Though my family and I have not attended the entire top ten winter carnival venues touted in National Geographic Traveler, I can say we have attended all the winter carnivals in the Adirondack Park listed below. Each festival holds its own special charm and each celebration is an opportunity to enjoy those unique corners of the Adirondack Park.
Saranac Lake may place second on the National Geographic Traveler’s list, but it tops the list for East Coast winter carnival fun. First held in 1897, the Saranac Lake’s winter carnival has a convoluted history. With over a century of experience to draw from, it has grown into a ten-day festival of sports, races, parades, live performances and fireworks. » Continue Reading.
Construction of the Winter Carnival Ice Palace, harvesting ice from Lake Flower, transporting it to the shore and assembling it according to the blueprint, began Friday. The palace was designed with a Celtic theme to coincide with the 2014 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival theme ‘Celtic Carnival’. Construction on the palace will continue until the start of the carnival on January 31. » Continue Reading.
The 2014 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival button is available at merchants throughout the Village of Saranac Lake, and also in Bloomingdale. The 2014 Winter Carnival will take place Jan. 31 – Feb. 9.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is a 10-day, community-wide event that traces its roots to a one-day Winter Carnival held in 1897 by the Pontiac Club. The Carnival honors this heritage 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. » Continue Reading.
Pendragon Theatre’s production of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird is on the road throughout the Adirondack Park and beyond. The two-act play was adapted by Christopher Sergel and first performed in 1987 in England. Since that time the play has been performed in schools and theatres around the world to great acclaim.
Set in 1930 Alabama at the height of the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on the intense class and racial tensions of the time as seen through the eyes of young Scout Finch. Narrated by the adult Scout, the coming of age story tackles such complex issues as interracial relationships, segregation and sterotypes. As Scout’s father Atticus, a lawyer, defends a black man accused of raping a poor white girl, the characters in the town expose their own bigotry. Throughout the story are themes of courage, innocence and the moral failures of society. Pendragon Founder and Managing Director Bob Pettee, who also plays Atticus Finch, says, “The version we at Pendragon Theatre chose to do is the only authorized version of the book. Harper Lee talked to Christoper Segel directly. The version that we’ve chosen does not have the older character of Scout, like in the movie. We felt the (Segel) version told the story more directly.” Pettee says, “ To Kill A Mockingbird is a universal story, so simple, so direct. The Boo Radley character becomes so fictionalized, larger than life and then finally known to just be human.”
Pettee comments on the larger issues that are addressed in the play with “man’s ability to be inhuman.” Pendragon Theare recently had received a letter from a teacher thanking the cast for the school performance. The teacher had overheard two students from his English class comparing the injustices of To Kill A Mockingbird with the injustices of the class reading assignment The Lottery. The teacher felt that the unprompted discussion of two pieces of literature from his students was powerful.
“I think this play has opened up conversations where children have an access to this material based on the age of the actors in this piece. The three kids we have are just dynamite, are solid performers ranging from 6th to 8th grade. They are very accomplished and adapt to the other spaces and it is a real treat to have them involved.”
“It is challenging to take a play on the road but we have a lot of experience,” says Pettee. “From an actor’s point of view it is good to see how we will connect this piece with a new audience. The Pendragon (home) theatre is a more intimate theatre where a larger performance space presents differently and we (the actors) still have to connect and be genuine and real for the audience.”
Pendragon actor Donna Moschek brings the part of Miss Maudie to life and says, “This version of the play uses Maudie as the narrator, not an older Scout, which is interesting. I think it’s a good choice because Maudie represents the female role model that Scout most admires in the novel and certainly takes a moral stand. I loved Maudie in the novel and I love her in the play because she is an inescapably part of this small town, but she believes it is possible for change to happen.”
