Adirondack Family Time™

After packing away the skis, making mud pies through the spring season it is time to celebrate summer with Saranac Lake's Daffest.  In addition to all the activities below, don't forget to just take some time to explore all the parks around Saranac Lake and see the beautiful daffodils! Enjoy! Check frequently for changes in schedule:  April 26  1 pm Historic Tour through Riverside Park to Bartok Cabin ($5) 5:30 pm - 8 pm . Harriestown Hall.: Meet the soapbox derby contestants, taste free samples and vote on the pastry competition April 27  10 am - 3 pm: Festival of Blooms Riverside Park,  • Paul Smiths College baking students bring baked goods for sale and to sample • Merrilooms the clown will be on hand for face painting and balloon animals. • Blue Line Sports Shop will be holding fly and reel fishing demos and clinic. • Adirondack Lakes and Trails will be holding kayak, canoe demos and clinic. 11 am:  Daffest Derby Day at the George LaPan Highway in Saranac L

Looking for a fun activity for your little ones! Join the faculty of The Lakeside School at the Belden Noble Library, Essex on Saturday April 13 at 11 am and the Keene Valley Library at 4 pm.  Come see the puppet show, have a chance to meet the puppets and the teachers, and have a snack.  This event is free.   Lakeside  School  is a birth - 2nd grade  school  based on the Waldorf philosophy on a working farm in Essex, NY.   Date: Saturday, April 13th Location: Belden Noble Library, Essex, NY Time: 11:00a.m. Location: Keene Valley Library, Keene Valley, NY Time: 4:00p.m.

The   North Country SPCA , a no-kill animal shelter in Essex County,  presents Birds of Prey at the Whallonsburg Grange for $5/adult and  FREE for children under 12,  Come see the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehabilitation Center 's recovering animals, Cider and cookies, too!

By Diane Chase Held at the Hollywood Theatre in AuSable Forks, six classic 80s films will be shown in succession with a special guest appearance with actor James Tolkan held at 8:00 p.m. at the Jay Community Center. Tolkan will conduct a “meet and greet” with audience members and share his experiences during the making of the films. He will also answer questions from the audience. Seating is limited but tickets can be reserved. One of the Hollywood Theatre’s two screens will be shows what Garrow terms “chick flicks” with Footloose , Dirty Dancing and Sixteen Candles while the second movie theatre screen will house the Back To The Future Trilogy .   The first show starts at noon. “The two events, the films and meeting James Tolkan are separate,” says Garrow. “ Tickets are sold individually. People can just attend the evening event if they just wish to meet James Tolken or come watch the films. I wanted to keep options available so people could attend one

2nd Annual Footy Film Festival will take place at the Hollywood Theatre, Au Sable Forks March 24, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Here is a quick sample of what to expect! Come and check out the finalists in the  2nd annual wintersports film competition to benefit USASA Adirondack athletes headed to 2012 Nationals at Copper Mt, CO.

Don't forget to help stop hunger at the 2nd annual North Country Food Pantry Benefit. Eleven musicians are donating their amazing talents for a free concert. Your cost is to bring a nonperishable food item or donation to the food pantry. Come and go! The concert (February 25) starts at noon and continues to 8:00 p.m. at the Saranac Lake Harrietown Town Hall. Help fight hunger! This year’s line-up is impressive. Drop by the Harrietstown Town Hall to see Cameron Anderson, Shamrock House Band, Theresa Hartford, Rustic Riders, Celia Evans, Eric and the Dutchman, Jamie Savage, Roy Hurd, Blind Owl Band and the Ruff, Good Daques Band. There will be refreshments available for purchase through Paul Smith’s College and SODEXO with all proceeds benefiting local food pantries. There will be another musical benefit in the spring to benefit the Tupper Lake Food Pantry. 

I am often sent emails from people looking for activities to do with children or family members of all ages. I am honored to be able to suggest ideas. (My email is below but do to very unpleasant spammers I can't make it a live link.) Below are a few ideas from Schroon Lake to Lake Placid, along the "Adirondack Lake Champlain Coast. Inside activities: These suggestions all have some sort of cost: pan for gems at High Falls Gorge  518-946-2278 , Wilmington (also beautiful trails, waterfall), paint your own pottery at Brush On In, Lake Placid    518.523.6554 , go to the Essex County Fish Hatchery in Crown Point (for a few quarters the kids can feed the fish)  518) 597-3844 .  Ice skating  gets tricky this time of year. We have had so many melts and freezes. Schroon Lake and Ticonderoga flood the tennis/basketball courts or by the beach for an outdoor ice rink but that is not currently available but the playground at the Schroon Lake public beach is fun.

By Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time Tri-Lakes and High Peaks: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities Mush!  John Houghton, the owner of Thunder Mountain Dog Sled Tours has been checking the ice on Mirror Lake daily to make sure it is safe and ready for dog sled rides. Since we saw a dog sled movie (more than one movie so it's not worth mentioning a name) there has been some insistence from the ranks about being pulled around by dog. There had been attempts in our past of attaching a sled to our gold retriever, with little success. I have been even dubbed the team at times, but believe the allure isn't in the ride but in the animals. Houghton, who also breeds his Alaskan Huskies as well as runs them, is not going to jeopardize his eight-dog team or the passengers that are along for the ride. He has over 20 years experience with dog sled tours. If his dogs are on the ice, his daughter assures me, the ice will be safe. He periodically checks the ice for

The World of John Burroughs by  Ed Kanze Saturday, January 14th  at 7:30 p.m. 

