It’s Snow Much Fun in Northeast Iowa!
Posted: November 1, 2024 | Updated: December 1, 2025
It’s the kickoff to the holiday season with Snow Much Fun in Northeast Iowa!
Experience it all in Northeast Iowa. There really is snow much to do!
Allamakee County
Nov 15 Waukon Saturday, November 15th is the White Haus Holiday Market at What Haus Social in Waukon
Nov 22 Lansing Saturday, November 22nd is Light Up Lansing hosted by Inspire Her Driftless. Always fun for the entire family.
Nov 26 Waukon Wednesday, November 26th is the Holiday Sip & Shop at Empty Nest Winery, Waukon
Dec 6 Waukon Saturday, December 6 is the Holiday Hop in Waukon, IA and the Craft Show at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds
Dec 11 Lansing Thursday, December 11 is the Holiday Hop in Lansing, IA!
Clayton County
Nov 22 Holiday Light up the Night – Light Show
This event will take place November 22nd-December 31, 2024, with special events on the weekends!
Nov 23 Holiday Photo Op
Saturday, November 23rd, 8-11am is Main Street Elkader’s Holiday Photo Op.
Nov 23 Motor Mill Inn & Bridge Lighting
Saturday, November 23rd, 4-6pm is the Motor Mill Inn & Bridge Lighting in Elkader.
Nov 30 Elkader Turkey River Trot
Saturday, November 30th is the annual Turkey River Trot in Elkader.
Dec 5 Clayton County Conservation Holiday Walk
Thursday, December 5th is Clayton County Conservation’s annual Holiday Walk at Osborne. Reservations Required.
Dec 8 Wreath Making Workshop
Saturday, December 9th is Main Street Elkader’s Wreath Making Workshop in Elkader.
Fayette County
Nov 26 West Union Festival of Lights Opening Night
Wednesday, November 26th is the opening night of the West Union Festival of Lights.
Dec 4 Miracle on Vine Street
Thursday, December 4 from 5:30pm-7:30pm is a holiday celebration in downtown West Union.
Dec 5 Oelwein Olde Tyme Christmas
Friday, December 5th from 2-8pm is the Olde Tyme Christmas in Oelwein.
Dec 6 Clermont Christmas at Montauk
Saturday, December 6 from 11am-2pm is a holiday celebration at Montauk Historic Site.
Dec 7 Santa in St. Lucas
Sunday, December 7th is when Santa will be in St. Lucas!
Dec 11 Christmas in Fayette
Thursday, December 11th is Fayette’s holiday celebration.
Howard County
Nov 4 It’s the annual Cresco Firefighters Pancake Breakfast on election night, November 4th, from 4:30-7:30pm at the Cresco Fire Department.
Nov 7 Jingle in Your Pocket begins
Spend $40 or more at participating Cresco Chamber members and receive 1 Jingle card for your chance to win $100 in Chamber Dollars. The $4,000 Holiday promotion is sponsored by CUSB Bank, Cresco Bank & Trust and the Cresco Chamber. 40-$100 winners will be announced. 10 winners announced on November 21st and 28th and 10 winners will be announced on December 5th and 12th. Winners will be contacted by phone and on Facebook at Cresco and Howard County.
Nov 8 Veterans Banquet
Saturday, November 8th at the Expo Center in Cresco is the annual Veterans Banquet starting at 5:30pm. Tickets, $20 adults, $15 under 12 years of age need to be purchased in advance. Call 719.237.6102 for more information.
Nov 15 Turkey Trot in Protivin
Saturday, November 15th is the Turkey Trot in Protivin. Registration is open at 8am at The Place in Protivin and the Trot begins at 9am.
Nov 15
Saturday, November 15th, 12:30-4:30pm at the Cresco Fitness Center is “Winter Minis”, a fun photography session.
