December 22, 2012

New Year's Winter Fun in the Adirondack Region

Mark Thompson READ TIME: 4 MIN.

ADIRONDACK REGION, NY- The Adirondacks are home to winter traditions that span centuries, generations and most importantly, enliven even the coldest winter days.

As snow descends on the Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York, families, friends and visitors look forward to a host of off-the-beaten-path winter events that offer the best of the outdoors and the Adirondack Region's rural communities.

Top Adirondack Winter Festivals and Events include:

  • First Night - December 31 in Saranac Lake is a family-oriented, alcohol-free celebration of the arts to welcome in the New Year.

    Purchase a $12 First Night 2013 Button at participating stores throughout the villages and gain admittance to 21 entertainment acts in 11 different venues, including storytelling, family-friendly musical entertainment and dancing.

  • Hickory Telemark Festival - March 2 in at the Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg. Serious alpinists are invited to ski the legend and learn how to telemark, aka free heel at Hickory Ski Center.

    A series of free telemark clinics will be offered, as well as demonstrations. Participants are invited to watch or join in the Tour de Trees and Telemark Challenge Race. Then enjoy the apr�s ski barbecue with brews and live music.

  • Cock-A-Doodle-Shoe Snowshoe Race - January 20 at the New Land Trust in Saranac. One of the northeast's regional qualifiers for the 2013 USSSA National Snowshoe Championships, held in Bend Oregon, this race traverses the rolling hills of the New Land Trust's 287 acres.

    Proceeds from the event will benefit the Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable development. Entry fee is $15 and includes a t-shirt and post-race refreshments.

  • Eastern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships - January 31-February 2 at the Lake Placid Olympic Center. Watch more than 250 teams from the east coast compete in this qualifying event for the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships.

    Tickets are $17 for adults and $14 for juniors and seniors. Tickets for kids 6 years and under are free.

  • Canton Winterfest - February 7-16 in Canton. This annual St. Lawrence Region event kicks off with outdoor concerts and theatrical shows, craft demos and workshops, a chili cook-off and sports tournaments.

    Visitors will enjoy free movie showings, concerts and more.

  • Frozen Fire & Lights Festival - February 23 at Arrowhead Park in Inlet. This annual family-friendly celebration of winter offers a full days' worth of events including a cardboard sled race, skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, a book sale and fireworks. Warm up at the bonfire with free refreshments.

    The Adirondack Region is a six-million-acre park offering limitless recreation amid 2,000 miles of hiking trails and 3,000 lakes and ponds. Part of the largest temperate forest in the world, the Adirondacks are also home to 103 towns and villages. Connect with the Adirondacks on Facebook.com/visitadirondacks or Twitter.com/visitadks.

    For additional events information, lodging packages and winter travel ideas, log onto www.visitadirondacks.com

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    by Mark Thompson , EDGE Style & Travel Editor

    A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.

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