Moschek says, “I think this play and the novel are still relevant and will always be relevant as long as racism, oppression and prejudice still exist. It’s the idea that prejudice can be so quietly present and so accepted that no one even notices what it can do. No one questions. I think the play and the book teach us that looking closely at our beliefs and our actions could be what saves us from making a decision based on prejudice, or a stereotype we have in our minds. If we can be aware of it, we can move to change it in ourselves and in others.”
This February, local revelers and from those from around the world will take part in the Adirondack region’s Winter Carnival season. Events like the Ladies’ Fry Pan Toss, Polar Bear Plunges, Outhouse Races, Parades, and a Hot Air Balloon Fly-Off make these events not to be missed. The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is touted by National Geographic Traveler as one of the “Top 10 Winter Carnivals” in the world. For 115-years, this annual winter celebration has transformed the Village of Saranac Lake. On February 3, the carnival kicks off with a bang as the opening Fireworks signal the start of the 10-day festival. Enjoy fun for the whole family and special carnival events. Watch the Curlers toss stones, join in local ski races, toss a cast-iron pan, and snag a front row spot for the Gala Parade. Don’t miss a tour through the Carnival’s crowned jewel – the Ice Palace. Constructed from ice blocks quarried in nearby Lake Flower, the palace is the perfect place to watch the Carnival’s opening and closing fireworks.
Lake George Winter Carnival offers festivities throughout February. Every weekend, the village of Lake George heads outside to revel in the snow. Dive in during the Polar Bear Plunge, play ice golf, enjoy fireworks, a giant snow slide and ice castle. Take a ride in a hot air balloon and don’t miss the “Moon Glow” and “Fly Off,” where hot air balloons will rise into the wintry sky.
Old Forge Winter Carnival is slated for February 3 and 4 at McCauley Mountain. Enjoy a parade, music, bonfire, snowshoe and ski events, fireworks, a cardboard sled race, and more.
WinterXCape Winterfest in Lowville is slated for February 4. Enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, dogsled rides, a petting zoo, geo-caching, cross-country skiing, a snowman contest, refreshments and more.
WinterFest in Indian Lake, slated for February 17-19, promises a jam-packed weekend of Adirondack events. Enjoy ski and snowboarding races, a craft fair, the annual snowmobile poker run and organized snowshoe outings.
Raquette Lake Winter Carnival kicks off February 18-19. Celebrate winter and enjoy winter sports events, a bonfire and fireworks in this idyllic Adirondack village.
Inlet’s Frozen Fire & Lights on February 25 offers a full day of family fun with free sledding, ice-skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Enjoy fireworks, a bonfire and complimentary refreshments.
Tri-Town Winterfest in the St. Lawrence River Valley kicks off the second weekend in February and lasts all week long. Enjoy outdoor concerts and theatrical shows, scrapbooking demos and workshops, a chili cook-off and the Polar Bear Golf Tournament.
When the weather hits the negative digits and my kids are stuck inside for any length of time we, like so many other people living here, look forward to opportunities for getting outside. Though with winter storms, weather warning and family time spent shoveling snow, it may be difficult to remember all the reason why we love the snow.
Festivals, carnivals and celebrations of winter are here to remind us why we choose to visit, live and be a part of the snow. Plus a little competition never hurt anyone. Lake George, Old Forge and Saranac Lake are embracing their winter spirit and inviting people to step outside and enjoy the Adirondack weather.
The Coronation of Carnival Royalty kicks off the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival on February 4th.In its 114 year, Saranac Lake’s Winter Carnival’s 2011 theme is Medieval Times. People have been donning their costumes and preparing their serfs (in our case our children) to decide which of the over 80 events to attend.
On Saturday, February 5, watch fireworks over Lake Flower and the lighting of the Ice Palace. From February 4-13, the town of Saranac Lake turns into a medieval fortress of family-friendly activities from a carnival for kids, ski races to treasure hunt. The downtown parade on the 12th doesn’t even finish the array of activities. Sunday brings on cross-country ski races and opportunities to play volleyball or softball in the snow.
