summer camp for your kids in February (and save money!)
We believe the our TWIN CITIES SUMMER CAMP GUIDE is the best curated summer camp list in the Twin Cities and we’ll keep adding to it throughout the spring. Bookmark it and check back as you plan your summer! It’s packed with camps: classic outdoor adventure camps, tech-y enrichment camps, performing arts opportunities, cultural explorations and lots more. Many camps offer early bird pricing so it’s worth planning ahead!
