One year after hosting the 2017 World Snowshoe Championships, the village of Saranac Lake is set to host a new snowshoe weekend called the Adirondack Snowshoe Fest, set for February 24 and 25, 2018.

The 2017 WSSF World Snowshoe Championships, which attracted more than 400 competitors from over 15 nations, came close to being canceled due to a winter thaw that melted away many inches of snow leaving only bare ground. The region and community came together the day before, trucking hundreds of loads of snow from outlying areas to the Dewey Mountain Ski Center, which was then hauled up-mountain by sleds and spread upon the race course by scores of volunteers who responded overnight by word-of-mouth and social media.

Adirondack Snowshoe Fest organizers are putting together a two-day weekend event package which it hopes will entice participants to stay overnight and feature a series of races for all skill levels plus entertainment options. Included in the mix will be the second annual Shoe-Be-Doo, a 5K fun walk or run for families and individuals.

Tentative Schedule for 2018 Adirondack Snowshoe Fest

Saturday Feb. 24 at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center:

10 am: Guided snowshoe tour
1 pm: Shoe-Be-Doo (5km)
1 pm: Race (10km)
3 pm: Awards ceremony
4:30 pm: Snowshoe Stomp: casual ‘stomp’ on the trails with bonfires & hot chocolate at stops along the course
6 pm: Warm food & drink in the lodge, with live music

Sunday Feb. 25 at Paul Smith’s College VIC:

10 am: Guided snowshoe tour
10:30 am:  Race (5km)
10:30 am:  Race (15km)
11 am: Guided snowshoe tour
1 pm: Awards ceremony

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is assisting the village with marketing and created a webpage for the event at SaranacLake.com.