SARANAC LAKE — A distinctly otherworldly landing craft has touched down here in a field by the Lake Flower boat launch.
It's just in time for the 115th Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.
"We haven't seen any alien creatures yet," Winter Carnival Committee Chairman Jeff Dickson said Friday.
But he expected they would show themselves in some human form soon.
Alien Invasion is the theme of this year's 10-day festival.
Ice Palace construction became other-worldly with a hastened freeze-thaw cycle, and numerous UFOs were seen amassing beside Lake Flower.
"Our palace has aspects of spaceship and aspects of ice palace," Dickson said. "I'll leave that to people's imagination. There are lots of interactive aspects in the ice this year."
Carnival headquarters is set up at the Adirondack Business Center on Lake Flower Drive, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide schedules and offer carnival buttons and "lots of alien accessories" for purchase, Dickson said.
The carnival, with numerous free events and others that require an admission fee, has a busy schedule planned this weekend and beyond.
TODAY
Ice Palace Fun Run. 10 a.m. 4 miles, starting at the ice palace.
19th-annual Business & Professional Women Chocolate Festival. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harrietstown Town Hall.
Lutheran Church Women's Craft Sale. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harrietstown Town Hall.
Petrova Winter Carnival. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indoor fun for kids. Petrova Elementary School cafeteria.
Curling Exhibition. 11 a.m. Near the State Boat Launch site on Lake Flower.
Paul Smith's College Woodsmen's Exhibition. 11 a.m. Riverside Park.
White Stag Downhill Ski Races. 11 a.m. Mt. Pisgah Ski Center.
Arctic Bar-B-Que, Mount Pisgah Ski Center. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Presented by the Friends of Mount Pisgah.
NBT Bank Ladies' Fry Pan Toss. 12:30 p.m. Riverside Park.
Lost in Space (follow the clues treasure hunt). 2:30 p.m. Riverside Park. Sponsored by the Women's Civic Chamber.
14th Saranac Lake Figure Skating Spaghetti Dinner. 4:30 to 7 p.m. Methodist Church. Call for take-out: 891-3473.
Celia Evans performs. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Left Bank Cafe.
Lighting of the ice palace. 7 p.m. Guide Boat Realty Fireworks Display. The State Boat Launch.
Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks presents Music by Crackin' Foxy. 8 p.m. Supported by Ampersound. Harrietstown Town Hall.
DJ, Atlantic City trip giveaway. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Captain Cook's.
Karaoke. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Romano's Saranac Lanes.
Music by Capital Zen. 10 p.m. Opening for Twiddle. The Waterhole.
SUNDAY
Joey Izzo on piano. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Left Bank Cafe.
9-Pin No-Tap Bowling Tournament. 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Romano's Saranac Lanes.
H&R Block Ultimate Frisbee Games. 1 to 3 p.m. Petrova Athletic Fields. 637-2067.
The Spike of Ice Icicle Contest. 2:30 p.m. Icicles must be naturally formed without any internal form of support. The final measurement will be the largest, intact piece of ice (broken pieces won't be added in). A children's division has been added this year.
At the ice palace. Judging at 3:30 p.m.
MONDAY
Interfaith Service in Celebration. 7 p.m. St. Luke's Church.
Bingo. 7 p.m. Saranac Lake Adult Center.
Classic Film, "Plan 9 From Outer Space." 7:30 p.m. Down Hill Grill, Main Street. Free. Sponsored by the Saranac Lake Classic Film Festival.
TUESDAY
Scavenger Hunt for Middle School Students. 3:30 p.m. Saranac Lake Youth Center.
Grand Marshal Reception. 5:30 p.m. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge #1508.
Royalty Dinner. 6:30 p.m. Elks Lodge #1508. Pages' meals provided by Adirondack Motel.
Firemen's Broomball. 9 p.m. Saranac Lake Civic Center.
Music by Jeff Bujak. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
WEDNESDAY
Curtis Lumber Snowshoe Races. 6 p.m. All ages. Dewey Mountain. Call 891-2697.