By Diane Chase One thing we like to do is to enjoy a small intimate theatre experience. Not just live theatre, though that plays (no pun intended) a prominent role in our lives. No, it’s escaping for a few hours and going to “The Movies.” At one time many towns in the Adirondacks had their own movie houses. Sadly most have made way for the multiplex. Some theatres have retained their original architecture so the movie is not always the only thing to observe. Take a moment and enjoy a small slice of history. Each theatre offers a unique experience that a larger cineplex may not. These theatres are independently owned and operated and can offer a less expensive ticket price. 

Lake Placid will celebrate it's annual Holiday Village Stroll December 9-11, 2011. There are many family-friendly activities from a FREE movie at the Palace Theatre to arts and crafts at the High Peaks Resort.  Friday, December 9, 2011 5:00-7:00 pm Artist Reception at the  Northwoods Inn 6:30-8:30 pm FREE  Holiday Skating Party at the Olympic Center with free skate rental. Featuring Santa, hot cocoa and a performance by regional skating clubs. Evening Hours Local restaurants & bars will feature live music, happy hour, great food, and much more!   Saturday, December 10, 2011 8:30 am Jingle Bell Charity Run -  Village Beach - Registration at 7:00 am To benefit the Adirondack Health Center Fit For Life program 10:00 am Local shops will have special promotions all day. 10:00-2:00 pm Harvest Market at the  LPCA 11:00-11:30 am FREE  Holiday Story Time at  Mirror Lake Inn 12:00-1:00 pm Santa arrives on a Fire Truck at Mid's Park (Located at the center of Main

Saranac Lake's 2nd annual Home For The Holidays is a weekend full of activities from marshmallow roasts, children's crafts, movies, Breakfast with Santa, snowman building contest and more. Enjoy this time to walk the streets of Saranac Lake, peek around and enjoy some family time!  

Young visitor at the wheel of Lois McClure ©Lake Champlain Maritime Museum By Diane Chase Part of the Farm, Forestry and Fishery Tour, the 88' wooden schooner Lois McClure and Urger tugboat will offer free tours from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 on October 15-16 at the Crown Point Pier. This tour has been raising awareness of the importance of "sustainable agriculture, responsbile foresty and clean, healthy waterways."

By Diane Chase* There are a lot of festivals that happen around this time of year, Harvest Fest, Oktoberfest and Pet Fests. What sets the North County Life Flight Pumpkin Fest apart is that this fundraiser benefits an organization that we all want to have available to us though we hope we will never require its services. This festival is a pay as you play type of event with plenty of activities for your money. It’s nicely set up in that you can choose what you or your children participate in. There are easy games of chance, pumpkin decorating, a hay ride and face painting. My favorite event is always the cake walk. Area restaurants and local chefs donate the cakes so you don’t have to worry about getting one of my lumpy cakes.  

I can't be the only one who just doesn't feel like cooking. A quick stop to Villa Vespa in Lake Placid puts all my worries behind me. Fresh homemade pasta, garlic bread and an amazing Eggplant Parmagiano is all I need. Of course there are plenty of other options at this Italian specialty store.   from fresh soups

FRIDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS' MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Elizabethtown - Behind the Adirondack History Center Museum.  Adirondack Farmers' Market    Fridays, June through October, 9 am-1 pm HERKIMER COUNTY Old Forge - Park Ave., behind the Old Forge Hardware Store Fridays, June - October  3-6 pm WARREN COUNTY Warrensburgh - Warrensburgh Mills historic district, River Street (NYS Rte. 418) near Curtis Lumber. Fridays, May through October  3 -6 pm Bolton Landing - Behind Town Hall Fridays: June - September 9 am - 2 pm 

FREE YOUNG  and FUN ARTS SERIES schedule At the Lake Placid Center for the Arts auditorium 10:30AM • FREE ADMISSION Seating is First-Come, First-Serve. Doors Open at 10:00 a.m. No General Reservations July 13 • Billy Goats Gruff Seagle Music Colony This charming intro to opera retells the classic fairy tale story. Adapted by John Davies and featuring music from operas by Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini. Appropriate for ages 5 and up. July 20 • Vermont Singer / Songwriter Jon Gailmor Songs to make people feel alive! Humans prenatal through prehistoric will enjoy a great blend of music from this multi-award winning Vermonter. Humor and audience involvement are integral parts of this fun show!

WEDNESDAY ADIRONDACK SUMMER FARMERS’ MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Lake Placid - outside of Green Goddess Natural Foods. Ausable Valley Grange Farmers Market Wednesdays, June through Sept. 10 am - 1 pm  FRANKLIN COUNTY Malone - Malone DuFort Airport, Route 11. adirondackfarmersmarket.com Wednesdays, June through Oct.  noon-4:30 SARATOGA COUNTY Saratoga - Wilton Mall, 3060 Rt 50    saratogafarmersmarket.org .  Wednesdays, May through October 3-6 pm  (Saturdays, May through October 9 am-1 pm) © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes & High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  

MONDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS’ MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Schroon Lake - Town Hall parking lot.  Mondays, June - September  9 am-1 pm WARREN COUNTY Queensbury - Elk's Lodge parking lot, 23 Cronin Rd.  Mondays, May - October 3-6 pm SARATOGA COUNTY   Clifton Park  - Shenendehowa Methodist Church Mondays, May - October 3-5 pm 

SUNDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS’ MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Keene - Marcy Airfield between Keene and Keene Valley on Route 73. adirondackfarmersmarket.com    Sundays, May through October  9:30 am-2 pm ©Diane Chase is the author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes & High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)