Free Family-Friendly February Events

Beacon Park, Detroit

Free Family-Friendly February Events

Winter doesn’t have to mean hibernating inside the house! There are SO many FREE indoor and outdoor in our area! Plus this is Leap Year so there are 5 Saturdays to enjoy! Check out these free events and please let me know if you know of more. 

Jan. 31- Feb. 2: 15th Annual Downtown Mount Clemens Ice Carving Show (Mount Clemens) – This is a great opportunity for the entire family to spend time outdoors during the Michigan winter while enjoying this unique show with carving demonstrations throughout the event. Parking is FREE!

Feb. 1: Winterfest (Milford) – Free Community Event sponsored by the parks and recreation commission! There will be ice skating, snowshoes, snow painting, a bonfire, s’mores, and more!

Feb. 1: Kindermusik with Grandfriends (Livonia) – Kindermusik with Grandfriends is an innovative concept for bringing generations together through music and play. The same beloved Kindermusik curricula used in the classroom are brought into a residential care facility and creatively adapted to include the residents. The residents are invited to participate in meaningful ways as parents and their little ones enjoy this lively class in their presence. Some children will “adopt” a special grandma or grandpa here as the same seniors tend to watch the children grow and play with music. Parents are encouraged to facilitate this special bond between the seniors and their child that may continue to blossom outside of class time.

Educators from Evola Music of Canton present this monthly intergenerational program the first Saturday of each month at 11:00 am at Angel Gardens of Livonia. We’ll sing, play, dance, and more together as we create new friendships and strengthen brain development in all participants. The event is free, but registration is recommended. Call 734.455.4677. All families receive a small gift to take home.

Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: FREE Day at the Flint Institute of Art (Flint) – This museum is FREE to visit every Saturday thanks to Huntington.

Feb. 7: Cranbrook Institute of Science (Bloomfield Hills) – Visit for FREE after 5 p.m. on the first Friday of the month courtesy of the MASCO Corporation Foundation.

Feb. 7-9: Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends (Detroit) – Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends features winter activities, live entertainment, and delicious local restaurants for the whole family to enjoy. FREE.

Feb. 8: Winter Carnival 2020 (Bear Creek Nature Center, Rochester) – Snowy fun for the whole family! Activities include: Ice carving, crafts, archery, ice skating, scavenger hunt, magic show, stilt walker and balloon animals, food tent, and more. And best of all, ITS FREE! Parking available at Rochester Christian Church with shuttle service from 11:45-4:30.

Feb. 8: February Flicks – Toy Story 4 (Beacon Park, Detroit) – Lights! Camera! Action! February Flicks returns to​ DTE’s Beacon Park Detroit​ featuring a fantastic lineup of free films and movie-themed activities on Saturdays, inside the heated tent! Beacon Park’s heated tent will be decked out with comfy couches, pillows and blankets but you’re also invited to bring your own seating. And don’t forget to stock up on snacks while you’re here — popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase. Guests will also be able to build their own toy to take home!

Toy Story 4 (G) 1h 40m – screenings take place at 1pm and 4pm.

Feb. 8: Star Wars Fun! (Livonia Public Library) – Have fun with other Star Wars fans while you play games and make crafts. Participants will also learn interesting facts about the movies and the books. Come in costume if you like! Registration required beginning January 25, 2020 in-person at the Children’s Reference Desk or by phone at 734-466-2493.

Feb. 8: Hartland Winterfest 2020 (Hartland) – Keep your family’s cabin fever at bay with Hartland’s premier FREE, family-friendly winter event! This sixth annual family-oriented event will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 from noon until 7 p.m., at and around Hartland’s Heritage Park, located at 12349 Highland Road. As in past years, Winterfest will feature crafts, ice-skating, reindeer, sledding, and a hearty helping of Hartland SOUP. Concessions will be available for sale, and fireworks will begin at dusk.

Feb. 8: Teen Card and Board Game Get Together (Wayne Library) – An afternoon with Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and/or Yu Gi Oh. Please bring your own cards, but extra cards will be available. If card games aren’t you thing, there will also be assorted board games to play. For Ages 12 and Up

Feb. 8: Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening – A Winter Star Talk (Dearborn) – The Hammond Planetarium at Henry Ford College presents seasonal planetarium shows of the night sky. The planetarium is currently featuring a show titled “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” featuring the stars and constellations of winter followed by a multimedia presentation on the planet Jupiter. Doors open 20 minutes prior to the show All shows are free and open to the public.

