The Lake George Area is your hub for winter events. The 2023-2024 season brings with it two new family-friendly immersive attractions, while the long-standing annual events you know and love will be returning as well. So, come play in the snow!
Winter Events
Winter Realms
Opening date is November 24, through March 3. Tickets are on sale now – click here for all dates!
*NEW EVENT! Brought to you by the creators of Ice Castles, “discover an immersive winter wonderland where fairytale adventure lurks at every turn. Find yourself at Winter Realms, where arctic enchantment electrifies the air and lifelong memories crystalize before your eyes”.
This brand-new experience is less weather dependent, and some of the exciting features you can expect are…
- Ice Skating – glide along a glittering rink surrounded by glowing light displays. Spectator tables and warming stations are situated around the rink. *Skate rental is included with your ice-skating ticket (add-on cost).
- Mystic Light Walk – Stroll a spellbinding path glowing with otherworldly illumination. This paved experience is approximately 850 feet or .16 miles. It’s perfect for visitors of all ages.
- Ice Sculpture Garden – Wander among larger-than life creations that sparkle like jewels in the crisp winter air. From the ice throne to the igloos, these world-class sculptures are not to be missed. Our world-class sculptures explore the rich, ancient history of the Chinese zodiac – along with other seasonal surprises!
- Santa’s Candy Cane Court – From November 24 until December 23, stop by Candy Cane Court to share a Christmas wish with Santa and take a festive photo.
- Snowman Park – Come frolic in the snow, make some snow angels, and sculpt your own snowman in our interactive snow park – where the joy of winter comes alive. From coal eyes to pointy carrot noses and more, decorations for your frosty friend are provided free of charge.
- Picnic Plaza – Cozy up around the heaters at our outdoor warming stations. While you thaw out, indulge your appetite with a sweet or savory treat. These wintertime delicacies will leave you craving more.
- Arctic Alcove (VIP Experience) – Soak up some luxury with a private booking in your own secluded alcove. This exclusive VIP experience is perfect for proposals and other milestone moments. Coming soon.
Lake George Winter’s Dream
Opening date is December 8, through March 31. Tickets are on sale now – click here for all dates!
*NEW EVENT! Embrace the cold and discover the warmth of winter, in an immersive experience for the whole family. Explore and play as lights, sounds, original music, and interactive games bring this wintry world to life. Lake George Winter's Dream is coming to the Fort William Henry Historical Fortress.
Exciting features to expect are…
- Cabin of Dreams – Help the cabin to knit up the dreams of winter. Toss the balls of yarn, and watch it come to life.
- Full Moons – Glowing in the frozen night, each shining sphere adds a voice to the song. Listen for their radiant harmony.
- Frozen Lake – Glittering in the frosty wind, the ice has its own music to share. Watch the waves of winter’s magic unfold.
- Winter Woods – Under the snow and stars, the forest sparkles with possibility. Wander through these luminous trees.
- First Snow – Waiting high above, the first flakes leap…and land gently in our arms. Capture the flurries of light.
- Dreamscapes – Step into a dream, where anything is possible. Place yourself within the magical shadows to complete the scene within.
Winter Carnivals
In its 62nd year, the Lake George Winter Carnival is four weekends of family-friendly fun during the month of February. Cook-off samples and mugs of hot chocolate are served ‘til gone, car and outhouse races take place on the ice when the weather allows, a spectacular fireworks show blasts off every Saturday night, attendees brave the chilly water for the Polar Plunge, and much more!
Don’t miss the Brant Lake Winter Carnival in February as well! Another event where you can participate in friendly competition and winter fun for all on the ice outside Jimbo’s Club at the Point.
Ice Bars
Bundle up and embrace the cold to gather around the coolest ice bars in the region. Each winter, year-round restaurants and seasonal attractions sculpt ice bars to serve drinks from. Jamborees are centered around them – like the annual Funky Ice Fest at Adirondack Pub & Brewery – and ice bar hopping has become fun, frozen entertainment. Check out the complete list of this season’s ice bars, including dates & times, by clicking here.
While in the Lake George Area, check out these other can’t-miss seasonal events:
Pictured: Adirondack Thunder, Photo Credit: Jaynie Ellis
Head to downtown Glens Falls for some Adirondack Thunder ice hockey action. This ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils plays lightening-fast, hard-hitting hockey all season long. The excitement of Adirondack Thunder games is perfect for a family-friendly night out at Cool Insuring Arena.
Do your holiday shopping at Adirondack Holiday Festival and LARAC Winter Arts Festival. Adirondack Holiday Festival is a family-focused, European-style Christmas festival with a uniquely Adirondack flair and style – combining cultural traditions, entertainment, local flavors and crafts with family fun activities for all ages in Glens Falls City Park. Meanwhile, LARAC Winter Arts Festival is a juried arts show featuring over 40 artisans creating handmade unique products such as pottery, fiber arts, jewelry, culinary and wooden items, and photography.
See what else is happening outside of Lake George and Glens Falls. Join fellow winter travelers in a torch-lit parade while enjoying live music and fiery food & drinks at Fire on the Mountain. Explore the sticky-sweet world of maple syrup during Thurman Maple Days. See the complete list of all upcoming seasonal events here.
Hit the Slopes
Pictured: Skiing at Gore Mountain
Hit the slopes at the Lake George Area’s three premier, full-service ski resorts. Hickory Ski Center offers skiers a “vintage” experience with all-natural snow, while Gore Mountain is an artic adventure with a diversity of terrain across four peaks. Or, have a snow day at West Mountain on well-lit trails that stay open for night skiing.
Zip down smaller slopes and snowy hills on sleds and tubes at West Mountain, Dynamite Hill, and Lake George Recreation Center.
Get Out on the Ice
Lace up your skates for a leisurely glide on the ice or a game of pick-up hockey. Frozen ponds at Crandall Park, Dynamite Hill, and Gurney Lane double as ice rinks in the winter. Cool Insuring Arena and Glens Falls Recreation Center offer indoor skating for family-friendly fun no matter the weather.
Grab your auger and tip-ups to catch a variety of species during ice fishing season from perch to northern pike, trophy lake trout, salmon, panfish, and more. Ice shanties dot popular hotspots like Lake George, Lake Luzerne, Glen Lake, Brant Lake, Loon Lake, and Echo Lake.
Explore Snow-Covered Trails
Traverse idyllic frozen trails on cross-country skis, snowshoes, or snowmobiles. Garnet Hill Lodge Outdoor Center, Cole’s Woods, and Natural Stone Bridge & Caves, as well as any of the area’s nature preserves, have designated trails for cross-country skiing and/or snowshoeing.
Snowmobile trails in communities like Brant Lake, Thurman, Chestertown, Pottersville, Lake Luzerne, and Warrensburg meander through wooded corridors and run conveniently near restaurants and bars that welcome riders in from the cold. Volunteer snowmobile clubs groom trail systems to ensure a top-notch riding experience.
The Lake George Area is a premier year-round hiking destination. Trek more mountainous trails for scenic, wintry views from a snowcapped summit. Buck Mountain ranks among the best winter hikes in the state, while Stewart Mountain, The Pinnacle, and Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob are others to check out.
Dine & Shop Local
Do some shopping, antiquing, dining, and cocktailing in our small towns, where most businesses are locally owned. From “home-cooked” meals to modern cuisine, grab a bite to eat at any of the Lake George Area’s charming restaurants.
Or, dine inside an igloo – the coolest way to enjoy a meal during the winter – offered at only a handful of local establishments: The Queensbury Hotel, The Inn at Erlowest, The Barrel, and Bolton Landing Brewing Company.
Then, shop ‘till you drop! Spend a brisk winter day shopping small and perusing the specialty goods and hand-crafted products that boutiques throughout the Lake George Area have to offer.
Pictured: Igloo Dining at The Barrel, Photo Credit: Kacey O'Brien