Wally Ice Fest

The Wally Ice Fest returns to Lake Wallenpaupack in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, January 31 through February 1, 2026, converting 5,700 acres of frozen Pocono Mountain lake into a two-day winter recreation event that draws participants from across the northeastern United States. Lake Wallenpaupack, stretching 52 miles of shoreline through Wayne County, is one of the largest lakes in Pennsylvania and serves as the central natural feature of the Pocono Lakes region, a destination known primarily as a summer and fall getaway that reframes convincingly under winter conditions. The Wally Ice Fest is among the few large-format winter lake festivals in Pennsylvania, and its combination of ice sport, live music, food, and a genuinely open-air setting on the frozen surface gives it a character that no indoor winter event can replicate.

Two Days of Ice: What the Program Delivers

Saturday’s centerpiece is the Pond Hockey Tournament, drawing more than 30 teams from across the region onto multiple ice rinks laid out across the lake surface. The Saturday schedule runs from 8 AM to 5 PM, with live bands playing from 10 AM to 8 PM, extending the day into evening long after the hockey bracket concludes. Sunday runs from 8 AM to 5 PM, with live music from 11 AM to 3 PM. Alongside the tournament, both days offer ice golf chipping, keg curling, axe-throwing, public skating, and bonfires positioned across the venue. Local food vendors and regional brewing companies operate throughout the weekend, providing warm beverages and food options that make sustained time on the ice practical rather than miserable for spectators who are not competing.

If You’re Going With Kids: Public skating is the most family-accessible element of the Wally Ice Fest, requiring no registration and no competitive context. The bonfire stations are another reliable draw for families with younger children who reach their cold-exposure threshold before the afternoon events conclude. Ice golf chipping requires no prior skill and works well as a family introduction to the idea of doing absurd things on a frozen lake in January, which is ultimately the point of the whole weekend.

Lake Wallenpaupack and the Pocono Context

The Poconos surrounding Lake Wallenpaupack carry a family resort culture with deep roots in northeastern leisure travel, and the area’s existing accommodation infrastructure makes the Wally Ice Fest a natural anchor for a full weekend rather than a day trip. The region’s ski areas, including Camelback Mountain Resort and Big Boulder, are within an hour’s drive and extend the activity calendar for families whose children want variety beyond the ice festival. For travelers who want to stay close to the lake through the festival weekend, Lake.com lists several Pocono vacation rental properties including the Relaxing Pocono Chalet Near Lake and Skiing, which provides the fireplace-and-comfort base that January in the Poconos demands, and larger options like the Large Pocono Family Home for groups wanting space to regroup between festival sessions.