It Must Be Winter ‘Cause the 50th Annual Lake George Winter Carnival is Here

Winter in Upstate New York is a harsh, long cold occasion that many wish away as soon as the first snow falls. But the Lake George Winter Carnival can change even the bleakest of winters into a blast.

The 50th Annual Lake George Winter Carnival is set to run every weekend beginning Saturday, February 5th until Sunday, February 27th. Each weekend is filled with events for children and adults alike, including new events to honor the Carnival’s 50 years and the return of favorite events from previous years.

The carnival will kick off with a special anniversary gala on Friday, January 28th at The Georgian in Lake George. The gala begins at 6pm for a cocktail hour, and then dinner will be served at 7pm. Live music will be provided by Bobby Dick and the Sundowners. Tickets for the gala are $45 per person in advance and $55 at the door. Tickets are being sold at multiple locations in Lake George, including Duffy’s Tavern, Mario’s Restaurant and Prospect Mt. Diner.

The first official weekend of the carnival is Saturday, February 5th to Sunday, February 6th. The opening ceremonies begin at noon on Saturday at Shepard Park Beach. Following the ceremonies is the return of the Outhouse Races at 12:30pm. The outhouse races began at the Winter Carnival in 1983 and have been going strong every year since. Each team consists of a homemade outhouse and five people: two pushing, two pulling and one in the seat of honor. It is a fun competition that can’t be missed.

In addition to the Outhouse Races, a giant ice slide, fireworks, carriage rides and a Chili Cook Off with local Lake George restaurant owners will take place during the opening weekend at Shepard Park Beach. And a new event at this year’s Carnival is the 50th Anniversary Parade at 4pm on Canada Street.

The Carnival’s following weekends all include cook-offs, fireworks, hot air balloon tether rides (the balloons will leave the ground, but only on the third weekend and with an advanced booking), dog sled rides, face painting, snowmobile rides, petting zoo, children’s activities, bonfires and a polar plunge at Shepard Park. Some events are free, but most require a charge.

The highlight of the Carnival’s second weekend, Saturday, February 12th to Sunday, February 13th, is the New York State Motorcycle and ATV Ice Race Championship. The races will begin on Saturday and will continue through Sunday. Registration for the event is at 9am at Duffy’s Tavern on Saturday. For more information on the event call Frank Carpinello at 518-477-2552 or visit www.electriccityriders.com

The third and forth weekends continue the competitions with car races, skydiving competitions and the Lake George Sanctioned Dog Sled Races. The Dog Sled Races will take place on the last weekend of the Carnival, Saturday, February 26th to Sunday, February 27th.

Although the first and largest Polar Plunge of the Winter Carnival was on January 1st of this year, the Carnival offers the plunge each weekend to anyone who is daring enough. The Polar Plunge is a State-wide event that raises money for the New York State Special Olympics; the only requirement is to plunge into the ice cold waters of Lake George.

The Winter Carnival is free and open to the public. To see a complete list of the schedule, to register for specific events and/or for more information visit the Carnival’s official website at www.lakegeorgewintercarnival.com or call 518-240-0809.

Winter is fun, exciting and memorable at the Lake George Winter Carnival. So stop wishing away the winter.

–Chelsea Gregory is a Contributor to The Free George.

The Free George is the online magazine and visitors’ guide of Upstate NY, covering things from Albany to Lake Placid, including Saratoga, the Lake George region and the Adirondacks. Check out our new City Blogs section for our extended coverage areas as well. 

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