McCauley Mountain in Old Forge has a weekend packed with winter activity that will remind us why we love the snow. Twelve-dollar lift tickets at the mountain and a parade to celebrate the 10th Mountain Division and other military branches are reason enough to brave the cold and cheer on the troops. Spend some family time ice-skating at the outdoor Joy Tract Road rink or just relax and watch while sipping hot chocolate by the bonfire.
On Saturday, February 5, the Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondack will sponsor their 11th Winter Sports Challenge benefiting the Old Forge Community Youth and Activity Center. These snowshoe and cross-country ski activities are held at McCauley Mountain.
Lastly, Lake George celebrates 50 years of Winter Carnival with a month packed with activities. Some weekend events such as face painting and petting zoo are reoccurring while other activities like kite flying, dog sled races and hot air balloon rides are just on specific weekends.
However you choose to celebrate winter, there are so many opportunities to get outside, meet new people and enjoy the Adirondacks.
The Adirondack Winter Season is a traditional time of celebration and fun-in-the-snow. While others are shivering and groaning about shoveling driveways, Adirondackers and their visitors are enjoying hundreds of miles of cross-country ski trails, full moon ski parties and a variety of winter festivals.
The 2010-2011 winter season is just weeks away, and towns and villages throughout the Adirondacks will soon be hanging lights, grooming ski trails and looking forward to fireworks, parades and the annual winter festivals. VisitAdirondacks.com offers a guide to Adirondack winter events. February 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the Lake George Winter Carnival and this year’s month-long celebration features racer Glenn Brittian’s attempt to break the record for the fastest speed on ice in a rocket sled. The record is 253mph, and Glenn will attempt to reach a speed of 300 mph to break the record on February 20th. Every weekend in February holds a carnival highlight, including the Polar Bear Plunge where more than 800 swimmers jump into the chilly waters of Lake George, outhouse races, a historical encampment of the 1700s, cook-off competitions, a Mardi Gras parade and fireworks. Check out LakeGeorgeWinterCarnival.com for a complete schedule of events.
Saranac Lake will host it’s Winter Carnival on February 4-13, 2011. Hundreds of revelers are expected to celebrate the 114th anniversary of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. As the longest running event of its kind in the eastern U.S., visitors and residents both look forward to the annual Gala Parade on Saturday, February 12th, the Ladies’ Fry Pan Toss, ski races at Mount Pisgah and the lighting of the Ice Palace.
Additional Adirondack winter events:
Adirondack Holiday Stroll in Speculator, November 26. Holiday shopping specials and promotions.
Holiday Village Stroll in Lake Placid, December 10-12. Children’s activities, free skating, holiday movies, craft workshops, holiday performances, special promotions in stores and restaurants.
Great Adirondack Snow Dance in Speculator, December 4. Dance at dusk, dinner, fireworks, live entertainment and children’s activities.
Annual Winter Carnival in Long Lake, January 15, 2011. Sports contests with cash prizes, free ice-skating and sledding.
Frozen Fire & Lights in Inlet, February 19, 2011. Bonfire and fireworks, free sledding, ice-skating and cross-country skiing, treats and cocoa.
Winter Carnival in Raquette Lake, February 19, 2011. Ladies’ fry pan toss, men’s golf drive, tug of war, bonfire and fireworks.
Photo: “Oxygen” just before reaching 247.93 mph (to break the record at that time) at the Lake George Winter Carnival on Lake George on February 15, 1981. The event was lined with thousands of people spread along on both sides of the 2300′ long course. Photo Courtesy Venture Enterprises.
