(Updated January 8, 2024) The 2024 Lake George Winter Carnival marks the event’s 62nd anniversary and the event is always a jubilant celebration of winter! Lake George is probably more famous as a summer vacation destination, when tourists come to swim, hike, and camp, but this charming village, located in the Southern Adirondacks region in New York, knows how to party all year long.
Popular festivals take place in every season but the Lake George Winter Carnival is a big one, attracting thousands of tourists during the month of February. By then, the lake (weather permitting) has frozen over, creating a vast winter playground made even more precious because of its short-lived time span.
Read about our weekend at the Lake George Winter Carnival and check out our video. And if you want more winter fun, check out my post on winter in Lake George, with information on cross-country skiing, snowboarding, local ice bars, and much more!
Our Winter Carnival Weekend
At the entrance to Shepard Park in the charming village of Lake George, people waited patiently in line–despite the frigid temperatures–to take selfies while sitting on an exquisitely detailed throne carved out of ice. From here, a small slope of a shoveled sidewalk led to Lake George, the lake which gives the village its name.
The temperature was just barely in the double digits Fahrenheit, so there weren’t a lot of people out yet. Many of them were probably still lingering over breakfast at Caffe Vero, a nice, warm café on Canada Street, where had just moments ago left ourselves, determined to embrace the cold and enjoy the winter festivities.
This was the first day of the Lake George Winter Carnival, and event that first began in 1961, and that runs annually on weekends throughout the month of February.
As the cold morning wore on, the lake began to wake up. Slowly at first and then, all at once, people started coming down to the lake from all directions, stepping onto the ice and marching across it on a path that had already been cleared of snow. They were heading for Million Dollar Beach, beckoned by the high-pitched buzz of snowmobiles that indicated the snowmobile ice drag races were about to get underway.
Both Matt and I are more accustomed to swimming in Adirondack lakes, rather than walking on them, so it took us just a beat to step out onto the ice. Years of training, scary movie scenes, and my mother’s lifelong warnings reminded us of the dangers of walking on frozen lakes.
But back at breakfast, I had picked up a local newspaper with a handy visual on its front cover for determining the safety of a frozen lake. The visual indicated that at three inches thick, it can support the weight of a single person; at eight inches, a light truck; and at 12 inches, a heavy truck weighing up to eight tons.
Judging by the number of snowmobiles, ATVs, cars, people, dogs, and trucks that were currently traversing the ice in all directions, we were well beyond safe ice thickness. It still took a minute to put one foot in front of the other comfortably and follow the crowd across the lake, but I had not doubts about my safety and the payoff was worth it.
Everyone was in love with the snow.
Families walked in tight huddles, stopping every few feet to take photos. Parents plunked smiling toddlers on sleds, the little ones swaddled in colorful, bulky coats. Older kids and adults dropped suddenly to the snow-covered ice for impromptu snow angels. Snowball fights broke out. Dogs giddily forged their own paths, noses first, coming up for air looking like they’d gotten into a box of sugar donuts.
Seeing people celebrate winter with such joy was contagious. At Million Dollar Beach, we watched a few heats of the snowmobile ice drag races, which were even more thrilling up close. They took off from the starting line so fast that they left nothing in their wake but a lingering scent of exhaust.
Heading back across the lake Matt and I felt a little braver on the ice, so we were more relaxed and able to take in our surroundings. The lake was vast and completely blanketed in fresh snow. The barren mountain range rose up above the lake and pressed flat against the blue sky, soaking in the color until the mountains looked blue, too. Vehicles zipped around every which way on the ice. There were specks of color in the distance we had to squint to see, which turned out to be warming huts for ice fishers.
Once we felt secure on the ice in the middle of the lake, we couldn’t get enough of the mesmerizing scenery. Read on for essential information about the Winter Carnival in Lake George, and a few tips.
When does the Lake George Winter Carnival take place?
The Winter Carnival happens annually, on weekends in February. In 2024, the dates are as follows:
- February 3-4
- February 10-11
- February 17-18
- February 24-25
The festivities begin as early as 9:00 a.m., though the schedule varies from day to day. Activities take place on and around Lake George. Events on the ice are always dependent on ice safety. They may be moved or cancelled at the last minute.
There is NO ENTRANCE FEE to the Winter Carnival, although some events do charge their own individual fees, like pony rides, horse-drawn carriage rides, and Cook-offs.
Popular Events at the Lake George Winter Carnival
Lake George holds a parade to kick off the annual winter carnival. This year, it’s on Saturday February 4th at 4:00 p.m. A jam-packed schedule of activities occur on each scheduled day of the carnival, all of which are family-friendly and tons of fun.
