There is still plenty of snow left around the Adirondacks and plenty of places taking full advantage of it. For one, the New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF) will be celebrating its annual Kids’ Fest at the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex March 16-17. This two-day event will allow participants a glimpse into the world of Biathlon, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping.

If your child is interested in skate skiing, paintball and biathlon, this venue is a great place to be able to view the action. He/she can even participate for a $40 entry fee, though it is free to watch. Keep in mind that all the other Olympic activities such as riding the chair lift, tubing or going up the chairlift or visiting the observation tower requires admission. Registration will begin each day at 8:30 am with the individual skate races starting at 9:30 am. After lunch on Saturday the Ski Jumping segment begins with the day finishing with the Skate Sprint competition.  After the awards at the Olympic Ski Jump Base Lodge, there will be an ice cream social. Sunday will hold the season’s final Adirondack Paintball Biathlon.

NYSEF XC Head Coach Margaret Maher says, “This is the fourth year we’ve held the Kids Fest. It is always a nice way to keep the season going for the younger kids. We have people come and watch the event or sometimes come to try it. We’ve had people from as far as Old Forge and Vermont come for the weekend.”

If you’re in the Saranac Lake area this weekend, don’t forget about the free Dewey Mountain Day. Games, races and obstacle courses will be set up this Saturday, March 9, for those kids interested in creative ways to explore the snowshoe and XC ski trails.

If you can’t make it to the tri-lakes, the cross-country ski trails at McCauley Mountain in Old Forge  are free the whole month of  March.. These are just a few groomed options that I hope will help you find a fun place to get outside and appreciate the snow. Enjoy!

Photo: Nordic skier at Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex (Courtesy Diane Chase, AdirondackFamilyTime.com).