Winter Without The Weather

Cincinnati winters can feel like a tug-of-war between weather forecasts, family schedules, and the hunt for something new to do. Some years bring snow that sticks and sleds that fly at Devou Park. Other years feel like December in Seattle with cloudy skies and rain that only disappoints. Families have learned to improvise, and the city has followed with new upgrades that rework winter into a real season rather than a waiting game.

Ice skating scored one of the biggest upgrades. Downtown’s main rink left Fountain Square and resurfaced at the new Elm Street Plaza as the UC Health Ice Rink. The new site doubled down on spectacle with private igloos, fire pits, a warming tent, and a bigger rink footprint. Skaters now glide next to the Duke Energy Convention Center under lights that make the plaza feel like a holiday movie scene. It runs from mid-November to mid-February, and admission averages twelve dollars including skate rentals, which keeps it accessible for families who want an outing that feels seasonal rather than routine.

Indoor winter experiences have expanded too, and the Contemporary Arts Center is stepping into that space with confidence. On Saturday, January 10 the museum launches its Snowy Studio Family Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a three-hour burst of winter imagination located entirely indoors. Admission is free for children 18 and under and also free for families using SNAP or EBT. Full details can be found at https://www.contemporaryartscenter.org/events-programs/calendar/2026/01/10/family-festival-snowy-studio.

Snowy Studio transforms the CAC’s Creative Studio into a winter laboratory. Snow-themed art projects introduce sculpting, layering, and texture with materials that feel cold-adjacent without requiring gloves. Simple science experiments break down how snow forms in the atmosphere and why it sometimes arrives as flakes, pellets, or slush. Children can move between tables, activities, and stations at their own pace, piecing together a winter narrative as they go.

The event also leans into physical play. A build-your-own snow fort activity invites small engineering teams to create structures that would impress any Arctic explorer. A supervised indoor snowball fight gives children an outlet for the kinetic joy of winter without the sting of icy fingers or frozen toes. The room fills with laughter, movement, and the unmistakable feeling of winter fun without the weather overhead.

At 1 p.m. there is a storytime led by storyteller April Eight that settles the room into a quiet rhythm. Stories built around winter characters and settings add language, narrative, and imagination to the festival. Children gather, listen, and picture worlds filled with frost, forests, and snowdrifts. The transition from high-energy play to collective attention gives the event natural pacing rather than nonstop motion.

Guest artist Lindsay Nehls adds another layer of intrigue by offering hand-drawn temporary tattoos featuring winter motifs. These tattoos often become prized souvenirs, signaling that the day included an encounter with real art, not just crafts. They also reinforce the CAC’s philosophy that contemporary art can be interactive, wearable, and personal.

Hospitality details matter during family programming, and the CAC understands this. A hot chocolate station with toppings turns the event into a winter celebration rather than a museum visit. Parents get time to reset. Children get sugar and warmth. A short break often buys another hour of participation, and the festival benefits from that extended attention.

Snowy Studio belongs to a larger wave of CAC family programs that treat children as full participants in contemporary art. The model works because it rewards touching, building, inventing, arranging, and experimenting. These are the instincts that drive children into museums for the first time and keep them coming back as they grow older. National arts data supports this approach. Early childhood exposure to the arts strongly correlates with adult participation in cultural events, museum attendance, and community volunteering.

Admission policy solidifies the CAC’s accessibility mission. Free entry for children removes a major financial barrier for families during a season when indoor activities can pile up in cost. Free entry for families using SNAP or EBT broadens access further and positions contemporary art as a public good rather than a luxury entertainment option. Families who might not otherwise visit now have a clear invitation to participate.

Founded in 1939, the Contemporary Arts Center has spent generations introducing Cincinnati to experimental art forms and emerging ideas. Today, it serves as both a cultural engine and a family-friendly anchor in a downtown corridor that includes the Aronoff Center, the Taft Theatre, and the Main Library. Snowy Studio fits within that lineage but also represents a new kind of winter tradition.

Cincinnati is building a winter season that does not require snowfall, and the city is better for it. The rink at Elm Street Plaza brings motion and spectacle outdoors. Snowy Studio brings imagination and creativity indoors. Families gain reliable options. Children gain memorable experiences. The city gains cultural rituals that make winter feel like a season worth celebrating.