February is the month of love, and we are loving all the happenings throughout the state. Grab your special someone or a friend and explore our greater-than-great outdoors with an endless amount of winter activities and attend unique events you can find only in the Keystone State. Each event or festival will make you fall even more in love with PA!
To see a full list of the events and festivals happening this winter, check out the visitPA website.
1. Winter Warmups
Glades Pike Winery invites you to take a break from the chilly winter temperatures and warm up your fingers and toes at their Winter Warmups. Spend Saturday afternoons enjoying some great music with a glass of fine wine and “food truck” food, with beer, slushies, and seltzers also available.
When: Saturdays through Mar. 25
Where: Somerset
Cost: Free
2. Farm Tales
Join Pocono Organics for Farm Tales, their free story time sessions geared to children ages 3 to 6! Each session explores a different farming theme, followed by related fun activities, games, and crafts. Siblings are welcome to join in the fun or spend the time shopping the market or getting a bite to eat at the café.
When: Feb 20, Mar. 6, 20
Where: Blakeslee
Cost: Free
3. Winter Wonder at Longwood Gardens
Find a #PASnowDay paradise when you visit Longwood Garden’s Winter Wonder exhibit. Take a stroll through the warm Conservatory to the tunes of jazz and classical music and admire the lush variety of exotic plants before exploring the new, vibrant blooms at the ever-evolving Orchid House. While in the Conservatory, be sure to look up to appreciate the hanging baskets filled with breathtaking Clerodendrum schmidtii or “chains-of-glory.”
When: Now-Mar. 26
Where: Kennett Square
Cost: Price varies
4. The Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon College’s Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery is kicking off its spring exhibition this February. Get an exclusive look at “Under the Mexican Sky: Vintage Photographs by Edward Weston, Tina Modotti, and Colleagues.” The exhibition features rare, vintage masterworks by both Weston and Modotti from the 1920s, as well as photographs from the 1930s by Frenchman Henri Cartier-Bresson and Mexico’s own self-taught master photographer, Manuel Alvarez Bravo.
When: Now-Apr. 2
Where: Annville
Cost: Free
5. Brandywine Museum of Art’s Andrew Wyeth: Home Places Exhibit
Be one of the first to feast your eyes at the Brandywine Museum of Art’s newest exhibit, Andrew Wyeth: Home Places, beginning in February. The exhibition includes nearly 50 paintings and drawings of local buildings and historic houses in Chadds Ford that inspired artist Andrew Wyeth time and again over seven decades of his career. Discover the collaborative process of Andrew and Betsy Wyeth and view works that have never been showcased before.
When: Now-Jul. 13
Where: Chadds Ford
Cost: $18 for adults; $15 for seniors ages 65+; $6 for children ages 6-18 and students with ID; Free for children age five and under
6. Great American Outdoor Show
With more than 1,000 exhibitors featuring all things outdoors, including hunting, fishing, camping, and outdoor traditions, the Great American Outdoor Show is the one event outdoor enthusiasts from across the nation look forward to each year. The world’s largest outdoor show features archery competitions, celebrity appearances, seminars, and demonstrations.
When: Now-Feb. 12
Where: Harrisburg
Cost: Price varies
7. Second Annual Chocolate Crawl
Calling all chocolate lovers! A weeklong celebration of this iconic food, the 2nd Annual Chocolate Crawl is back! With decadent chocolate treats of all kinds, including truffles, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate infused cookies, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate fondue, and chocolate candies, you will be in chocolate ecstasy. While visiting, be sure to check out all that downtown Clarion’s shops have to offer.
When: Feb. 7-13
Where: Clarion
Cost: $5
8. Batfest
Here’s your chance to “go batty” during a fun-filled day learning all about bats at Lincoln Caverns‘ Batfest. There will be games, crafts, the chance to observe some hibernating bats in their natural habitat, an introduction to Speleology, and a pizza lunch. Robyn Graboski, a wildlife rehabilitator, will be on hand with her big brown, Betsy.
When: Feb. 11
Where: Huntingdon
Cost: $32.98 for adults; $28.98 for children (prepayment and preregistration required)
9. Winterfest at Nemacolin
Ski or snowboard at The Peak, ride the tubing runs, take The Polar Bear Plunge, meet the dogsled team, or compete in the Funky Slopes Style Competition and Out Cold Race at Winterfest at Nemacolin. Reserve a cabana as your base for the day and warm up your fingers and toes beside your own firepit. Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit to enjoy the hot tub and heated, outdoor pool.
When: Feb. 11
Where: Farmington
Cost: Free for overnight resort members and all-access members
10. Hygge Hike
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays are behind, here’s your chance to decompress and get in touch with nature during a two-mile Hygge Hike in the Laurel Mountain area of Forbes State Forest. Hygge (hoo-gah) is the Danish principle, feeling, and lifestyle that encompasses wellness, comfort, and coziness, and may be just what you need to rejuvenate in winter’s great outdoors.
When: Feb. 11
Where: Forbes State Forest
Cost: Free
11. Winterfest '23
Enjoy a wonderful 53-mile guided ATV trail and road ride through Elk County at Winterfest ’23. The fun family event benefits Trail of Dreams and includes a dinner, bonfire, raffles, and dice rolls.
