LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) – It’s after Christmas and before the winter carnival. That means that, for the third winter in a row, Lake George Winterfest is coming to the village and town around the lake.

Winterfest kicks off on Tuesday, Dec. 27, with a docket of events and deals for visitors and locals alike. Carriage rides, hotel stays, restaurant deals and more are just a wristband away. The festivities run all the way to Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Winterfest works like this: Buy one of two tiers of wristbands for access to special activities, many of which come on your own timeline. Others work on tighter schedules, and wristband holders can choose their times for events like cross-country skiing, axe throwing, and more. Wristband tiers include:

  • $20 Winterfest wristband
    • 15% discount at participating hotels
    • 10% discount at participating restaurants
    • Horse-drawn carriage rides
    • Free hot chocolate at Biscotti Brothers
  • $30 Winterfest wristband
    • 15% discount at participating hotels
    • 10% discount at participating restaurants
    • Free access to one winter activity of your choice (list below)
    • Horse-drawn carriage rides
    • Free hot chocolate at Biscotti Brothers

Wristbands can be purchased online. The full list of wintertime activities includes many that sold out during the 2021-22 Winterfest season. The full list of activities includes:

  • Sleigh rides
    • Afternoon-long ride through forest and field, traveling to an Adirondack ridge with a view of the High Peaks Wilderness and a stop for hot chocolate and smores
    • Available Fridays – Sundays
    • Hosted by Circle B Ranch
  • Dogsled rides
    • Dog sledding on Mirror Lake and elsewhere, with trained sled dogs
    • Available Fridays – Sundays
  • Snow tubing
    • Tubing at West Mountain’s upper and lower lanes, all accessible by a moving “magic carpet”
    • Available Fridays
    • Hosted by West Mountain in Queensbury
  • Axe throwing
    • Axe-throwing class with professional instructors near Lake George, up to four people to a target
    • Available most Tuesdays – Sundays
    • Hosted by Adirondack Axe at the Aviation Mall in Queensbury
  • Cross-Country Skiing
    • 1-4 p.m. afternoon of skiing on well-maintained trails
    • Available Mondays – Fridays, at least 48 hours advance booking needed
    • Hosted by Garnet Hill Lodge in North River
  • Snowshoeing
    • Afternoon activity across six different routes that intertwine with Nordic ski trails
    • Available Mondays – Fridays
    • Hosted by Garnet Hill Lodge in North River

Winterfest coincides with several other events hosted annually by the village of Lake George. Fireworks will be set off every Saturday in January, viewable from Shepard Park and elsewhere around the lake. Ice Castles returns later in January, bringing a kingdom of winter fun back for a second go-round. In February, the Lake George Winter Carnival returns to the village, with snowmobile races, food contests and more.