Winter Wonderland

the lightning of the Ice castle

photo courtesy of SnapShot Photo, Saranac Lake

Whether you are a student, a visitor, or a native of the Adirondacks, don’t forget to check out the famous 107th Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. Sponsored annually by the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce, it is the oldest winter celebration in the eastern U.S. This year, the carnival was held from February 6th through 15th, following the theme “Carnival Time.” Although the winter in the Adirondacks is long and chilly, with the temperature dropping to 30 F below 0, the atmosphere of the festival can warm you up.

Tracing back history of the Winter Carnival, its originated purpose was to help tuberculosis patients take advantage of the Adirondacks’ beautiful landscape in healing their pain. Nevertheless, the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has gradually become a fun and relaxed time for everyone. For young people, “It is an excuse to party,” said Sarah Lepak, a local resident.

The 107th anniversary of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival was a great success attended by more than 10,000 people from the Adirondacks and other towns across New York. The second week of this year’s carnival happened to be the Presidents Day, so not only did visitors get the chance to enjoy the carnival, but they also got to attend a hockey tournament as part of the Presidents Day celebration.

This year’s carnival began with the annual Coronation of Carnival Royalty in Harriet Town Hall. Every year, two local residents are honored as the King and Queen, due to their services to the community. According to the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce, two teachers from the Saranac Lake School District were picked this year. Happily, they happened to be husband and wife. Seven boys and seven girls were also chosen to act in the royal court as helpers for the King and Queen throughout the celebration.

The construction of the Ice Castle has always been one of the biggest and most distinguished events of the festival. People from the community, along with local prisoners, were asked to help build the traditional Ice Castle, which acted as the symbol of the carnival. “This year, the weather was cold enough to keep the Ice Castle frozen, but warm enough so that the Parade was fun and tolerable,” said Amy Morris Jones, Acting Director of the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce. After the construction was the lightning of the castle, followed by a fireworks display in the State Boat Lunch. The lights transformed it into a stunning creation and a magnificent example of man and nature’s cooperation. There were also many snow sculptures that were displayed throughout the carnival that received great admiration. Another nice addition to this year’s carnival was the helicopter ride that enabled people to see the ice castle from the sky.

The Winter Carnival also sponsored two parades; the Kiddy Parade and the Gala Parade. On the second to last day of the carnival, the Gala Parade presented the marching of community members, accompanied by bands from Canada and Saranac Lake High School, along with the town mayors and trustees. The Kiddy Parade took place the following day presented the marching of all the cuties in town.

Due to the wonderful landscape and weather condition of the Adirondacks, various sporting events were being held throughout this year’s carnival. Local residents and tourists celebrated the freezing temperatures by joining races in the inner tubing and skating, as well as the White Stag Downhill Ski Race.

The Carnival also presented diverse cultural events, such as the play “Romeo and Juliet”. There were also book sales, dinners, receptions and art exhibitions. The fabulous fireworks, along with the post Carnival slide show - which displayed images of all the events - marked the closing of the carnival.

Are you coming to the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival next year? Let us know!