A week of arctic cold and snowstorms made conditions ideal for the opening of the 58th Annual Lake George Winter Carnival. “We’ve got everything this year. We have snow, we have ice, we have sun, and like a cheap hotel, we have a draft with no heat,” said Lake George Town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson. Although the sun was shining, a brisk wind made for a blustery day on the ice. Dickinson cautioned attendees that they needed to dress for the weather and suggested they take breaks from the cold by stepping into one of the local restaurants to warm up and enjoy refreshments.
The Carnival began with Opening Ceremonies in Shepard Park and ECS Sanctioned snowmobile ice drag races on the lake at Million Dollar Beach. The buzz of racing snowmobiles could be heard throughout the day. In the park, children enjoyed pony rides and families rode through the village in a horse-drawn carriage. King Neptune’s Pub and the Courtyard Marriot Hotel hosted indoor activities for children, which included face painting and crafts.
The Carnival’s signature event, the outhouse races, followed opening ceremonies. This year’s field was small with five entries competing for $1,000 in prizes. Adirondack Studios arrived at the lake with their outhouse, TNT, which took first place last year, and a new creation, R2D2 with a crew of stormtroopers. LP Adams returned with Bad to the Bone II. Two businesses new to Lake George in 2018 joined the competition, The Lagoon, a Canada Street tavern, and Adirondack Zombie Hunters, a Canada Street business offering shooting range simulators with a zombie apocalypse theme.
TNT retained their championship title. Adirondack Zombie Hunters came in second and LP Adams placed third. Initially, The Lagoon outhouse had placed second but was later disqualified when it came to the attention of officials that The Lagoon crew did not adhere to the two pushers, two pullers configuration required by race rules.
While The Lagoon lost its position in outhouse racing, they reign supreme in chili taking first place in the chili cook-off. Second prize in the cook-off went to The Log Jam and third went to The Olde Log Inn. Each Saturday of Winter Carnival features a cook-off. For $5, carnival goers may sample entries from local restaurants and cast a vote for their favorite.
The Lake George Winter Carnival Parade, with 22 entries, stepped off shortly after 4 p.m. and was followed by a bonfire and hot chocolate on the beach. The Winter Carnival continues tomorrow with youth ice hockey, a pre-big game keg toss at 2 p.m. and free make-your-own sundaes at noon. The Lake George Winter Carnival is held each weekend in February. Visit the Lake George Winter Carnival website for a complete schedule of events.
