For the past 57 years, the Lake George Winter Carnival has been a highly anticipated event throughout the Lake George region. Taking place each weekend in February, Lake George Village comes alive with reoccurring family-fun activities, special weekend events, as well as sanctioned snow-cross and car races. According to Lou Tokos, co-chairman of the winter carnival, mother nature has been good to them this year and the ice over Lake George is perfect.

“We had a few years with limited ice, but this year we have 11-12” of ice on the lake,” says Tokos. “This is the first weekend for the carnival and the big box event for this kick-off is the annual outhouse races. The races will take place right on Lake George, across from Shepard’s Park, which is the winter carnival headquarters. Our schedule of events is extensive.”

This is the first year the East Coast Snocross Racing Association is holding a sanctioned event during Lake George Winter Carnival. The two-day event is being held at the Warren County Fairgrounds in nearby Warrensburg. Gates open for spectators at 10 am each day with a daily admission of $12 or $20 for the weekend, children (7-under) are free.

Lake George Winter Carnival starts this weekend, February 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and ends on February 24-25. Each weekend of activities is a mixture of free and paid activities. Everyone can enjoy the free lakeside s’mores, arts and crafts, fireworks, and complimentary ice cream sundaes from Stewart’s Shops as well as participating in numerous other winter activities. People look forward to the human foosball games, polar plunges, and doggy talent contest. Some options that require a fee are horse and wagon rides, helicopter rides, pony rides, and food tastings.

“Winter Carnival weekends are the biggest draw around Lake George during the month of February,” says Tokos. “We kick it up each year. We provide activity-packed, family-fun weekends. We have children’s activities and games for all ages as you see from our schedule. We have everything from free s’mores to fireworks. Our hot chocolate bar at Shepard’s Park Beach was new last year and so popular we brought it back this year. The downtown businesses, gift shops, and restaurants are open.”

Outhouse Race photo used with permission of Lake George Winter Carnival