Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase Where’s Waldo? In Lake Placid celebrating his 25 th  birthday. Don’t bother looking for Waldo anywhere else but Lake Placid for the rest of July. He has taken over 20 businesses in celebration of the 55 million Waldo books in print. The Bookstore Plus was one of only 250 independent bookstores across the country that teamed with Candlewick Press to celebrate the popular “seek and find” books. We have been searching for Waldo up and down Main Street, Lake Placid for a few days. My daughter walks into one store and easily spots the 6” cardboard cutout of the familiar cartoon dressed in red and white stripes. Some shops hide the time-traveling, world-traveling children’s book character in plain site while other businesses make the search more of a family challenge.

By Diane Chase Don't just go up these Adirondack Mountain in the winter time during ski season. Enjoy a scenic view from the summit in the summer or fall.  Take a picnic, binoculars and even a light jacket. It can be a bit breezy on top.  McCauley Mountain Summer Rates:  Adults $6, Juniors (ages 6-16)/seniors (over 65) $5, Children age 5 & under free Hours:  Open Daily except Tuesdays 9am to 4:15pm (Closed Tuesdays except holiday weeks) Whiteface Mountai n June 15 – 24  |  Friday - Sunday June 29 – September 3  |  Daily  Closed Sunday July 22  for Ironman September 7 - October 14  |  Friday - Sunday  Monday, October 8 Hours: 9 am - 3:30 pm Summer Rates = Adults (13-64)/ $19, Juniors (7-12), Seniors (65+)/$13

By Diane Chase Last year Lake Clear’s Charlie’s Inn transformed into a bustling train depot of years’ past with a stagecoach, 1912 taxi and even hotelier Paul Smith greeting visitors. Well, he wasn’t the real Paul Smith. We were still able to gain quite a bit of knowledge regarding the importance of the Lake Clear Train Depot and the role it played for the Paul Smith’s Hotel. The event features live music, plenty of food, period games, and vendors. A special children’s activity to look forward to is the “Thomas the Train” race. Kids can paint small wooden train engines and later race against each other.  New this year is local storytellers sharing Lake Clear history for all to enjoy. There is a complete schedule of events at Charlie’s Inn,  www.charlies-inn.com .

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! 

By Diane Chase You don't have to eat the insects but after a day at The Wild Center , you may want to. Join David George Gordon as he demonstrates popular world cuisine at the annual BuzzFest July 4 in Tupper Lake.  (There will also be a honey BBQ at the family-themed bug bash!)  You can be a bug detective, have insect races, look at a butterfly hatchery, learn fly tying and see a bee hive. There are so much to do and learn about the insect around us. It will be bee-autiful. (I couldn't resist!) Insect Fun Facts:  Mosquitos drink more than its total body weight in a single sitting. Black flies inject a blood thinner while biting its meal to keep the blood from coagulating.  Learn more at The BuzzFest!

Lake George Theater Lab Shakes on the Lake is a fresh modern take on Shakespeare’s classic plays. Run by Daniel Spector from The Classical Studio at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Shakes on the Lake Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare Directed by Daniel Spector July 5 th  10:30 AM • July 6 th  10:30 AM, 7:30 PM • July 7 th,  7:30 PM FREE and OUTDOORS!! New Play Lab Stupid *ing Bird by Aaron Posner Directed by Howard Shalwitz with Woolly Mammoth Theater Company June 30 th ; 6 PM • Bolton Free Library Original Ghost Stories Written by the Youngblood Crew Directed by Rosemary Andress July 27th & 28th • The Sagamore

July 1 The Joe Bolton Band  July 4 Floyd Community Instrumental Ensemble  (Fireworks)  July 8 Easy Money (Big Band Jazz)  July 15 Soul Injection (Light Jazz)  July 22 Al Nathan Band  July 29 Johnson & Company  August 5 Joe Angerosa “The Elvis Show”  August 12 Horseshoe Lounge Playboys (Acoustic Backwoods Americana)  August 19 Gwen Tracy Band  August 26 Al Nathan Band   September 2 Paul Case Band & Fireworks  Sundays at 7:00 p.m. Rain location—Hiltebrant Recreation Center Pavilion On North Street (except 7/1 & 7/29)  ©  Diane Chase is the author of Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series  Adirondack Family Time™ available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores.