Enjoy the Winter Carnival 2018 in Lake George!

As many of you already know, every February the village of Lake George puts together a grandiose winter celebration.  Known as the winter carnival. The most popular moments and activities take place every weekend in February.

WHAT IS THE LK GEORGE WINTER CARNIVAL LIKE?

The crisp winter air will invigorate you as you take in the majestic winter wonderland and enjoy the many outdoor activities and entertainment provided by the town of Lake George.

The lake is known by most people as a great place to go boating, water-skiing, jet skiing and fishing. Along with many other fun summer activities.

However, in February the boats are replaced by cars and trucks driving on the ice! The jet skis are replaced by snowmobiles and ATVs sliding across the lake! Water skiers are replaced by cross country skiers! Fishermen trade in their boats for ice sleds and tents which they use to ice fish! Kayaks and canoes are replaced by authentic dogsled teams and the list goes on and on!

Needless to say it is a great atmosphere! Even those who do not consider themselves to be “winter people” can not believe how much they enjoy Lake George in the winter, especially the winter carnival!

WHAT WILL BE OPEN?

Traditionally Lake George Village mostly shuts down durning the winter months. What a shame since it is such an amazing place in the winter! Whether you want to partake in exhilarating winter sports, or just chill by a fireplace in a log cabin with hot chocolate, you will find many reasons to enjoy your stay and will want return!

As we have written in previous posts, the village is changing and many businesses are now open year round. The effort is called Lake George 365.

This year several businesses have stayed open and in February many more will be open. There will be no shortage of restaurants and stores along the main strip (Canada Street) to fill your needs or to warm up! Speaking of warming up, the Adirondack Winery and Distillery are a great place for that, especially if you want to do some taste testing!

WINTER CARNIVAL ACTIVITIES

There are numerous activities planned for each weekend in February. Below is a list of regular activities that will be available every weekend:

Helicopter rides: For a reasonable fee you can enjoy the incredible experience of seeing the lake from a helicopter. The helicopter usually lands and takes off on the lake, however, if the ice isn’t strong enough Fort William Henry will be its base.

Giant Ice Slide: This will be great for the kids! Plans have been made for a huge slide made out of ice to be installed in Shepard’s Park.

Polar Plunge: If you are brave enough to try it, or maybe just want to watch those crazy enough to do it, there will be a polar plunge in the lake every Saturday at 3:00!

ATV Wagon Rides for Kids:  Kids love wagon rides! For a small fee the kids will be able to enjoy the winter wonderland riding around in the back of a wagon pulled by an ATV.

Make Your Own Sundae Sundays: As the name indicates this is a Sunday activity. Stewarts will be providing the ice cream. Of course refrigeration won’t be necessary 😉

Open Mic: Have you ever wanted to show off your voice in an amphitheater? Now you can! There will be and open mic in the amphitheater of Shepard’s Park on weekends between 12:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon.

Fireworks Over the Lake: Every Saturday at 6:00 pm there will be a spectacular fireworks show. If you have ever seen the firework events that the village puts on then you know that they go all out!

There will also be lots of fun activities for the kids including dog talent shows!

SPECIFIC WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

There is a long list of activities planned for each Saturday and Sunday. If you want specific details on these and other activities you can visit the official Lake George Winter Carnival website.

Some of our favorite activities, other than those mentioned above, are:

The beach bonfires, a truly unique atmosphere is created, it is great way to cozy up and maybe even toast a frozen marshmallow!

Going on a dogsled ride is a wonderful experience, one that not many people can say that they have ever had.

The races on the lake are great! There are 4X4 races, car races, motorcycle and ATV races (NY State AMA Sanctioned) and outhouse races. Yes, you read that correctly, there are outhouse races and they are hilarious! During the week you can even drive your own car on the track that is cleared on top of the ice!

The Cookouts are delicious! Each cookout has a different theme: BBQ, chicken wings, chowder and chili.

WHAT IF THE ICE IS TOO THIN?

With the low temperatures that are normal here the lake usually freezes to a solid thickness well beyond what is needed to hold all of this activity. Experts say that a train could cross the lake on the average day in February!

The ice will be regularly and meticulously monitored to ensure safety. Some years it hasn’t been thick enough to have the normal activities safely on the lake.

Under such circumstances the activities continue on land. Most of the winter carnival celebrations are not cancelled and are still fun! However, some of the activities depend on the ice and may have to be canceled. The Town will announce any cancelations beforehand on their Facebook page or website.

Last year many of the ice celebrations were celebrated a few minutes away on Lake Luzerne. Since the lake is smaller it freezes quicker. Although it isn’t Lake George, it is still beautiful and just up the road from the Village of Lake George.

WHERE TO STAY

We have a winter suite that is usually open for the winter months, however due to extensive remodeling it looks like it will be finished sometime in March.

There are many other options, you can find them at the following link: Winter Lodging in LK George.

COME TO LAKE GEORGE THIS WINTER!

As you have seen there are many reasons to come to Lake George this winter!

Many of us have been conditioned to think that a winter getaway should be in Florida or somewhere warm. However, a winter mountain retreat is much more invigorating. It also helps you appreciate the cold and all of the positive things that it has to offer.

Whether you are coming from NYC, Montreal, NJ, Connecticut or somewhere else close by: Lake George is a great and romantic winter getaway destination!