Page 25 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – December 2020/January 2021

Winter Festivals
Troy Victorian Stroll Price Chopper/Market 32 Capital Holiday Lights The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Downtown Ithaca Winter Lights & Bites Festival
Dec. 4-12, 2020
Ithaca (Approx. 3 hours from Albany)
This year, Bite of Ithaca has teamed up with Winter
Lights to bring a bright, delicious and safely, socially distant celebration to Downtown Ithaca. Outside, light installations will brighten the Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall on East State Street and showcase how creativity can enliven this space. Presented by Tompkins Trust Company, this outdoor, interactive light exhibition features a variety of light installations by local and nationally known artists. The festival features nine days of winter celebrations including several different activities like December Gallery Night.
Troy Victorian Stroll – Dec. 6-20, 2020
Troy (Approx. 15 minutes from Albany)
For more than 30 years, the streets of Historic Downtown Troy have been transformed into a Victorian Era holiday celebration, complete with a window decorating contest. This year, the weekend event has been extended to
a two-week “stroll season.” Shop local at the Holiday Market and enjoy family-friendly fun. Dressing in theme is not required, but it comes highly suggested.
Lake George Polar Plunge – Jan. 1, 2021
Shepard Park Beach (Approx. 1.5 hours from Albany)
Bring in the new year with an ice-cold cleanse. Annually, more than 1,000 visitors “take the plunge” into frigid waters on New Year’s Day. It’s important that, since the water will likely be freezing cold, if you plan to attend this event, check the safety protocol before you participate. While you are asked to wear your swimsuit for the actual swimming part of the event, it is highly recommended that you bring additional warm and dry clothes and shoes for after the swim. Talk about starting the year off with a bit of excitement.
The Lake George Funky Ice Fest
Jan. 22-23, Jan. 29-30, 2021
Lake George (Approx. 1.5 hours from Albany)
Located at The Adirondack Brewery,
the Funky Ice Fest has
a dynamic collection
of hand-carved and interactive ice sculptures for guests to admire for free. Observing social distancing guidelines, this year’s Ice Fest will
be 100% outdoors and the brewery will be following all COVID-19 regulations and restrictions. While this event is fun for all ages, there also is some amusement aimed at the 21 and over crowd. The brewery has its own ice bar, but you also can head to Bolton Landing for the Ice Bar and Lounge at The Sagamore Resort, a four-diamond AAA property. Here, you’ll be served up winter-inspired signature cocktails. This two-weekend event brings new meaning to the casual chill session.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Feb. 5-14, 2021
Saranac Lake (Approx. 2.5 hours from Albany)
One of the east coast’s longest-running traditions, this annual festival dates back to 1897. In the years since,
it has expanded to what is now a 10-day event that includes parades, outdoor sports and games, fireworks, and of course, the famous Ice Palace. This royal frozen structure is built entirely by volunteers at the state boat launch on the shore of Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay. Event festivities include the coronation of a King and Queen who are honored for their contribution to the Saranac Lake community through volunteer work. The theme of this year’s carnival will be “Mask-erade.” How clever.
AAA Hudson Valley Representatives are here to help you book any hotel stays and create your TripTiks to get you there. Visit AAA.com/RoadTripReady for more information on these and other thrilling New York destinations recommended by our AAA Travel Experts. Stop by one of our office locations, call 518-426-1000 or order your TripTik online.
Consult the online travel guides at AAA.com/TravelGuides for additional things to do if you have time. We suggest calling each location before your visit to confirm that they are indeed open and operating, what experiences are available at the time of visitation and to learn about health and safety guidelines.
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