$50 per family, 15-minute sessions, digital images, print release, 2 photo options. limited slots available, book today!
https://calendly.com/pricelessmom…/winter-wonderland-minis
Nov 21-22
Friday, November 21st, 3-8pm and Saturday, November 22nd, 10am-3pm is the Frisky Fox Fall Market. We’ll have two days of wine tasting, shopping, food and fun at the Frisky Fox Vineyard and Winery – Riceville, Iowa. It’s the perfect time to shop local this holiday season!
Nov 23 Christmas Open House in Cresco
Sunday, November 23rd is the Christmas Open House in Cresco from 10am – 4pm. This kicks off the extended holiday hours for local businesses.
Nov 27 Thanksgiving Dinner
Join us on Thursday, November 27th from 10am -1pm for a Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixings at the Heritage Event Center in Cresco. Call 563.380.4136 for more information.
Nov 28 Driftrunners Holiday Toy Drive
Saturday, November 28th is the annual Driftrunners Snowmobile Club’s Holiday Toy Drive. Bring an unwrapped gift to Pub no 7, 5pm and help kids and families this holiday season.
Nov 28 FREE Movie at Cresco Theatre
Friday, November 29th, 2pm at the Cresco Theatre is the free movie, Zootopia 2 sponsored by Cresco Bank & Trust.
Nov 28 Small Town Christmas Shopping & Black Friday Fun!
Don’t miss all the fun on Friday, November 28th for a Small-Town Christmas Shopping & Black Friday Fun Day from 8am to 6pm. Breakfast at the American Legion, shopping all day at participating businesses, free movie at 2pm, Santa Parade at 4pm, Light up the Courthouse and Santa picks 10 more Jingle winners, Cookies and Cocoa at The Hair Company with Santa. It’s a great day to shop small towns.
Nov 29 Small Business Saturday and Holiday Craft Fair
Small Business Saturday and the Holiday Craft Show at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, November 29th. Double your Jingle cards for every $40 or more purchase from a participating Cresco Chamber member and take in one of the largest craft fairs in Northeast Iowa from 9am-3pm at the Howard County Fairgrounds in Cresco.
Jan 2 FREE Movie at Cresco Theatre
Thursday, January 2, 2026, at 2pm is the free movie, The Minecraft Movie 2, sponsored by CUSB Bank.
Jan 22-25 Driftrunners Snowfest
Snowfest takes place during the last full weekend in January bringing snowmobile enthusiasts from around the country to Cresco, Iowa to celebrate all things winter! Food, fun, music and of course, snowmobiling are just some of the fun for residents and visitors alike.
Winneshiek County
Nov 14-16 Holiday Open House weekend in Decorah
Shop at Decorah area retailers to kick off your holiday shopping season. Expect in-store specials, fresh holiday displays, and lots of sales.
Nov 21-23 Peppermint Walk Weekend in Decorah
Pick up an official Peppermint Walk Card, shop at three participating businesses, and be entered to win a “peppermint pack” full of goodies!
Nov 26 Holiday Lights Walk Through Night in Decorah
Wednesday, November 26th is the one-day opportunity to walk through the Holiday Lights display, 5-7:30pm. Enjoy free hot chocolate, soup, music from area choirs, and a visit from Santa too!
Nov 27-December 25 Holiday Lights Drive Through in Decorah
Take part in the tradition of the Decorah area’s largest holiday light display! Drive through Pulpit Rock Campground to enjoy numerous lighted displays.
Nov 28-December 24 Countdown to Christmas in Decorah
For each $25 spent at participating retailers, receive an entry in to the Countdown to Christmas drawing for a chance to win a Gift Bag filled with local merch and gift cards.
December 12 @ 6PM Water Street Lighted Parade in Decorah
Celebrate the season with this annual lighted parade, filled with entries from local businesses and organizations.
Are you ready to keep exploring Northeast Iowa? Discover area attractions, upcoming events, and start planning your visit now. Follow Visit Iowa on social media. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Categories: Local Spots, Seasonal
Tags: Family Friendly, Food & Drinks, Health & Wellness, Outdoor Recreation, Pet Friendly, Shopping
