This month, Ohio Magazine encourages readers to do more than just endure winter.

Beginning on page 34, freelancer Randy Edwards offers suggestions for invigorating outdoor recreation, from good, old-fashioned sledding (did you know that the Toledo Metroparks actually created hills for that purpose?) to hikes inspired by the social-media website Meetup.com. These outdoor adventures are not only good fun, they’re also good for our health, says Cheryl Howe, an exercise physiology professor at Ohio University. Clean, clear air and exposure to sunlight are just two benefits of venturing into the cold light of winter.

Avoiding the siren call of a cozy sofa and cup of cocoa is easier said than done, however. For extra incentive, we suggest perusing our quarterly calendar of events (see page 21).

Every month, Associate Editor Ilona Westfall compiles our event listings, and four times a year gives a three-month overview of the music, theater and arts presentations around the state, not to mention many hard-to-categorize offerings such as the annual Groundhog Day appearance of Buckeye Chuck in Marion, where Spam burgers are the order of the day.

I asked Ilona what caught her eye as she prepared this issue’s listings. She was intrigued, she said, by the 31st Annual Medieval Feast & Celebration at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland. Period food, drink, music and entertainment are highlights of this Camelot-themed festival on Jan. 25 and 26.

Along those lines (and speaking of Spam), on Jan. 23 Monty Python’s “Spamalot” brings laughs to Lima. What better way to spend a winter evening than giggling at the escapades of the Knights of the Round Table as they encounter insult-shouting French soldiers and a killer rabbit?

Pulling no punches, the 4th Annual Cabin Fever Festival at Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville on Jan. 19 addresses seasonal ennui with a concert by alt-country band Freakwater and other musical acts, a record swap and poster sale. Meanwhile, on that same evening, Ohio favorites Phil Dirt and the Dozers bring their “Rock ’N R’oldies” review to the Murphy Theatre in Wilmington. Don’t be surprised to see poodle-skirt-wearing Dozer fans bopping to the band’s blend of ’50s, ’60s and ’70s hits.

These are all great ways to beat the winter blahs, but I admit that as I glanced through this month’s events, I was drawn to one in particular: the Great Vacations Travel EXPO in Columbus, Jan. 18–20.

Winter, after all, is also a great time to dream about summer.