Be sure to keep a schedule of events handy. Check the official Lake George Winter Carnival website or their Facebook page for updates. Some activities occur repeatedly throughout the carnival, like a daily bonfire on the beach, which blazes all day long for anyone who needs a quick warm-up. And don’t miss the fireworks, which light up the sky over the lake every Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. Other recurring events are pony rides, a talent contest for dogs, and a Polar Plunge!
Other events are only scheduled for certain days so be sure to keep a schedule handy to see what’s going on each day.
Here are some of the most popular activities which take place year after year.
Outhouse Races on the Lake
Outhouse races are scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
Dating back to 1983, this is one of the most popular events of the carnival, where teams fashion a vehicle out of an outhouse, put it on skis, and race it across the frozen lake. The teams typically consist of five people, which includes two pushing, two pulling, and one inside piloting from the toilet “throne.”
During our weekend at the winter carnival, this was the event we most looked forward to. When we arrived at the starting line, contestants were performing low-key inspections of their homemade outhouses. Immediately noticeable was a structure made to resemble R2-D2 from Star Wars, though the logo painted on the front informed us that the racing outhouse’s name was R2DPOO.
It was pulled by a cast of Star Wars characters including Storm Troopers, Princess Leia, and a Jawa. Though R2DPOO did not come in first place, their racing outhouse was obviously a crowd favorite.
Matt, being the diehard Star Wars fan that he is, struck up a conversation with the team after the race and asked about their racing strategy, to which Princess Leia replied that they were, unfortunately, “all show and no go.”
Another crowd favorite was a creepy, apocalyptic-themed outhouse from a team calling themselves the Adirondack Zombie Hunters. Even the barbed wire and Zombie Beware! signs smeared in fake blood couldn’t take away from the lighthearted–though definitely competitive–nature of the event.
Polar Plunge
If doing a Polar Plunge is on your bucket list, now’s your chance. Dive into the icy waters of Lake George with other like-minded daredevils and earn bragging rights for life! The Polar Plunge takes place on all days of the carnival at 3 p.m. The event is free but prior registration is required. Register at the Souvenir Tent in Shepard Park.
Cook-offs
Scheduled for each Saturday of the carnival, this culinary event is made possible by local restaurants who whip up batches of the best comfort foods they have to offer. Participants are given a score card and asked to rank each food sample. The most popular dish wins.
The scheduled cook-offs for Lake George Winter Carnival 2024 will determine who makes the best chili, chowder, barbecue, and wings. Keep an eye on the schedule for exact dates and times.
All cook-offs take place at the Shepard Park Amphitheater. They usually begin around 1 p.m. and last until the food runs out. There is a fee.
Sanctioned Car and Snowmobile Races on the Lake
I mean, I’m not someone who’s super into watching car or snowmobile races but to see them zipping across a frozen lake is pretty amazing. Definitely watch if you can!
How Cold is Winter in Lake George?
It’s really freaking cold!
But if you’re planning to attend the Lake George Winter Carnival, you want it that way. Temperatures MUST drop and remain low in order for the lake to safely freeze over and the frozen lake is, in my opinion, the most spectacular part of the whole event. It is both amazing and scary to watch helicopters land, snowmobiles race, and huge trucks drive on the iced-over lake, especially if you’ve seen Lake George at other times of year when it’s not frozen over. It’s a total mind game!
Average Lake George winter temperatures are usually in the teens and twenties (Fahrenheit). When Matt and I went to the Winter Carnival in Lake George, it was 16 degrees Fahrenheit around the middle of the day. Luckily, the sun was out but 16 degrees is still cold enough to sting any exposed skin, especially if there’s even a hint of wind.
4 Tips for Attending the Lake George Winter Carnival
- Dress appropriately. Nothing ruins winter fun like cold feet and freezing hands! At the same time, being overheated isn’t comfortable either. Wear layers and bring a backpack in case you need to shed or add a layer.
- Study the schedule for the Carnival days you wish to attend. Make sure you’re attending the correct event on the right day.
- Always have a backup plan. Remember many events are dependent on the safety of the ice and they will not hesitate to cancel events if necessary. Matt and I had really been looking forward to the Polar Plunge (watching, not swimming!) but the designated area near the docks had been deemed unsafe so it was cancelled. Don’t set your heart on one particular event.
- Plan lots of warm-up breaks. A lot of restaurants close for the winter but plenty of them are open to serve you on Lake George Winter Carnival weekends. We scheduled little warming breaks throughout the day, first with coffee at Caffe Vero, then with hot mulled wine at Adirondack Winery, and finally with a hearty Italian dinner at Mario’s Restaurant.
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