ESPN Winter X Games
Aspen, Colorado
January 25 to 28

More than 250 of the world's best "extreme" skiers, snowboarders, and other winter sports athletes gather at Aspen Snowmass to compete in 16 different events during the ESPN Winter X Games this January. Some of the notable athletes who have been invited to compete include gold-medal-winning snowboarder Shaun White (aka "The Flying Tomato") and silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis.

All the events are free to the public, including the fan-favorite SuperPipe events and the Skier and Boarder X races. There are also autograph signing sessions and, on the 27th, a free Apres X Concert in downtown Aspen, which will feature top national acts.

Stowe Winter Carnival
Stowe, Vermont
January 19 to 21

Each winter, the classic New England ski town of Stowe, Vermont, holds the down-home-style Stowe Winter Carnival, which focuses more on small-town community bonding than spectacle. For example, visitors are invited not just to watch but also compete in the Carnival's Super-G Schuss ski race at Stowe Mountain Resort and play in the Snow Volleyball tournament. The culmination is the Village Night Celebration when Main Street is blocked off to traffic and opened to revelers for an open-air party and fireworks display.

Ice carving, a kid's carnival, and a screening of the Warren Miller extreme skiing film Off the Grid are also planned. Most events are free, but there is a charge to attend some of the town dinners and evening dances.

To find other winter events happening around the world, check the event search engine on WhatsOnWhen. Festivals.com also has decent event listings.