The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gift Shop and Headquarters opens for the season on January 31 at the ROOST office at 193 River Street.

It offers a gift shop, maps and information about the various events of the 10-day festival and serves as a central planning resource for visitors and residents.

It will be open on the following dates and times:

· January 31 (Friday): 3-6 pm
· February 1 (Saturday): 9 am – 6 pm
· February 2 (Sunday): 10 am – 6 pm
· February 3 (Monday): 3-6 pm
· February 4 (Tuesday): 3-6 pm
· February 5 (Wednesday): 3-6 pm
· February 6 (Thursday): 3-6 pm
· February 7 (Friday): 10 am – 6 pm
· February 8 (Saturday): 9-11:30 am and 2-6 pm (closed during the parade)
· February 9 (Sunday): 10 am – 4 pm

The gift shop will offer a variety of items for sale including shirts, hats, magnets, beverage glasses and more. Featured videos explore local carnival lore. Winter Carnival buttons and posters designed by “Doonesbury” cartoonist Garry Trudeau, from this year and previous years will be available as well. For those who enjoy carnival history, there will be a display of the complete button collection including pre-Trudeau buttons, and other mementos. All proceeds from sales benefit the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.

The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee, formally known as the Society for Promotion of Winter Carnival, Saranac Lake, Inc., is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) organization of volunteers dedicated to planning and presenting an annual mid-winter festival. This 10-day, communitywide event traces its roots to a one-day Winter Carnival held in 1897 by the Pontiac Club. The Carnival honors its heritage every year by building an Ice Palace from blocks of ice harvested from Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay, where carnival events have been traditionally held for generations.

For more information, visit the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival website. The 2020 Winter Carnival will take place January 31 – February 9.