From Ice Sculptures to Lunar New Year Lights. February in New Jersey no longer belongs solely to quiet weekends and short daylight hours. Across the state in 2026, winter becomes a full-scale cultural season, blending global celebrations, live music, outdoor adventure, professional sports, and immersive family experiences into a calendar that rivals any warm-weather lineup. From North Jersey arts venues to Shore boardwalk challenges and historic parks along the Delaware River, February is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic months of the year for residents and visitors alike, continuing the statewide momentum highlighted throughout Explore New Jersey’s entertainment coverage.

New Jersey offers a diverse range of winter activities in February 2026, from cultural festivals and live music to outdoor adventures and professional sports. 

Festivals & Cultural Events

• NJ Symphony Lunar New Year Celebration: Celebrate the Year of the Horse on February 7, 2026, at the NJPAC in Newark. The event includes a Cultural Exchange Festival starting at 6:00 PM followed by a family-friendly concert.
• South Orange International Blues Festival (Winter Edition): Enjoy live performances from artists like King Solomon Hicks and Eliza Neals at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on February 6, 2026.
• Winter Fire & Ice Festival: This seasonal celebration takes place in Cream Ridge on February 1–2, 2026, featuring ice carvings and winter activities.
• Wakanda Ball 2026: A celebration of Black love and community held on February 14, 2026, at Express Newark. 

Outdoor & Nature Activities

• Seal and Winter Waterfowl Walk: Join the American Littoral Society in Highlands on February 20, 2026, to observe local winter marine life and migratory birds.
• Winter Warrior Challenge: A competitive athletic event held on the Ocean City Boardwalk on February 14, 2026.
• Guided Winter Hikes:
  • Cheesequake State Park: A 2-mile guided nature walk through winter ecosystems on February 7, 2026.
  • Plainsboro Preserve: A guided “Winter Walk” along the preserve’s Red Trail on February 14, 2026.
• Winter Markets: Visit the Grow It Green Winter Market at the Convent Train Station in Morristown every Sunday, including February 8, 2026. 

Sports & Recreation

• Professional Hockey:
  • New Jersey Devils: Catch them playing the Calgary Flames at the Prudential Center on March 12, 2026.
  • New Jersey Titans: Watch them face the Northeast Generals at the Middletown Sports Complex on February 27, 2026.
• Skiing & Snow Tubing: Popular destinations like Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon and Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah are in peak season for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing.
• Indoor Winter Fun: For those looking to escape the cold, Big SNOW American Dream offers year-round indoor skiing and “SNO-GO” biking. 

Family-Friendly Museum Exhibits

• Washington’s Birthday Celebration: Visit Washington Crossing State Park on February 15, 2026, for historical demonstrations including blacksmithing and musket firing.
• Sue the T. rex Experience: A full-scale replica of the famous dinosaur is on display at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City through May 2026.
• Rutgers Geology Museum Open House: Explore fossils and minerals for free on February 7, 2026, in New Brunswick. 

The month opens with a strong focus on culture and live performance, beginning in Newark with a major Lunar New Year celebration that places music, heritage, and community at center stage. On February 7, the New Jersey Symphony brings the Year of the Horse to life at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center with a full evening experience that begins with a Cultural Exchange Festival at 6 p.m., followed by a family-friendly concert designed to bridge generations and traditions. The pre-concert festival invites guests to explore food, art, and cultural demonstrations, transforming the lobby into an interactive global showcase before the orchestra takes the stage.

One night earlier, on February 6, live blues takes over South Orange as the Winter Edition of the South Orange International Blues Festival arrives at the South Orange Performing Arts Center. Featuring nationally recognized performers such as King Solomon Hicks and Eliza Neals, the event delivers a powerful blend of contemporary blues and classic influences in one of Essex County’s most intimate and acoustically rich theaters. For local audiences, the winter festival edition has become a must-attend moment on the regional live music calendar, offering a high-energy counterpoint to the quieter winter concert season.

In central New Jersey, winter’s creative edge takes on a visual twist during the Winter Fire and Ice Festival in Cream Ridge on February 1 and 2. The seasonal event transforms the community into a cold-weather playground of glowing fire displays, detailed ice carvings, and family-oriented winter activities. Visitors can move through illuminated installations, watch artists carve frozen sculptures in real time, and enjoy an atmosphere that blends small-town charm with festival-scale production.

