Saranac Lake, NY – The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation is thrilled to welcome a new mascot at the Adirondack Loon Center at 75 Main Street in Saranac Lake. A very unique sculpture of a loon turning its eggs was created for the Loon Center by North Country School students and their art teacher, Larry Robjent of Robjent Sculptures. This spectacular bird is made of 100-percent recycled metal (with red golf ball eyes), including scrap construction materials and retired maple sap can lids. Before the students painted her, she was powder-coated by Saranac Lake’s own Matt Woodruff.
Sections of State Route 74 to be closed in Essex County this weekend
The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that State Route 74 will be closed between U.S. Route 9 at Exit 28 of the Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) and the intersection with State Route 9N/State Route 22 in the Town of Ticonderoga, Essex County, from 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, until 6 a.m. Monday, May 8, to facilitate the replacement of a culvert at Eagle Lake, weather permitting. The rain dates for this work and closure are from May 12 to May 15.
Adirondack-area nonprofits welcome new council, board members
Adirondack-area nonprofit organizations, including Adirondack Wild and the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), recently welcomed new council/board members. Those with Adirondack Wild were pleased to welcome Steve Englebright who will be joining the organization’s Advisory Council, and Adam Pearsall will be the newest addition to ANCA’s Board of Directors.
Celebrating Flora exhibit to open at Adirondack Artists Guild on May 5
Saranac Lake, NY – The Adirondack Artists Guild will be welcoming the arrival of spring and the re-opening of the gallery after its annual cleanup with its May exhibit, “Celebrating Flora.” The back wall of the gallery will be filled with paintings and photographs of flowers and other flora by Adirondack Artists Guild members, as well as a large stuffed doll. Many of the fifteen Adirondack Artists Guild members will also display floral artwork on their sections of the walls.
Adirondack Council awards micro-grants toward sustainable farm projects
Elizabethtown, NY – In celebration of Earth Day 2023, the Adirondack Park’s largest environmental organization awarded 12 micro–grants totaling $26,000 to local farmers and value-added food/beverage/fiber producers. The initiative is an effort to support climate-friendly economic activity in the Adirondack Park.
The Essex Farm Institute, a project of the Adirondack Council supports local sustainable agriculture by working directly with farms and by advocating for soil health, habitat connectivity and climate change mitigation. This is the eighth consecutive year that the Adirondack Council has awarded micro–grants to farmers and small business owners who want to reduce their environmental impact and adapt to a changing climate. This year’s application drew proposals from almost two dozen small and mid-size agricultural enterprises as well as projects featuring collaboration between farmers.
ADK Unite to raise funds for ADK food pantries starting May 1
Saranac Lake, NY – ADK Unite, an annual running, walking and bicycling event that raises funds for community food pantries, is back for 2023 with some fun new ways for people of all ages to participate. Since 2020, the virtual event has generated over $20,000 for food banks throughout the Adirondacks. Registration is now open at BikeAdirondacks.com. The event, which was started in 2020 by Bike Adirondacks, LAKEfm and Adirondack 105, is designed to help people get active while generating much needed operating funds for local food pantries. Participants will run, walk, bike or hike and track their miles digitally through the event website to compete for prizes with every single dollar generated going directly to the cause.
Depot Theatre Academy first to perform Camp, A New Musical
Westport, NY — The Depot Theatre Academy is pleased to announce that the summer 2023 program will be the first to produce CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL since its award-winning Off-Broadway debut. Academy Junior (ages 8-11) and Senior (ages 12 and up) programs will run concurrently for a three-week program that runs from July 17-August 6, 2023, at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall. The program will culminate in three performances of CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL on Friday, August 4 at 7 p.m., Saturday, August 5 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, August 6 at 2 p.m.
SUNY-ESF Adirondack Interpretive Center announces roundup of May/June events
The SUNY-ESF Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC) has announced a variety of events set for May and June that is sure to appeal to a wide array of nature and outdoor enthusiasts. All of the below programs require pre-registration.
Marathon swimmer achieves new recognition
Diane Struble, first person to swim the 32-mile length of Lake George in 1958, will once again be bringing international attention to the area. She is being posthumously inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF, www.imshof.org) with a ceremony to be held at Fordham University, NYC, on May 6, 2023.
Community Pride Day set for Adirondacks, May 3
It’s time to get out there and clean up Adirondack area towns for the upcoming tourist season. This year, Community Pride Day will occur on Wednesday, May 3. Residents throughout the area will take to the streets with gloves and garbage bags in hand to rid lawns and roadways of detritus left over from fall and winter. All volunteers participating will receive a free shirt to wear with pride while they clean up the streets. The back of these shirts lists all 126 sponsors of this year’s Community Pride Day.
The Wild Center kicks off 2023 season on May 5
Tupper Lake, NY – The Wild Center is opening for its 2023 season on Friday, May 5. Off the heels of a USA Today Readers’ Award where it was voted Second Best Science Museum in the U.S., The Wild Center is expanding its offerings and activities with new exhibits and experiences. Among these offerings is Backyard Wilderness – a film that captures the beauty and complexity of the natural world that exists just beyond your doorstep and Birdly – a state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) flying simulator.
Produced by the award-winning SK Films, Backyard Wilderness offers a stunning cinematic experience that transports viewers into the hidden world of nature in their own backyard. Through breathtaking visuals and engaging storytelling, the film reveals the extraordinary lifecycles and relationships of the plants and animals that surround us every day. The film will be shown daily in The Wild Center’s Flammer Theater, a state-of-the-art cinema with 50-foot screen and advanced sound system, and included with general admission. On-site programming will complement the movie’s content, inspiring visitors to engage and appreciate the natural world in their own backyard.
ROOST plans for 2024 solar eclipse, public meeting set for May 10
Lake Placid, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) has begun its efforts to assist local businesses, communities, residents, and visitors in planning for the solar eclipse, taking place next April. The Adirondack region anticipates increased visitation leading up to this celestial event. Solar eclipses have proven to be a significant draw for visitors who travel to experience being in its “path of totality.”
During the afternoon of April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and creating a shadow over much of the Adirondacks. Most of the region will be in this “path of totality” meaning that the most significant part of the moon’s umbra, or shadow, will be directly over the region, plunging it into darkness during the normally bright afternoon hours.
National Bike & Roll to School Day slated for May 3
Saranac Lake, NY — Over 1,600 schools and communities across the country will participate in national Bike & Roll to School Day on May 3. This event, held annually along with its fall partner Walk & Roll to School Day, invites participants to celebrate the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community and school spirit.
Wild Words Teen Writing Anthology Book Launch set for April 22
Saranac Lake, NY – Those with the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) said they had so much interest in supporting teen writers who would be featured in a book launch this weekend that they changed the venue two times in order to accommodate a larger audience. All are encouraged to gather for the 2023 Wild Words Teen Writing Anthology Book Launch which is scheduled for Saturday, April 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Harrietstown Town Hall in Saranac Lake. The event is free and open to the public.
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