The One Annual Winter Festival In North Carolina Every North Carolinian Should Bundle Up For At Least Once

Make plans to attend the NC Smokies Ice Fest, a fun winter festival in North Carolina. The Haywood-county-wide event will bring fascinating ice-sculpting artists, interactive ice games, hiking, a 5-K run, and towns putting on their best shows to welcome the wintery guests. But that’s not all! Try your skills at ice skating, eat some scrumptious food, and find some amazing deals while you shop. Let's take a look at this weekend-long event.

Hopefully during the festival, Maggie Valley will look like this.

Part of the NC Smokies Ice Fest Weekend includes the Maggie Valley Ice Festival on Jan. 27, where you'll see royalty and live ice-carving demos.

The event takes place from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Purchasing tickets online is cheaper than buying them at the gate, where payments are cash only. Admission for children under age 12 is free!

Artists will turn frozen blocks of ice into beautiful works of art.

We love this nod to Haywood County.

But even without the snow, the chilly mountain air won't stop folks from bundling up for this extraordinary fun-filled weekend.

Do some shopping at the vendor tents and have some delicious treats from the food trucks. And when it gets too cold, enter the warming tent or make s’mores by the fire.

Dare to take a friend on the ice slide and compete in the games, such as cornhole and ice hockey.

Meet at Metzger’s Burl Wood Gallery in Waynesville Jan. 26-28 for a Winter Arts Show Festival full of Scandinavian delights.

Try some Nordic cookies and the traditional dishes of lefse and lutefisk, and sip on some glogg while dancing to live musical performances.

While you're in this cozy town, stay for Downtown Waynesville's Ice Stroll from 5 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 26.

The restaurants and shops here are incredible from antiques to art and consignment shops full of great deals on shoes and clothing!

And about 20 minutes away, take your ice skating skills over to Canton's Ice Rink Jan. 26-28 at Sorrell's Street Park.

If you don't have skates, rentals are available.

And plan to stay up late and watch the torch run extravaganza at Cataloochee Ski Area on Jan. 27 at 10:30 p.m.

The staff puts on the unusual, lighted parade as we watch from the lodge deck or at the bottom of the slopes.

For more information about this exciting winter festival in North Carolina, visit the NC Smokies Ice Fest web page. While you're in Waynesville, stay at The Yellow House, built in 1885, a charming, secluded getaway where the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains meet. And shop for some warm winter gear on The North Face website.