Rice Creek's annual Celebrate Snow Winter Festival will be held on Saturday, Feb 14, 2026. This event is free and open to all, with a severe weather date of Sunday, Feb 15. Both adults and kids will find something to celebrate among the event's many activities:

Programs with a Start Time

• 11:30 a.m. - Guided snowshoe walk with the Outdoor Club at SUNY Oswego (youth sizes available)
• Noon & 1 pm - Enjoy a cozy winter-themed Story Time by the campfire with Oswego Public Library Children's Librarian Cathryn McVearry
• Noon - Guided nature walk with Naturalist Kristen Moore
• 1 p.m. - Cacao tasting with Naturalist Kristen Moore

Ongoing Outdoor Activities

• Borrow a pair of cross-country skis (for free, adult sizes) courtesy of SUNY Oswego Campus Recreation and try out this fun lifelong sport!
• Borrow adult- or youth-sized snowshoes (for free) and take a ramble on one of Rice Creek's trails
• Learn about maple tapping with the SUNY Oswego Office of Sustainability
• Catch and examine snowflakes with the SUNY Oswego Meteorology Club
• Bring your own sled and enjoy Rice Creek's small and safe hills right near the building
• Roast chestnuts on an open fire — or toast marshmallows or pop popcorn! Allergy note: chestnut roasting will happen at a separate fire from popcorn and marshmallows. 

Ongoing Indoor Activities

• Learn "How to Sink an Ice Cube" with the SUNY Oswego Chemistry Club
• Discover the winter Olympic champions of the animal world with Rice Creek's Zoology students
• Stop by the Oswego Public Library's table for snow-themed craft activities
• Create natural and sustainable animal figurines, including winter animals like deer, using pine cones and seed pods
• Explore the science behind our winter weather with SUNY Oswego's Meteorology Club
• Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count and learn how to identify winter backyard birds
• Experience a bug's-eye-view of winter with entomologist Dr. Karen Sime
• Free snow- and winter-themed face painting
• Nature activity tables with Oswego County Soil & Water Conservation District
• Glimpse the past and present of snow in Oswego with Penfield Library
• Additional crafts and STEM activities

Parking and Accessibility

• Free parking is available by the field station and along one side of the field station's entrance road. There is a drop-off zone near the building. If you will need accessible parking, please contact rcfs@oswego.edu at least 2 days in advance to ensure a reserved spot.
• A free van shuttle for SUNY Oswego students will leave the Marano Campus Center bus stop at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. Please call 315.312.6677 with questions on the day of the event.
• The Rice Creek building, sidewalks, and pavilion are ADA-accessible. Persons with disabilities requiring additional accommodations should contact rcfs@oswego.edu or call 315.312.6677.

For questions about the event or how to be involved, please email rcfs@oswego.edu or call 315.312.6677. 

Youth under 17 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.