Music by Sophistafunk. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
THURSDAY
Torchlight Skiing, followed by fireworks. 6 p.m. Mount Pisgah Ski Center.
25th-annual Meineker Figure Skating Show. 7:30 p.m. Saranac Lake Civic Center. 891-4431.
Music by Kung Fu. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
FRIDAY
Adirondack Bank Innertube Races. 10 a.m. Mount Pisgah.
23rd-annual Winter Book Sale. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saranac Lake Free Library, Cantwell Community Room, 109 Main St.
NBT Bank Children's Skating Races. 12:30 p.m. Saranac Lake Civic Center.
Big Boss Sausage. 5 to 8 p.m. Acoustic. Captain Cook's.
Rotary Club Variety Show. 7:30 p.m. Harrietstown Town Hall. $20 at the door.
Firemen's Broomball. 8:15 p.m. Saranac Lake Civic Center.
Reflections Classic Rock. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Captain Cook's.
Karaoke. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Romano's Saranac Lanes.
Music by Stone Revival Band. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
Mason's Pancake Breakfast. 8:30 to11 a.m. Saranac Lake Adult Center, 136 Broadway. Sponsored by Whiteface Mountain Lodge 789 Masonic Temple.
Breakfast at McDonald's restaurant with Grimace and carnival characters. 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Meet the Carnival Characters. 10 to 11 a.m. Ice palace.
23rd-annual Winter Book Sale. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saranac Lake Free Library, Cantwell Community Room, 109 Main St.
Lion's Club Chili Sale. 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Harrietstown Town Hall.
11 a.m. Paul Smith's College Woodsmen's Exhibition. Riverside Park.
12 to 4 p.m. Paul Smith's College Alumni Reunion. Under the heated tent next to Sears and Nori's.
Noon. Parade Lineup at Lake Colby Drive.
1 p.m. Gala parade. Along Broadway and Main Street from Ampersand Ave. to Lapan Highway. Band concert follows in Harrietstown Town Hall.
8 p.m. Music by Backspin. Romano's Saranac Lanes.
After the Parade Music by Crow Party, The Waterhole.
After the Parade 7 p.m. Music by Black Fly Affair. Captain Cook's.
7 to 9 p.m. Michael Cooney on Irish Pipes with Curt and Kary Stager.
"To Kill A Mockingbird." 7:30 p.m. Pendragon Theatre. Call 891-9052 for reservations.
Music by Big Boss Sausage. 8:30 p.m. Captain Cook's.
Music by Damaged Goods. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Romano's Saranac Lanes.
Music by Lucid. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Adult X-C Skiing. 10 a.m. Dewey Mountain. 891-2697.
Bionique Snowflake Volleyball Tournament. 11 a.m. Saranac Lake Civic Center Rotary Field.
Showshoe Softball. 11 a.m. Elks Field, John Munn Road.
Casey McHugh Pond Hockey Tournament. 11 a.m. Bloomingdale Fields. 637-4669.
Joey Izzo on Piano. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Left Bank Cafe.
Saranac Lake Teachers Association Kids X-C Ski Races. noon. Dewey Mountain. 891-2697.
Snowy Owl Face Painting for Children. 12:30 to 3 p.m., Harrietstown Town Hall.
Kiddie Parade. 2 p.m. From Saranac Lake Free Library to the Town Hall.
3 p.m. 17th-annual Winter Carnival Baroque Concert, Methodist Church, Donation, Sponsored by the Saranac Lake Young Arts Association
Cape Air Carnival Slide Show. 7:30 p.m. At the ice palace.
Gala Fireworks Display. 8 p.m. At the ice palace.
Music by Tim Herron & Eric McElveen. 10 p.m. The Waterhole.
THURSDAY, FEB. 16
Post-Carnival Cape Air Slide Show. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saranac Village at Will Rogers.
Learn more at: saranaclakewintercarnival.com.
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