The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has run every February since 1897 and is one of the oldest continuously held winter festivals in the United States. The signature event is the building of a full-scale ice palace from blocks cut out of frozen Lake Flower — typically thousands of blocks weighing several hundred pounds each, hand-cut and stacked over three weeks by volunteer crews.
The carnival itself runs ten days and packs in parades, fireworks, ice sculpture competitions, broomball tournaments, a Gala Parade, and a coronation ball. Each year has a different theme that determines the design of the palace. Lodging is tight during the carnival; book months ahead. If you cannot make February, the off-season visit still lets you see the construction yard where the palace gets pre-assembled.