Winter Festivals in NYC are one of the great joys of the Big Apple. New York City is one of the best places in the world to celebrate the holidays. Many American holiday traditions started here.
NYC Winter Festivals
We refer to winter in the northern hemisphere. Calendar winter is December, January and February. Meteorological winter is December 21 or 22 to March 19-21.
Holiday traditions in NYC start in November and continue through January.
December Holidays
Hanukkah is Sun-Mon, Dec 18-26. 🕎
Winter Solstice is Wed, Dec 21.
Christmas is Sun, Dec 25, 2021. ✝️
Kwanzaa is Sun, Dec 26, 2021. 🇺🇸
New Year’s Eve is Fri, Dec 31, 2021. 🇮🇹
New Year’s Day is Sat, Jan 1. 🇮🇹
December Festivals
Las Mañanitas de Guadalupe is Dec 11. 🇲🇽
Grand Army Plaza Menorah Lightings are Sun-Mon, Dec 18-26. 🕎
Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is Wed, Dec 30.
December Days
- Candombe Day is Dec 3. 🇺🇾
- Changó is Dec 4. 🇨🇺
- Santa Barbara is Dec 4. 🇵🇷
- Dia de las Velitas is Dec 7. 🇨🇴
- Immaculate Conception is Dec 8. 🇮🇹
- International Tango Day is Dec 11. 🇦🇷🇺🇾🇨🇴🇫🇷
- Our Lady of Guadalupe is Dec 12. 🇲🇽
- La Novena is Dec 16-24. 🇨🇴
- Las Posadas are Dec 16-24. 🇲🇽
- Babalú-Ayé is Dec 17. 🇨🇺
- National Sangria Day is Dec 20. 🇵🇹
- Huitzilopochtli is Dec 21. 🇲🇽
- National Champagne Day is Dec 31. 🇫🇷
January Holidays
New Year’s Day is Sat, Dec 31, 2021.
Three Kings Day is Thu, Jan 6. 🇵🇷
Martin Luther King Weekend is Sat-Mon, Jan 15-17. 🇺🇸
January Festivals
The El Museo Three Kings Day Parade is virtual Thu, Jan 6.
The Teatro SEA Three Kings Day Celebration is Thu, Jan 6.
NYC Restaurant Week is Jan 18 – Feb 13. Reservations open Jan 11.
NYC Broadway Week is Jan 18 – Feb 13. Sales open Jan 11.
American Dance Platform is Jan 11-16.
The NY Jewish Film Festival is Jan 12-25.
The Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival is Jan 12-30.
Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival is Jan 13-15. 🇺🇸
Winter Jazzfest is Jan 13-22. The Jazzfest Marathon is Jan 14-15.
Martin Luther King Weekend is Sat-Mon, Jan 15-17. 🇺🇸
Antiques Week is the end of January.
January Days
- Haitian Independence Day is Jan 1. 🇭🇹
- Solemnity of Mary is Jan 1. 🇮🇹
- Elegúa is Jan 6. 🇨🇺
- Las Octavitas is Jan 7-14. 🇨🇺
- The Wolf Moon full moon is Jan 17.
- Our Lady of Altagracia is Jan 21. 🇩🇴
- Dominican Heritage Month starts Jan 21. 🇩🇴
- Holocaust Remembrance Day is Jan 27. ✡️🏳️🌈
February Holidays
Presidents Day Weekend is Sat-Mon, Feb 19-21.
NYC Schools Midwinter Recess is Mon-Fri, Feb 21-25. schools.nyc.gov (2021-22)
It’s Carnival Season in the Latin world.
- Carnival Month is February.
- Carnival Week is Wed-Tue, Feb 23 – Mar 1.
- Carnival Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is Tue, Mar 1.
February Festivals
21 Islands Film Festival is Feb 2-6.
Outsider Art Fair is Feb 3-6.
NY Fashion Week is Feb 10-14.
Off Calendar in 2022
Doc Fortnight
Film Comment Selects
NY African Film Festival
February Days
Black History Month
Lunar New Year is Tue, Feb 1.
Valentine’s Day is Mon, Feb 14. 🇮🇹
St Patrick’s Day is Thu, Mar 17. 🇮🇪
Celebrate Eleguá~Eshu, Orisha of Destiny
Friday, January 6, 2023
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
🇧🇷🇨🇺🇭🇹🇩🇴🇵🇷
Winter Weather
New York City is a winter wonderland (unless you have to shovel and commute). The first snow usually falls by the second week of December. Winter weather stays through February.
January is the coldest month of the year. The first week of February is the snowiest time of year (and the least expensive time to visit).
Every winter visitor should bring a winter coat, scarf, hat, gloves and boots for walking through slushy streets after a snow.