Members of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee have picked “Medieval Times” as their theme for the 2011 Winter Carnival. The decision was based on results from a recent online poll posed to readers of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise Web site in which two of the four suggested themes rose to the top of the results: Celtic Carnival and Renaissance Faire/Middle Ages. The other themes were Circus/Under the Big Top and Space Alien Invasion. More than 700 votes were tallied during the week of March 15. “There were a lot of great ideas suggested for the 2011 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, but, in the end, we could only choose one,” said Committee Chairman Jeff Dickson. “And we believe that the community will rally behind our centerpiece, the Ice Palace, and make the ‘Medieval’ Carnival fit for royalty – our king, queen, prince, princess, court, and maybe a few jesters.”
Committee members thanked the dozens of people who suggested themes for 2011, the hundreds of people who voted, and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise for posting the question on its Web site.
The next meeting of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee will be in September. The 2011 Winter Carnival will be held February 4-13, 2011.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee, Inc. is a not-for-profit group of volunteers dedicated to organizing an annual mid-winter festival during the first two weeks of February. This 10-day, communitywide event traces its roots to a one-day 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 web site.
Photo: An early Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (Saranac Lake Free Library).
In limited areas of the Adirondack Park, an understated excitement built gradually throughout the day yesterday as selections were made for the 2010 Adirondack Bracket.
Bracket pairings were made by combining the top 28 randomly selected entrants from two lists (a longer list of general Adirondackiana, and a shorter list of 2009’s Adirondack headliners). Four more slots were reserved for last year’s final four, including 2009 Bracket champion Stewart’s Ice Cream Shops. The remaining slots will be filled later this week by a play-in round which sets four randomly selected entrants from a list suggested by our readers, against the Bracket judges’ “Hand o’ God” choices (our favorites that somehow missed the first cut). A preview of the play-in round follows the jump. . . So here is how things stack up for this week’s play-in round:
Game one pits late 19th/early 20th Century painter Winslow Homer (who spent time throughout his career at the North Woods Club in Minerva—his last visit to the Adirondacks occurring one hundred years ago this summer, shortly before his death), against the frankenpine: that towering synthesis of artifice and nature, and itself a subject of contemporary Adirondack painting (not to mention inspiration for an excellent band).
Saranac Lake’s doyens of drill. . . the Idas of March. . . those angels of aluminum and mesh—the incomparable Lawnchair Ladies—sashay into the Bracket against an equally formidable lineup of local adirondack ski hills. This squad of impressive topography (talking about the ski hills, now), once thought to be heading downhill, fast, has made a strong comeback this winter led by Big Tupper and Hickory. The list also includes a couple cross country ski mountains, one of which boasts the only ski mountain palindrome in the Adirondacks: “O! Dewey. Aye, we do!” This match up could go either way, but one thing you can count on: Chairs will certainly be lifted, and might be thrown.
Game three features perhaps the most interesting play-in pairing, with Olmstedville’s Pete Hornbeck and his fleet of featherweight canoes taking on Lake George’s Winter Carnival, the village’s annual string of wintertime events held every weekend throughout the month of February. Any other year this would have been no contest as canoes are not much use on a solid lake surface, especially with a lot of cars and snow machines and dog sleds racing around. This year, however, warm weather forced cancellation of some carnival events, premature demolition of the ice palace and relocation of the dog sled races from the slushy lake top to safer ground inland. The Fund for Lake George reports that the lake failed to fully freeze over this winter (the first time since 2002). Though this might be an advantageous climate for a naval assault, Hornbeck will have his work cut out for him if he is to make it to a much anticipated confrontation with Senator Betty Little in the “Upstate Great Eight” round next week.
The final play-in contest throws New York State’s official fish, the brook trout, into the mix with back yard sugarin’. Not a whole lot to say about this one except: that is some mighty fine eating.
Join us later this week for play-in results and a preview of the first round.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee recently held its annual wrap-up meeting on this year’s “Adirondack Cowboys” Carnival, held Feb. 5-14, and began planning for the 114th Winter Carnival by discussing themes for 2011.