February also brings a powerful celebration of culture, identity, and community to Newark with Wakanda Ball 2026, scheduled for February 14 at Express Newark. The event honors Black love, creativity, and collective expression through fashion, music, and social connection, offering an immersive Valentine’s Day alternative rooted in culture and empowerment. For many attendees, the evening has become as much about creative community building as it is about celebration.

For those who prefer their February experiences outdoors, New Jersey’s natural spaces and waterfronts offer a surprising range of winter-only encounters. On February 20, the American Littoral Society leads a Seal and Winter Waterfowl Walk in Highlands, guiding participants along the coast to observe seasonal marine life and migratory birds that populate the shoreline during colder months. The walk provides rare opportunities to spot seals and winter seabirds while learning about conservation efforts and regional ecosystems.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, athletic competitors and spectators gather in Ocean City for the Winter Warrior Challenge on the boardwalk. The high-energy endurance event pushes participants through physically demanding courses against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, delivering one of the Shore’s most distinctive winter traditions and proving that the boardwalk remains a year-round destination.

Nature lovers can also explore the state’s preserved landscapes through guided winter hikes offered throughout the month. On February 7, Cheesequake State Park hosts a two-mile guided walk through its diverse winter ecosystems, highlighting forest, marsh, and transitional habitats in a quieter, wildlife-rich season. One week later, on February 14, visitors can join a guided winter walk along the Red Trail at the Plainsboro Preserve, where naturalists introduce participants to seasonal plant life, animal tracking, and winter landscape changes that often go unnoticed during warmer months.

Even in colder weather, New Jersey’s local food and artisan scene continues to thrive. The Grow It Green Winter Market operates every Sunday at the Convent Train Station in Morristown, including February 8, bringing fresh produce, baked goods, prepared foods, and handcrafted items directly to the community in a cozy, indoor setting that keeps local agriculture and small businesses visible year-round.

Sports fans also have plenty to mark on their calendars as February transitions into a high-profile winter sports stretch. Professional hockey remains a major draw, with the New Jersey Titans hosting the Northeast Generals at the Middletown Sports Complex on February 27 in a matchup that highlights the region’s growing reputation for high-level junior hockey. Looking ahead on the calendar, the New Jersey Devils welcome the Calgary Flames to Prudential Center on March 12, continuing a season that keeps downtown Newark energized well beyond football and basketball schedules.

For winter thrill-seekers, snow sports remain in peak condition across northern New Jersey. Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon and Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah both operate at full winter capacity throughout February, offering skiing, snowboarding, and tubing experiences that provide easy access to winter recreation without leaving the state. Families and first-time skiers continue to take advantage of lessons and terrain designed for all skill levels, reinforcing New Jersey’s growing winter sports culture.

Those looking to escape the cold entirely can step inside Big SNOW at American Dream, where year-round indoor skiing and snowboarding create a climate-controlled winter playground. The facility’s unique SNO-GO biking experience adds another layer of novelty, allowing riders to glide down snow-covered slopes on specially designed bikes, offering a distinctly modern twist on traditional snow sports.

February’s calendar also delivers standout family and educational experiences designed to bring history and science to life. On February 15, Washington Crossing State Park hosts its annual Washington’s Birthday Celebration, featuring historical demonstrations such as blacksmithing, period cooking, and live musket firing. The event immerses visitors in Revolutionary-era life and remains one of the state’s most popular winter history programs.

In Jersey City, Liberty Science Center continues to host the Sue the T. rex Experience through May 2026, giving families the opportunity to encounter a full-scale replica of one of the world’s most famous dinosaurs. The exhibit blends hands-on science education with visual spectacle, making it a top destination for winter school breaks and weekend outings.

Meanwhile, in New Brunswick, the Rutgers Geology Museum opens its doors for a free public open house on February 7, inviting visitors to explore fossils, minerals, and geological specimens collected from around the world. The long-running museum program offers an accessible and engaging way for families and students to connect with earth sciences in an intimate academic setting.

Taken together, February 2026 reveals a New Jersey winter defined not by limitation, but by creative opportunity. Whether drawn by orchestral celebrations, live blues, cultural festivals, wildlife exploration, endurance challenges, winter markets, or immersive museums, residents and visitors alike will find a state fully activated by entertainment, discovery, and community. In a season once considered off-peak, New Jersey is proving that winter can be one of its most vibrant and rewarding times to explore.