Experience Winter Magic at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
January 31 - February 9, 2025
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The 2025 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has been revealed: Music Legends!
Stay tuned for more information as details are released.
This special event has been a significant part of Saranac Lake's rich history since 1897, making it the longest-running event of its kind in the eastern US.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is organized and made possible by an all-volunteer group, the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee. The crown jewel of the event, the Ice Palace, is also brought to life by volunteers on the shore of Lake Flower's Pontiac Bay.
Flower ball!
2024 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Schedule
See below for an idea of what to expect at this special event, and stay tuned for the 2025 schedule!
Back this year: The Spaghetti Dinner, Skate Lake Colby event, and the Rotary Club Variety Show! Also, Mason's Pancake Breakfast, details pending.
*An asterisk indicates that the event is run by an organization other than the Winter Carnival Committee.
$A dollar sign indicates there is a cost involved with the event.
Thursday, February 1
- 11am to 12:30pm & 4pm to 5:30pm: Drop off times for the Winter Carnival Sun Catcher Contest at the NYS Boat Launch to the right of the Ice Palace; display and voting throughout the Carnival. (Find info on Sun Catcher Contest: https://www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com/schedule/general-events/sun-catcher-contest)
- 5:30pm: *23rd Annual Past Royalty Mixer & Dinner - Open to past royalty only, $, at the Red Fox Restaurant
Friday, February 2
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 7:30 pm *Women's Civic Chamber Coronation of Winter Carnival Royalty, at Harrietstown Town Hall
- Post Coronation *Winter Carnival Royalty Reception, at the Elks Lodge
Saturday, February 3
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 10am to 6pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 10am: NBT Bank Ice Palace Fun Run at the Ice Palace - 4 miles, at the Ice Palace, State Boat Launch
- 10am to 3pm: Edward Jones Arctic Golf Build-an-Obstacle Contest (Located at Prescott Park)
- 10am to 4pm: *Paul Smith's Booster Club Chocolate Festival, at Romano's Saranac Bowling Lanes
- 11am: Long Run Wealth Advisors Curling Exhibition, on Lake Flower near the Ice Palace
- 11am: *Paul Smith's College Woodsmen Exhibition, at Riverside Park
- 12pm: Heat Keepers Icicle Contest, at Riverside Park (icicle check-in at 11:30am)
- 12pm: Lake Placid Curling Club "Hit the Button" Curling Competition, on Lake Flower & open to all ($)
- 12:30pm: Saranac Teachers Association Little Ladies Fry Pan Toss, at Riverside Park (for girls 6 to 17, registration from 11am to 12pm)
- 2:30pm: **New Time & Day!** LifePower Chiropractic Ultimate Frisbee Games (Saranac Lake High School Football Field, Call 518-637-3238 for details)
- 1pm: Taylor Rental Ladies Fry Pan Toss, for ladies 18 and up, at Riverside Park (registration 11am to 12:30pm)
- 5pm to 7pm: *Catholic Daughters/Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinner going to local scholarships. (St. Bernard's School Cafeteria 63 River St $)
- 7pm: Lighting of the Ice Palace & Hotel Saranac Opening Fireworks Display (roads close at 6:15pm)
Sunday, February 4
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 10am to 6pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 10am to 3pm: Edward Jones Arctic Golf, at Prescott Park
- 10am to 3pm: *Skate Lake Colby sponsored by Adirondack Health - demos, free skate, straight line drag races for ice skates and kick sleds 2pm to 3pm, at the beach at Lake Colby
- 10am: *White Stag Downhill Ski Races, at Mt. Pisgah
- 11:30am: *Arctic Bar-B-Que with Friends of Mt. Pisgah, $, at Mt. Pisgah Ski Center
- 1pm: The Blue Buns Wheel-a-Palooza, a bathing suit-clad around town bike ride (Located at Ice Palace, State Boat Launch)
- 2:30pm: Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters Flower Ball, on Lake Flower
A "Totally 80s" ice car sculpture in progress on January 27, 2022.