Barranquilla Carnival 2022 is Rescheduled to March 26
TRAVEL
March 26-29, 2022
BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA
🇨🇴
Continue Reading Barranquilla Carnival 2022 is Rescheduled to March 26
Celebrate Lent, the Spiritual Preparation for Easter
Wednesday, March 2 – April 14, 2022 ✝️
Continue Reading Celebrate Lent, the Spiritual Preparation for Easter
Rio Carnival 2022 is Postponed to April 21
[As of Jan 21]
Thu, April 21, 2022
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
🇧🇷
Celebrate Carnival 2023
SEASON Fri, January 6, 2023
WEEK Thu, February 15, 2023 CARNIVAL TUESDAY February 21, 2023
Trinidad Carnival 2023
Thu-Tue, February 16-21, 2023
🇹🇹
Ponce Carnival 2023 is Puerto Rico’s Carnival
Thu-Tue, February 16-21, 2023
PONCE, Puerto Rico
🇵🇷
Continue Reading Ponce Carnival 2023 is Puerto Rico’s Carnival
Celebrate Mardi Gras!
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
🇫🇷
Commemorate Ash Wednesday, From Dust to Dust
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
✝️
Continue Reading Commemorate Ash Wednesday, From Dust to Dust
Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square 2022
[To be confirmed]
Monday, November 28, 2022
LINCOLN SQUARE
Manhattan
On Giving Tuesday, Support the Arts
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Celebrate Portugal Restoration of Independence Day!
Thursday, December 1, 2022
🇵🇹
Continue Reading Celebrate Portugal Restoration of Independence Day!
Celebrate Candombe Day!
Saturday, December 3, 2022
🇺🇾
Celebrate the Feast of Santa Barbara!
Sunday, December 4, 2022
🇨🇺🇭🇹🇩🇴🇵🇷
Celebrate International Tango Day!
Sunday, December 11, 2022
🇦🇷🇺🇾🇫🇷
Honor Babalú-Ayé, the Orisha of Epidemics and Healing
Saturday, December 17, 2022
🇨🇺
Continue Reading Honor Babalú-Ayé, the Orisha of Epidemics and Healing
Celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights!
Sunday, December 18 – Monday, December 26, 2022
✡️
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Celebrate Christmas Eve, Noche Buena!
Saturday, December 24, 2022
Celebrate Kwanzaa, the African American Holiday Tradition!
Monday, December 26, 2022 – January 1, 2023
🇺🇸
Continue Reading Celebrate Kwanzaa, the African American Holiday Tradition!
Happy New Year 2023!
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Celebrate Haitian Independence Day!
Sunday, January 1, 2023
🇭🇹
Celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation!
Sunday, January 1, 2023
🇺🇸
Celebrate Three Kings Day, Día de Reyes
Thursday, January 6, 2022
🇵🇷
Things to do in NYC on Martin Luther King Weekend
Saturday-Monday, January 14-16, 2023 🇺🇸
Continue Reading Things to do in NYC on Martin Luther King Weekend
Celebrate New York Dominican Heritage Month!
Saturday, January 21 to February 27, 2023
🇩🇴
Continue Reading Celebrate New York Dominican Heritage Month!
Happy Lunar New Year of the Rabbit!
Sunday, January 22, 2023
🇨🇳🇰🇭🇰🇷🇰🇵🇯🇵🇲🇳🇵🇭🇸🇬🇹🇭🇺🇸
Black History Month is American History Month!
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
🇺🇸
Continue Reading Black History Month is American History Month!
Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes!
Friday, February 11, 2022 🇫🇷
Continue Reading Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
❤️
It’s Presidents Day Weekend!
Friday-Monday, February 17-20, 2023🇺🇸
Celebrate National Margarita Day!
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
🇲🇽
Celebrate Dominican Independence Day. ¡Quisqueya!
Monday, February 27, 2023
🇩🇴
Continue Reading Celebrate Dominican Independence Day. ¡Quisqueya!
Times Square New Year’s Eve 2022 is Live with Distancing
Friday, December 31, 2021
TIMES SQUARE
Theater District
Continue Reading Times Square New Year’s Eve 2022 is Live with Distancing
Kids of All Ages Love the Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival 2021
nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival 📚🎪 Wednesday- Saturday, January 13-16, 2021. FREE
Continue Reading Kids of All Ages Love the Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival 2021
Watch Times Square New Year’s Eve 2021 with Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull & Anitta
Thursday, December 31, 2020
🇺🇸 🇧🇷 🇨🇺 🇮🇹 🇵🇷
Continue Reading Watch Times Square New Year’s Eve 2021 with Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull & Anitta
Macy’s 2020 Holiday Windows Thank First Responders, Essential Workers and Marchers for Equality
MACY’S Herald Square | Thursday, November 19, 2020 – January 1, 2021