The Art of the Freeze
You could use a little frozen wonder right about now.
This weekend: quarter yourself in a classic Ann Arbor hotel, roam among the 80+ sculptures of a small town ice fest and settle in for a late dinner inside the beams and glass of a one-of-a-kind culinary project.
As always, your stay, meal and local experience are all bookable in one click.
Sat. Jan 17 - Sun. Jan 18, 2026
Ann Arbor + Dexter, Mich.
Scroll for the full story of the weekend.
Why here?
This weekend is a melding: a classic, elevated dip into wintertime Ann Arbor, paired with a quick excursion to small-town Dexter for a celebrated ice festival.
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Read on below
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The Huron river chugs right through town, and it’s a localish outdoor escape for urban-dwelling Michiganders. Winter here is something: there’s six miles of groomed cross-country ski trails and great snowshoeing too.
But this weekend is not really about exertion so much. It’s about a wintertime slow-down, doing a little near-nothingness after the rush of the holidays, and taking in the small, icy marvels of a quaint, good, real town that is putting on something special.
We’ll save a proper exploration of Ann Arbor (it deserves one) for down the road, but it’s a perfect home base for returning to after a frozen time in Dexter.
Dexter is just a hop away from your headquarters at Weber’s Hotel, and well worth the hopping. Its mill-town roots and wanderable downtown are worth visiting anytime, but this weekend is Ice Fest, so there’s some time pressure here. It’s Saturday only.
This weekend in Ann Arbor and Dexter, discover…
The stay.
Weber’s Hotel
A ring of spiral staircases surround the indoor atrium at Weber’s (at the center of which is a heated pool) in Ann Arbor.
The hotel itself is atmospheric and great, but the on-site steakhouse is its own worthy draw: it’s been in operation since 1937, has a striking A-frame-style cross-beam structure, and an attaching jazz bar too (more on that last bit later).
You’ve got reservations for two on Saturday night.
The day.
Dexter Ice Fest
What we love about the annual ice festival in Dexter (population 4,500) is that it’s absolutely not a gigantic winter drive-through spectacle; it’s a real community event that engages the entire town.
There will be more than 80 often-whimsical ice sculptures lining the town’s Monument Park, along with live carving demos, and, we emphasize, a cocoa crawl.
The festival is also a great excuse to support local Dexter businesses, many of which offer fest-specific specials and deals.
Ice Fest is free, and it’s about a 15 minute drive from Ann Arbor and your hotel.
The find.
The Fox and The Feather
They do not have a website to our knowledge, they are just there, in downtown Dexter, in real life.
”Books, paper & pretty things,” is how they describe themselves, findable “behind the red door on the clock plaza in Dexter.”
A drop-in-must during Ice Fest.
We’re including a $25 credit to put toward any purchase. We’ll let them know you’re coming.
The food.
The Dixboro Project
Popped into a retooled 1800s barn set on 20 acres in Dixboro Village (just northeast of Ann Arbor), this place houses three separate restaurant concepts: fine dining, a cafe and a takeout option.
We’re rolling with the fine dining here. It’s good, eclectic fare that ranges from a Mushroom Volauvent entrée to woodfired pizza.
You have reservations at 8pm on Saturday evening. And a $180 credit to order off the regular dinner menu. Pre-paid, just arrive.
The tucked away.
Cass and Co.
Another hidden wonder of the Dexter’s downtown. Elevated thrifting, woman-owned, extremely well-curated.
”It’s not just about shopping, but shopping with intention,” co-owner Cassidy Kutella, one half of the mother-daughter team that runs the place, told the local Sun Times News.
“We’re more than just a store — we’re creating a hub for sustainable shopping and community engagement…we invite everyone to join us on the journey towards a more conscious and compassionate way of living.”
We’re including another $25 credit for anything here.
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The evening mood.
The Habitat
An Ann Arbor favorite, and it’s right in your hotel: part cocktail bar, part jazz venue; a place that surely would have been extremely smokey 40 years ago.
Kelly ‘Bird’ McDermott and friends take the stage for live jazz Saturday night, and it’s just where you should be after a day of ice-gazing.
One-night stay for two at Weber’s Hotel on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.
Two $25 credits to get you started supporting downtown Dexter: go explore Cass and Co. and The Fox and the Feather. Get to Ice Fest by early afternoon on Saturday if possible.
Pre-paid dinner at the Dixboro Project. Table already reserved at 8pm on Saturday evening.
You’ll receive a detailed itinerary after booking confirmation.
Book it all in a click.
Questions? hello@theovernightist.com
Editor's Note: This story has been revised to avoid several instances of clumsy phrasing regarding ice and the Midwest. Given current events involving ICE actions in Minneapolis (and beyond), we've lightly retooled our language here. Thanks to a reader for calling our attention to this.
See here for a full list of photo credits for this story.