The Feb. 17 meeting at the North Country Community College Board Room began with a presentation of “Don’s Memorial Slide Show,” a digital slide show produced by Carnival photographer Mark Kurtz featuring photos of past Committee Chairman Don Duso, who died Jan. 10 at the age of 78. There were images of Duso cutting ice blocks for the Ice Palace, as Carnival king, and as chairman, a post he held from 1986 to 2009. Singer/songwriter Roy Hurd provided the program’s music bed with a song called “Wild Mountain Cowboys,” which he wrote specifically for this year’s event. The slide show was first presented during the Feb. 9 Grand Marshal Dinner; Duso was named grand marshal for the 2010 Winter Carnival.
Current Committee Chairman Jeff Dickson announced that photos from the 2010 Winter Carnival, taken by Mark Kurtz Photography, can now be purchased online through a Shutterfly account (saranaclakewintercarnival.shutterfly.com). People can also have their choice of photo put on a variety of objects, such as mugs, puzzles, magnets and mouse pads. All proceeds will benefit the Winter Carnival Committee. Photos uploaded to the web site will include dozens of images that never made it to the Winter Carnival Slide Show, and some of the 2009 photos are available.
Members of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee expressed their sadness that King Frank Camelo injured his ankle during the first weekend and was unable to attend many of the Carnival functions, including the Gala Parade. They also commended Queen Carol Reyell for toting around a “King on a Stick” (a wooden stick with a life-sized photograph of King Frank attached to the top) during the events he missed.
The Committee was particularly pleased by the community’s reception to the new web site, which was continually updated during the Carnival; the opening of the Winter Carnival Museum, temporarily located next to Lakeview Deli; the live broadcast (and rebroadcast) of the parade on Time Warner Cable Channel 2; the Ice Palace web cam, launched on Tim Baker’s web site (www.adksearch.com); and the fact that Carnival, once again, brought needed tourism dollars into Saranac Lake.
“Thanks for the No Vacancy,” said Edie Stanish, Committee member and owner/operator of Amanda’s Village Motel.
Several themes were suggested for 2011 and more will be considered. The public is invited to make their suggestions by contacting a committee member or submitting their thoughts through the contact mechanism on the web site. As was done last year, the committee will make a first cut and submit several options to the public in an informal survey through the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
The next meeting of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 10 at the NCCC Board Room.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee, Inc. is a not-for-profit group of volunteers dedicated to organizing an annual mid-winter festival during the first two weeks of February. This 10-day, communitywide event traces its roots to a one-day 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 web site at www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com.
Another wonderful week of the Saranac Winter Carnival. There is music every night. Tonight, Jeff Bujak is a rarity in this area – he bills himself as “Intelligent Dance Music” – from his videos that sounds accurate.
My favorite new live band from Vermont is Jatoba, click on this link to hear one of their cool tunes called “Blizzard”. They are opening for Hot Day at the Zoo. Oh, I also adore Lucid and they are the special guests of Raisinhead on Saturday. Check out their tune “Po Man’s” by clicking on their myspace link. Thursday, February 11th:
In Saranac Lake, Jeff Bujak, the intelligent dance music specialist, is at The Waterhole starting at 9 pm.
In Ausable Forks, “Jesus Loves Tractors” and Sven Curth. He gets going around 9 pm at 20 Main.
Saturday, February 13th:
In Saranac Lake the Band Concert follows the parade in the Harrietstown Hall. This is a fun event where the bands that you just saw a glimpse of as they passed by now get to strut their stuff on stage. Fantastic energy in the Town Hall for those ready to be inside for awhile.
In Saranac Lake after the parade, Los Blancos is playing at The Waterhole starting at 3 pm. “I Miss Your Water” is a hot song.
Late night Saranac Lake, Raisinhead with special guest Lucid is getting it on at The Waterhole starting around 8:30 pm.
Sunday, February 14th:
In Saranac Lake, Tim Herron will be at The Waterhole at 3 pm. This man’s lyrics are so bloody honest it’s a little hard to take – in a good way.