Feb. 8: Ice Carving Festival (Ann Arbor) – Visit County Farm Park from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. to watch students from surrounding SE Michigan colleges and universities compete! Stand in awe as the carvers showcase their mastery with chainsaws & flamethrowers to create unique masterpieces to display.

Feb. 8: Frozen Skate Party (Farmington Hills) – Grab your skates and head to Riley Park Ice Rink in Downtown Farmington for skating and activities. Maybe a character or two will show up for a photo op!

Feb. 9: Bird Watching for Beginners (Detroit) – Join the Belle Isle Nature Center staff, local Audubon chapter members and other birding experts for a free, five-part “Birdwatching for Beginners” course. Each session can be taken individually or combined with others to develop your bird identification skills. We’ll cover everything from how to use field guides, apps, binoculars and spotting scopes; maintenance and enjoyment of your backyard bird feeders; and identifying common birds by sight and sound. 

Feb. 15: February Flicks – Aquaman (Beacon Park Detroit) – Lights! Camera! Action! February Flicks returns to​ DTE’s Beacon Park Detroit​ featuring a fantastic lineup of free films and movie-themed activities on Saturdays, inside the heated tent! Beacon Park’s heated tent will be decked out with comfy couches, pillows and blankets but you’re also invited to bring your own seating. And don’t forget to stock up on snacks while you’re here — popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase.

Aquaman (PG-13) 2h 22m – screenings take place at 1pm and 4pm.

Feb. 15: Free Ice Fishing Derby (Holly) – Great fun for the whole family! This is on the Free Fishing Weekend, so no license is required, and park entrance fees are waived for the event. Heavily geared towards kids, but a great time for adults as well. Free food, prizes, and warming fire provided. Great event whether you are experienced, or brand new to ice fishing. Limited bait and loaner gear is available on a first come first served basis. People will be available to help drill holes and give guidance if needed. Meet at Fisherman’s Cove Shelter on Big Seven Lake for a great day of Fun! More details to follow as they wrap up the planning stages. Call the park at 248-634-7271, or Email: colea3@michigan.gov or dunkelj1@michigan.gov

Feb. 17: The Spirit of Harriet Tubman (Southfield) – Celebrates Black History Month with a presentation of The Spirit of Harriet Tubman. This will take place in Room 115 of the Southfield Parks & Recreation Building at 26000 Evergreen Road beginning at 6:30 p.m

Feb. 22: February Flicks – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (Beacon Park, Detroit) – Lights! Camera! Action! February Flicks returns to​ DTE’s Beacon Park Detroit​ featuring a fantastic lineup of free films and movie-themed activities on Saturdays, inside the heated tent! Beacon Park’s heated tent will be decked out with comfy couches, pillows and blankets but you’re also invited to bring your own seating. And don’t forget to stock up on snacks while you’re here — popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (PG) 1h 44m – screenings take place at 1pm and 4pm.

Feb. 22: Family Fun Fair (Trenton Rotary) – Free, Family Fun event includes lunch, kid friendly games and crafts and entertainment, elementary aged children and younger and their parents are welcomed to a day of play!

Feb. 28: Free Winter Term Planetarium Show (Wayne State University, Detroit) – There will be some hands on demonstrations, a live star talk about the current night sky and  favorite astronomical objects, and follow up with ‘Phantom of the Universe: The Search for Dark Matter’ – a full dome film about the search for this material that physicists believe makes up 27% of the universe, narrated by Tilda Swinton.

40 of our 60 seats are reservable for every show. Reserve seats at noon on the Sunday prior to a show at wsuplanetarium.eventbrite.com . Reserved seats get claimed quickly, but there are always 20 walk in seats available too. Full details available on the Facebook page.

Feb. 29: February Flicks – Avengers Endgame (Beacon Park, Detroit) – Lights! Camera! Action! February Flicks returns to​ DTE’s Beacon Park Detroit​ featuring a fantastic lineup of free films and movie-themed activities on Saturdays, inside the heated tent! Beacon Park’s heated tent will be decked out with comfy couches, pillows and blankets but you’re also invited to bring your own seating. And don’t forget to stock up on snacks while you’re here — popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase.

Be sure to dress up as your favorite superhero for photo ops throughout the event!

Avengers Endgame (PG-13) 3h 2m – screenings take place at 1pm and 4pm.