Lake George Winter Carnival returns with fun and games

Cheer on participants during the Outhouse Race at the Lake George Winter Carnival. Credit: Amanda May Metzger
The first thing you need to know about this year’s Lake George Winter Carnival is that it’s wintry — there’s snow on the ground and the lake is frozen, both of which have been lacking in recent years. And while the carnival — held annually since 1961 — is always a February highlight in the Adirondacks, a frozen lake takes things to a whole new level.
"Spending a day on the lake just makes it all the more spectacular," said Jessyca Darrah, a co-chair of this year’s carnival, referring not to boating on Lake George but walking on it in winter. "People will take their hot chocolate and go stand on the ice and watch the fireworks in the middle of the lake. And if they have motor vehicles such as four-wheelers and snowmobiles, they’re out on those. So it’s a fun time."

Festivalgoers participate in the polar plunge during the Winter Carnival in Lake George. Credit: Lake George Winter Carnival /Tim Weatherwax
The carnival, which will be held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 2, offers plenty of dry land fun as well, a necessary evil during years when the weather doesn’t comply. (In 2024, Lake George didn’t even get snow till March.) "Since 2019 and 2020, in this area and the whole Adirondack region, we haven’t had the cold temperatures to sustain what we need," Darrah said, adding that for the first time, the carnival will hold a long-planned lumberjack competition this season, an off-ice event showcasing the logrolling, chainsawing and tree-climbing skills of pros and amateurs alike.
Meanwhile, 2025's winter conditions mean lots more on-ice fun as well. On the schedule are a golf tournament and outhouse races, the latter a much-anticipated event in which locals put bespoke potties on skis and compete for thousands of dollars in prizes. To hear Lake Georgians tell it, this is something you dare not miss.
Climate change is undoubtedly behind local leaders’ desire to get creative with the carnival, but there are other concerns, including ice fishermen and the holes they drill. "You really want to see a good 12 to 14 inches of black ice, which means it’s solid," said Darrah, admitting she’d spent most of the day measuring the ice’s depth at various spots on the lake. "We take this very seriously." For some years, Lake George has been frozen enough to accommodate motorcycles and small cars. Others have seen it support the weight of SUVs and trailers.

The Lake George Winter Carnival features fireworks and ATV racing on ice. Credit: Nicole Frese; Lake George Winter Carnival /Tim Weatherwax
Regardless, however, there will be ATV races, polar plunges, paint-and-sip parties and plenty of food, from a hot chocolate "topping bar" to weekly cook-offs in which the public will determine who makes the best local chowder, wings, mac ’n cheese and more. Darrah called the carnival a classic communitywide effort and one that’s completely volunteer-led.
As for visitors, they'll be happy to know that there’s much lodging convenient to the carnival, running the gamut from a Super 8 in downtown Lake George (rooms start at $84 per night) to the sprawling Fort William Henry Hotel (about $200 a night for rooms accommodating up to four). Off-site dining options, meanwhile, include Fort William Henry’s own Lakeside restaurant and lounge, where you can eat outdoors around a gas fire table (weather permitting), and the Log Jam, whose steak dinners are served inside an authentic log cabin.
The Lake George Winter Carnival is held at various venues around southern Lake George and in the village, approximately 200 miles north of Manhattan, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive. For more information on the carnival, visit lakegeorgewintercarnival.com.
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