Also in Saranac Lake, Irish Music at Pendragon from 5 – 7 pm. The musicians are: Michael Cooney on uilleann pipes, Sue Grimm on flute s and whistles, Kyle Murray on bodhran, Jeff Couture on fiddle, Barry Kilbourne on concertina and Shamim Allen on rhythm guiatr.
The members of the Adirondack Artists Guild at 52 Main Street, Saranac Lake, and other artists who submitted work for a carnival-themed exhibit invite everybody to an opening reception 5–7 p.m. Friday February 12.
In the meantime Saranac Lake Winter Carnival rolls on all week, with music and sporting events, and the ice palace is open to visitors; you can see a schedule here. But Friday is when things really get going. After the art show, head across the street to the Harrietstown Hall for the 7:30 p.m. Rotary Club Variety Show (you’re advised to buy tickets in advance; it’s a popular event), a truly entertaining display of small town talent and humor. It will be a feat if the carnival court tops last year’s dance routine. Then you can re-cross Main Street to catch Jatoba and Hot Day at the Zoo at the Waterhole (Almanack music contributor Shamim Allen will have details on the music at 3 p.m. Thursday).
Saturday the 13th is the big day, with a pancake breakfast, rugby in the snow, chili lunch at the town hall, a Paul Smith’s College woodsmanship exhibition, the library book sale, a high-school band concert, etc. The highlight, as always, is the parade, at 1 p.m. It will be televised on local cable Channel 2 if you can’t make it downtown.
Carnival ends on Sunday, Valentine’s Day, with x-c ski races, volleyball, softball, a baroque concert, a kiddie parade, bloody Marys. Every year photographer Mark Kurtz compiles hundreds of photographs he has taken during the week into a closing-night slide show at the ice palace, and a crowd gathers to see if their faces get on the screen. This year the slide show will be at 7:30 p.m., followed by closing fireworks over the palace at 8 p.m. If you’d like a preview, selected photographs are online, here.
This Sunday Saranac Lakers and their neighbors will gather at Mount Pisgah to celebrate winter carnival, eat barbecue and wish their four local Olympians well. Also, the village-run alpine ski area will host a freestyle skiing and snowboard competition, its first ever.
The BBQ will be held 11:30-2:30 at the Mount Pisgah lodge. The families of Olympians will be special guests. At 1 p.m. photographer Mark Kurtz will take a group photo from a bucket truck, and the gathering will be videotaped and put on YouTube so that local Olympians Billy Demong (Nordic combined), Tim Burke (biathlon), Chris Mazdzer (luge) and Peter Frenette (ski jumping) can see their proud hometown cheering them on. Everyone is invited. There’s a charge for the barbecue but the Olympic rally is free. People are welcome to bring signs and banners. The vets’ club will provide flags. Organizers are hoping to have more than 250 people in the photograph. There will be an opportunity to send recorded messages to the athletes as well.
Events begin at 10 a.m. with the annual White Stag Race, one of the oldest continually run ski races in the East, begun in the mid 1940s. The big-air freestyle exhibition will be held throughout the day on the Terrain Park.
Pisgah is one of the Adirondacks’ awesome little ski areas (here’s a list of the others, including the bigs), and there is a lot of excitement on the mountain this year, not just because of the Olympians. Friends of Mt. Pisgah, a grassroots group, is trying to raise $400,000 to replace the T-bar lift, the tubing area is better than ever, and the terrain park and night-lighting have undergone big improvements.
The 113th Saranac Lake Winter Carnival kicks off Friday night at the Harrietstown Hall with coronation, when the nuclear secret of who will reign as this year’s king and queen is unlocked. Events continue until Sunday February 14.
Hungry Bear Publishing is seeking essays and photos for an upcoming book of favorite memories of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, Publisher Andy Flynn told the the weekly Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee meeting January 20th. Titled “Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Memories,” the project will help raise fund for the Committee.
