The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade is set for Saturday, February 8th at 1 pm. The parade will take place at Broadway and Main Street from Ampersand Avenue to Lapan Highway. The procession is a crowd favorite and tradition of the Winter Carnival, featuring many creative floats, quirky performers, community members and more.

Parade performers will be judged in several classes covering businesses, civic or volunteer groups, youth groups, school groups, independent groups and animal units. Trophies will be awarded to the top two entries in each group that most conform to the “Myths and Legends” theme, as well as the Louis Fobare Trophy for Best of Show.

The parade is one of the most popular events during Carnival and it attracts large crowds. It is recommended that parade-goers arrive early to find parking and to avoid road closures in Saranac Lake. For more information about free parking and shuttles available, visit the Carnival’s website.

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.

The parade is sponsored by Casella Waste Systems and North Country Community College.

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

Photo of Saranac Lake Winter Carnival parade around 1920.