Monday, February 5
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 7pm: *Ecunemical Service (St Lukes Church followed with cider & donuts, Rev Vance Mortinsen & Rev Bill Cooper)
Tuesday, February 6
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 5pm: Winter Carnival Grand Marshall Reception, $, Hotel Saranac
- 6pm: Winter Carnival Royalty Dinner, $, Hotel Saranac
Wednesday, February 7
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 1pm to 7pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 5pm to 7pm: Family Night at the Palace, sponsored by Hudson Headwaters Health Network, at the Ice Palace, State Boat Launch
- 6pm: Curtis Lumber Snowshoe Races at Dewey Mountain, all ages
- 6pm - 8pm: Member's Night Early Access Winter Carnival Book Fair, Saranac Lake Free Library
Thursday, February 8
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- Winter Carnival Book Fair, Special Bag Sale Pricing, Saranac Lake Free Library, $5 for everything you can fit into a bag
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 6pm: American Management Association Torchlight Skiing & Fireworks, at Mt. Pisgah Ski Center)
Friday, February 9
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 10am: Adirondack Bank Innertube Races, at Mt. Pisgah Ski Center
- 12:30pm to 2pm: Coakley Home & Hardware Children's Skating Races, at Saranac Lake Civic Center
- 1pm to 6pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 2pm to 4pm: Coakley Home & Hardware Family Open Skate, free hot chocolate, at the Saranac Lake Civic Center
- 7:30pm: *Rotary Club Variety Show; tickets available at Chamber of Commerce, Ampersound, and NBT Bank; $; at Harrietstown Hall
- TBD Firefighter's Broom Ball, at Saranac Lake Civic Center
Saturday, February 10
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 10am to 11am: Meet the Winter Carnival Characters at the Ice Palace (Located at Ice Palace)
- 10am to 6pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 10am: *CanAm Snow Rugby, at the Saranac Lake High School Track Field
- 11am: *Paul Smith's Woodsmen Exhibition, at Riverside Park
- 12pm: Gala Parade Lineup, register at Nice n Easy Mobile
- 1pm: Gala Parade presented by Casella Waste and North Country Community College, from the firehouse on Broadway to LaPan Highway
- **New Time & Day** Guide Boat Realty "Storming the Ice Palace" Closing Fireworks Display (Ice Palace)
Sunday, February 11 - Last Day
- All Day Clue Hunt - Available outside History Hut & Gift Shop near the Ice Palace. Are you able to solve the clues in town?
- 10am to 3pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift shop, near the Ice Palace
- 10am: Community Bank Adult Cross-Country Ski Races, at Dewey Mountain
- 11am: Bionique Testing Labs Snowflake Volleyball Tournament, at Saranac Lake Civic Center, Rotary Field
- 11am: Adirondack Lakes & Trails Outfitters Flower Ball, on Lake Flower
- 12pm: Adirondack Health Youth Cross-Country Ski Races (Dewey Mountain, Call 518-891-2697, Children Event Fees covered by Saranac Lake Kiwanis Club)
- 12pm to 1:45pm: Face painting before Kiddie Parade (Located at Hotel Saranac)
- 2 PM: Casella Waste Systems Kiddie Parade from Hotel Saranac to Harrietstown Town Hall
You can find more details at Winter Carnival's website: https://www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com/schedule/
What is the Ice Palace?
- The centerpiece of the Winter Carnival
- Built on the shore of Lake Flower's Pontiac Bay at the NYS boat launch
- Still constructed in the same way as it was in 1898 (the first year it was built)
- The Ice Palace is open to the public during the duration of Carnival
- Ice is harvested in blocks from Lake Flower and stacked to form the Palace
See photos of the ice palace through the years »
Who is Responsible for the Winter Carnival?
The Carnival is organized by a group of volunteers called the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee. The palace is built by dedicated, awesome volunteers called the Ice Palace Workers (IPW).
Need More Information?
Go to the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival website »
Read more about Saranac Lake »
« Back to Annual Winter Events
About the Author: Erin Nudi
Erin is an avid reader, yogi, jogger, and hiker living in Queensbury. When she's not perusing books at Northshire, Owl Pen Books, or Beldame Books, you can find her at a local event or park with her family.