“This will be a book by the community, for the community,” Flynn, who will collect the submissions and be the editor of the project, said in a press release to the Almanack. “Since the Winter Carnival is the most community-oriented festival I’ve ever seen, this book must reflect the heart and soul of Saranac Lake. It needs to be written by the community.” Here is the rest of Flynn’s announcement:
“Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Memories” will be a memory book, not a complete history of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, which traces its roots to a small festival in 1897 during the tuberculosis-curing days. The Pontiac Club organized and hosted the event during the early years. The Ice Palace , a long-held Winter Carnival tradition, was first built for the 1898 Carnival, when hundreds of visitors traveled to Saranac Lake for the festivities by train.
“The Committee was very excited to learn of Andy’s plans,” said Jeff Dickson, Chairman of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee. “Winter Carnival is all about the creation of memories and everyone who has ever attended has some. Unfortunately, most of them get lost with the passage of time. This book’s value to us as a fundraiser is wonderful, and the personal history that it will present is even more exciting.”
Every good story has a theme. Residents are asked to pick one memorable moment from a past Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, good or bad, and explain why it was so memorable. Give details, give names. Describe the scene. How did it affect you or others? Were you a king or queen? If you choose to write about a Winter Carnival artifact, explain where you got it or how it was used and submit a photo.
“If you ever wanted to have your essay or photo published in a book, this is your chance,” Flynn said. “In return for the community’s donation of memories, we will donate 10 percent of the book’s proceeds to the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee to help ensure that this annual event stays around for a very long time.”
People may submit essays of no longer than 450 words and/or a maximum of two photographs. Poems and illustrations are also accepted. The inside pages will be black and white. Entry/permission forms and Rules & Directions are available as PDF downloads at www.HungryBearPublishing.com or by contacting Andy Flynn at 40 McClelland St. , Saranac Lake , NY 12983, (518) 891-5559, or email at adkattic@yahoo.com. Entry/permission forms must be filled out and sent via snail mail to Hungry Bear Publishing, while essays and photos must be sent via email. Specifications are listed on the Rules & Direction form.
“Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Memories” will be released in the fall of 2010, just in time for the Christmas shopping season. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2010.
Cover photos for the book were provided by Mark Kurtz Photography, of Saranac Lake . Mark Kurtz is the official photographer for the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. One photo shows the fireworks display over the 2008 Ice Palace , and the other photo shows one of the famous Lawn Chair Ladies, Saranac Laker Sue Grimm, in action during the 2009 Gala Parade.
Based in Saranac Lake, Hungry Bear Publishing produces community-based publications and programs promoting the heritage and towns of the Adirondack region. In 2008, the company was awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the Upstate History Alliance for the Adirondack Attic History Project, which Andy Flynn founded in 2003 to actively preserve Adirondack history by collecting artifact-based, human-interest stories. Those stories have been compiled into the five-part “Adirondack Attic” book series. Hungry Bear Publishing also produces the Meet the Town community guide series and most recently published the re-print version of “Mostly Spruce and Hemlock,” the classic history of Tupper Lake by Louis Simmons, a project that was a fundraiser for the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library.
The Saranac Lake 2009 Winter Carnival has ended. After the initial theme, “Hearts Afire,” confused locals–was it about tattoo art? 1970s soft rock record covers?–and failed to attract underwriting from leading antacid manufacturers, the carnival committee settled on the theme, “Pirates of the Adirondacks.” Appropriate in a region where self-image often involves lawlessness, affinity for alcohol, and (in the case of real estate developers) plunder.
If the economy doesn’t turn around soon, expect to see many of the parade day costumes reused come Halloween.
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Though my family and I have not attended the entire top ten winter carnival venues touted in National Geographic Traveler, I can say we have attended all the winter carnivals in the Adirondack Park listed below. Each festival holds its own special charm and each celebration is an opportunity to enjoy those unique corners of the Adirondack Park.
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