Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (Saranac Lake, New York)
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival takes place every year in mid-February in New York’s Adirondacks region. The event, which will take place in its 126th year in 2023, became a part of Saranac Lake’s history as a 19th-century important health resort. In 1897, the area’s Pontiac Club organized a one-day winter carnival, which would later grow into the present-day winter festival.
This 10-day family-friendly event features sports, performances, three sets of fireworks, and two parades. Games of skills include cross-country skiing, snow rugby, snowshoe softball, and fry pan tossing. Yet, the main attraction is a life-sized ice palace.
This impressive piece of work has been part of the winter festival since 1898, with a structure continuously built except during the two world wars and the Great Depression. Royalty, so to speak, lives there, as some locals are chosen to be members of the royal court.
