Saranac Lake Winter Carnival 2023
The 2023 Saranac Lake Winter Canival is scheduled for February 2 - 12, 2023! 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.
What Events Will be Happening in 2023?
Flower ball!
2023 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Schedule
Back this year: The Spaghetti Dinner, Skate Lake Colby event, and the Rotary Club Variety Show! Also, Mason's Pancake Breakfast, details pending. New this year is Family Night at the Ice Palace.
*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 2
- 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: *22nd Annual Past Royalty Mixer & Dinner - Open to past royalty only, $, at the Red Fox Restaurant
Friday, February 3
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm *Live Music - Blessid Dirt at the Campfire Adirondack Bar & Grill, at Hotel Saranac
- 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm *Live Music - Blessid Dirt at the Campfire Adirondack Bar & Grill, at Hotel Saranac
- 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
- 8:30 pm *Live Music--Annie in the Water & The Reflexions doors open 7:30, $, at The Waterhole
Saturday, February 4
- 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 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)
- 1pm: *Women's Civic Second Corn-a-ment Cornhole Tournament, on the ice in front of Saranac Lake Waterfront Lodge, $40 registration fee per 2-player team, contact Deb at debreilly6@gmail.com for more info Register: https://linktr.ee/wintercarnivalcornament
- 1pm: Taylor Rental Ladies Fry Pan Toss, for ladies 18 and up, at Riverside Park (registration 11am to 12:30pm)
- 7pm: Lighting of the Ice Palace & Hotel Saranac Opening Fireworks Display (roads close at 6:15pm)
- 8:30pm: *Live music with Underground System, doors open at 7:30pm, $, at The Waterhole
Sunday, February 5
- 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 4pm: *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
- 11am: *Arctic Bar-B-Que with Friends of Mt. Pisgah, $, at Mt. Pisgah Ski Center
- 1pm: Life Power Chiropractic Ultimate Frisbee Games, at Saranac Lake School Football Field
- 2:30pm: ANCA Flower Ball, on Lake Flower
A "Totally 80s" ice car sculpture in progress on January 27, 2022.
Monday, February 6
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
Tuesday, February 7
- 1pm to 5pm: Winter Carnival History Hut & Gift Shop, near the Ice Palace
- 3:30pm: *Scavenger Hunt for Middle School Students, at Saranac Lake Youth Center
- 5pm: Winter Carnival Grand Marshall Reception, $, at Hotel Saranac
- 6pm: Winter Carnival Royalty Dinner, $, at Hotel Saranac
- 7pm: *Main Street Exchange presents Roman Around the Carnival Fashion Show with three rounds of Roman fashion, $, at the Garagery, contact Main Street Exchange for tickets
- 8pm: *Live music with Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane, doors open at 7pm, $, at The Waterhole
Wednesday, February 8
- 1pm to 5pm: 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
- 7:30pm: *Music - Beat Authority Dance Party, doors open at 7pm, $, half of ticket sales donated to NCPR, at The Waterhole
Thursday, February 9
- 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)
- 8:30pm: *Live music - The Frank White Elephant Experience: Tribute to Notorious B.I.G., doors open at 7:30pm, $, at The Waterhole
Friday, February 10
- 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
- 4pm to 7pm: *Live music with Big Boss, at Bitters & Bones
- 7pm: *Rotary Club Variety Show; tickets available at Chamber of Commerce, Ampersound, and NBT Bank; $; at Harrietstown Hall
- 7pm to 10pm (tentatively) Firefighter's Broom Ball, at Saranac Lake Civic Center
- 7pm to 10pm: *Live music at Moment's Notice in the Great Hall Bar, at Hotel Saranac
- 8pm to 11pm: *Live music with John Warchol, at Bitters & Bones
- 8:30pm: *Live music with the Mallet Brothers Band and Saints and Liars, doors open at 7:30pm; at The Waterhole
Saturday, February 11
- All day: Roman Around Space Clue Hunt: Solve clues through town and past all the Roman Gods and Goddesses of Space, available 24/7 outside the History Hut and Gift Shop near the Ice Palace
- 8:30am: Mason's Pancake Breakfast with the Carnival Characters, location TBD, $
- 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
- 2pm to 6pm: *Live music with Rose & the Bros at the Post Parade Party, free show, at The Waterhole
- 4pm to 7pm: Live music with Big Boss, at Bitters & Bones
- 6pm to 10pm: Saranac Waterfront Lodge Snow Ball - this is on a new night, $, at Saranac Waterfront Lodge, tickets available through Waterfront Lodge)
- 9pm to 12am: *Live music with Sonic Boom, at Bitters & Bones
- 9pm: *Live music with West End Blend and Chestnut Groove, doors open at 8pm, $, at The Waterhole
Sunday, February 12
- 10am to 4pm: 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: ANCA Flower Ball, on Lake Flower
- 12pm to 3pm: *Live music with Jae Dani, at Bitters & Bones
- 2pm to 6pm: *Live music with The Ditrani Brothers and Bloody Mary Sunday, free show, at The Waterhole
- 4pm to 7pm: *Live music with Michael Lashomb, at Bitters & Bones
- 7:30pm: Guide Boat Realty Winter Carnival Slide Show, at the Ice Palace
- 8pm: Guide Boat Realty "Storming the Ice Palace" Closing Fireworks Display, at the Ice Palace
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 »