When: Feb. 11
Where: Kersey
Cost: $30 per person; $5 for each additional rider (Registration, insurance, and helmets are all required.)
12. Valentine's Brunch
Looking for something different this Valentine’s Day?! Grab your sweetheart or your “galantine” to enjoy a sweet and savory brunch at Brookmere Winery Barn. Brunch includes a Mimosa and Bloody Mary Bar, chocolate fountain, and a dessert bar with live music by Anchor & Arrow.
When: Feb. 11-12
Where: Belleville
Cost: $60.48 per person (price includes tax and gratuity)
13. Snow Geese Migration
Each winter, thousands of visitors flock to Lebanon Valley to watch the annual snow geese migration. From mid-February to mid-March, hundreds of thousands of snow geese stop in the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area during their journey to rest and feed on the way to their northern breeding grounds.
When: Mid-Feb. through mid-Mar.
Where: Schaefferstown
Cost: Free
14. Snow-mobility Weekend at the PA Lumber Museum
Ski, hike, or snowmobile your way to the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum for their annual Snow-mobility Weekend! On Saturday morning, sit down for a Pancake Breakfast while enjoying a showing of documentary films. Stick around in the afternoon for a maple syrup making program presented by Chris Nicholas. On Sunday, event goers can enjoy an afternoon winter story and craft time with museum educator, Jennifer Haines.
When: Feb. 17-19
Where: Ulysses
Cost: Free
15. Erie RV and Sport Expo
Outdoor enthusiasts will rejoice upon visiting the Erie RV and Sport Expo. With a wide selection of RVs, camping gear, power sports equipment, and fishing and hunting products, all your 2023 travel needs will be covered. For the first time this year, the event combines the best of the Erie RV Show and the Erie Sport Show, giving visitors the ultimate traveler’s experience.
When: Feb. 17-19
Where: Erie
Cost: $7 for adults; free for children age 10 and under
16. Winter Fest Film Festival
The popular Winter Fest Film Festival returns to the screens of the historic Dietrich Theater in the heart of Tunkhannock, offering audiences the best in independent, art-house, and mainstream films. Discounted concessions, Oscar nominated favorites, and foreign and independent works make the annual festival a must-attend event for film fans. Join the opening night celebration on Feb. 17 when the festival kicks off.
When: Feb. 17-Mar. 9
Where: Tunkhannock
Cost: Price varies
17. Winter Wine and Chocolate Walk
Engage in a day of indulgence on the Saturday of Presidents Day weekend at Dushore’s annual Winter Wine and Chocolate Walk. This event is designed for chocolate lovers and those who love local libations with wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, and chocolatiers from the surrounding areas setting up in participating businesses for this self-paced winter celebration. Bakers can enter the chocolate dessert contest and share their favorite recipes for a chance to win an epic prize.
When: Feb. 18
Where: Dushore
Cost: Free
18. Paint the Mountain Pink
Everyone will be seeing through rose-colored glasses during Shawnee Mountain’s Paint the Mountain Pink. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or it's your first time on the slopes, blend in with the snow by wearing something pink and enjoy a day of skiing fun in support of the Hope for Strength Breast Cancer Fund. Events are scheduled throughout the day, along with pink giveaways.
When: Feb. 18
Where: Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Cost: $10 per ticket
19. Snowman in the Forest Day
Enjoy a day of icy winter activities along the picturesque Clarion River at Snowman in the Forest Day in Cook Forest State Park. There will be carriage rides, sledding, snowman building, ice skating, a snowshoe interpretive hike within the old growth forest, a chili cookoff, and hot chocolate and coffee on hand to help take the chill out. Enjoy a wonderful day with family and friends in the forest’s winter wonderland.
When: Feb. 18
Where: Cooksburg
Cost: Free
20. Philly Home & Garden Show
Find fresh inspiration, helpful tips, innovative products, and fantastic deals in remodeling, home improvement, decor, and outdoor spaces with hundreds of experts all under one roof at the Philly Home & Garden Show. With more than 200 exhibitors, three days are almost not enough.
When: Feb. 24-26
Where: Oaks
Cost: $12 for adults; free for children ages 12 and under; discounted tickets available online through Feb. 23
21. Kennett Winterfest
Bundle up and enjoy winter brews from more than 60 unique craft breweries featuring 130+ brews at the 11th annual Kennett Winterfest. Live music and delectable fare will also be provided as you sip on a delicious cold brew.
When: Feb. 25
Where: Kennett Square
Cost: Price varies
22. Flamingo Fest
Celebrate all things flamingo at the National Aviary’s Flamingo Fest. Put on your prettiest pink accessories and enjoy a fun and engaging story time, get a colorful craft kit to take home, and take in the sights and sounds of the Wetlands during a special flamingo talk.
When: Feb. 25-26
Where: Pittsburgh
Cost: Price varies, event included in admission
Looking for more chill events this winter, check out our upcoming Ice Festivals events around the Keystone State. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on even more great ideas and places to visit around our state. Don’t forget to never miss an update and sign up for our monthly Happy Thoughts e-newsletter.