By Marge Glowa
SARNAC LAKE, NY – The Adirondack Carousel will hold a Grand Opening on Saturday, May 26 from 1 pm to 8 pm at its permanent location in the William Morris Park in Saranac Lake. The unique carousel is populated by animals native to upstate New York. All of the carousel animals were carved and painted by talented volunteers artists who you can meet at the opening.
Photos of the volunteer carved carousel figures being loaded onto the machine in mid-May. Photos courtesy of Jack Barette. (Jack carved the Loon).
There will be free rides all day Saturday sponsored by the Stewarts Shops. The festivities will also include children’s activities, fun foods and refreshments, and a special drawing (at 4 pm) for four round-trip Cape Air tickets.
In addition to Saturday's Grand Opening, the carousel will also be be open for rides on Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm and on Memorial Day, May 28, from 11 am to 6 pm, with free rides for Veterans on Memorial Monday.
The celebration for the long awaited Tri-Lakes attraction, designed to fuse entertainment with art and education, will kick off at 1 pm on Saturday with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony. Participating in the dedication will be Senator Betty Little, Congressman Owens, Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, Saranac Lake Mayor Clyde Rabideau, a member of the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce Board, the carousel’s recently appointed Executive Director Paula Hameline, and 15 children from three nearby elementary schools selected by their principals for the honor.
The children will also be among the first groups to ride the carousel. Also honored among the first riders will be the carvers and artists who generously donated all the beautifully crafted Adirondack carousel wildlife figures, as well as the outer rounding boards, painted with historical scenes, and medallions featuring wildlife flowers.
“It’s been a long time in the making and we’re beyond excited to celebrate the Adirondack Carousel’s debut in the Tri Lakes region”, notes chair of the Board, Marge Glowa. “It’s truly remarkable what a small group of dedicated volunteers has been able to accomplish for their community.”
Riders can choose from 16 moving wildlife figures that include a Big Mouthed Bass, Bobcat, Black Fly and Loon; the two current “standers” (“Paws” the Bear and “Bubbles” the Great Blue Heron), and the all-accessible Chris-Craft style chariot. Ride tokens are $2 each with discounted prices of $5 for three tokens and $10 for seven tokens.
After this Grand Opening Memorial Day weekend, the Adirondack Carousel will be open on Saturdays from 11 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm until late June. At the end of June, the carousel will expands operations for the summer to six days a week (Wednesday through Monday) from 11 am to 8 pm. The carousel will be closed on Tuesdays. Fall and winter hours will be announced later this year.
The 3,500 sq. ft. carousel building will be available to be rented for birthday parties and other special events. As part of its mission to help promote the Adirondacks, the carousel’s non-profit organization also plans to offer educational workshops, art events, and other Adirondack-themed activities for people of all ages.
For more information on the carousel and more upcoming events, visit adirondackcarousel.org, or friend the Adirondack Carousel on Facebook, or call (518) 891-9521.