Saranac Lake Winter Carnival February 5 to February 14, 2027
Ten days of ice, fire and small-town magic, on the lake at the end of your dock.
Carnival
Typically the first two weekends of February
Counting down to February
Every February the village of Saranac Lake cuts its own castle out of the lake. Volunteers saw blocks of ice straight from frozen Lake Flower, stack them by hand into a full-size palace, light it in colour after dark, and then throw ten days of parades, fireworks and eccentric competitions around it. It is the oldest winter carnival in the eastern United States, running since 1897, and it happens a short walk from the Colden Lodge cabins.
A palace cut from the lake at your door
The Ice Palace is the heart of Carnival and the scale of it surprises everyone: thousands of blocks of ice, harvested with saws from the frozen surface of Lake Flower, hauled up the shore and laid course by course by a volunteer crew who have been doing this for generations.
It is free to walk through, it is lit in colour every night of Carnival, it carries a different theme each year, and it stands on the shoreline of the very lake your cabin looks out on. Come for sunset, when the ice turns blue and the lights come on, then walk back to a hot tub on your own deck.
Ten days of ice, fire and frying pans
Carnival opens with the crowning of the King and Queen and the lighting of the palace, and closes with fireworks thrown up over the frozen lake. In between the village fills with a Gala Parade on the middle Saturday, torchlight processions, pancake breakfasts, book sales, dog and pet events, kids' games on the ice, and the legendary Ladies' Frying Pan Toss.
The programme changes a little every year, and so does the theme, so check the official Winter Carnival schedule once your dates are set. What never changes is the feeling: an entire town outside in the cold, delighted with itself.
Why Carnival guests stay at Colden Lodge
You are on Lake Flower. The ice for the palace comes out of this water, the fireworks go up over it, and the parade route is minutes away, so you can park once and walk to almost everything, instead of hunting for a space in the village.
The cabins are fully winterized with heating, a full kitchen and a warm living room, and each has a private hot tub, a fire pit and outdoor space. That combination of loud, freezing days and a very quiet, very warm evening is exactly what a Carnival weekend should feel like.
Making a weekend of it
Carnival week is also peak winter sports week. Mount Pisgah is minutes away for night skiing and tubing, Dewey Mountain has lit cross-country and snowshoe trails, Whiteface and the Lake Placid Olympic venues are twenty to forty minutes down the road, and Baker Mountain gives you a snowy summit view before lunch.
Bring skates too. When the ice is right, the lake in front of the property is the best rink in the Adirondacks.
The palace, and the week around it.
Tap any photograph to open it full screen. Swipe, zoom and browse the whole set.
Planning your Carnival stay.
When to come
Carnival usually runs across the first two weekends of February. The middle Saturday, with the Gala Parade, is the busiest and best day to be in the village.
How long to stay
Three or four nights lets you see the palace lit at night, catch the parade, and still have a day for skiing or snowshoeing.
Book early
February fills first in Saranac Lake, and Carnival week fills before that. Send us your dates as soon as you know them.
What to pack
Serious layers, a hat, insulated boots and traction for icy paths. Nights can drop well below zero, and the palace is best seen after dark.
Questions guests ask.
Is the Ice Palace free to visit?
Yes. The palace is built by volunteers and open to everyone, day and night, for the length of Carnival. Donations to the Ice Palace Workers are always welcome.
How far is the palace from the cabins?
It is built on the Lake Flower shoreline in the village, a few minutes from 67 Riverside Drive. Most guests walk or make a very short drive.
Can we book Carnival dates online?
Not on this site. Send your dates through the enquiry form or call 305-450-6500, and Bobby, Diana or Walter will confirm availability with you personally.
What if the weather is mild?
Carnival goes ahead regardless, but the palace depends on lake ice, so its size and opening date can shift with the winter. The official Carnival schedule posts updates as the build progresses.
Ice Palace photographs by Daniel Penfield via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. All cabin photography by Colden Lodge.