January in the Adirondacks is one our most exciting months for events. From World Cup skiing to Saturday film series, there's much to do in Lake Placid this month!

Bobsled & Skeleton thrills

Starting off with fast-paced sliding sports at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, don't miss the action of North Amerian Cup Bobsled and Skeleton taking place through January 10th. The world's second-seeded sliding competitors take on the world's best sliding track this week. These are the up and coming future stars of sliding. Don't miss it.

Fun ice competition

2014 ISI (Ice Skating Institute) Figure Skating Championship takes center stage at the Olympic Arenas this week, January 11 and 12. ISI competition is the recreational side of figure skating. To see some of the fun elements of skating competition, drop in on one of the events during the two days they'll be skating on the ice in Lake Placid.

Winterfest!

A first time event marks the calendar on January 11 this year. The Adirondack Mountian Club presents its National Winter Trails Day celebration, Winterfest. With a full day of outdoor activities planned for the entire family, most all of these activities are totally FREE! A couple of back country guided hikes have a very modest participation fee, but the rest is free. Kids activities abound, such as Kids' Camp, filled with fun activities including a snow shelter (conditions permitting). Skating on Heart Lake, telemark, snowshoe and XC ski clinics for beginners to advanced and a host of other events round out the day. Local outfitters will be on hand with FREE demo equipment to try out if you don't have your own or want to try something new. Live entertainment with Annie in the Water, a high energy, acoustic jam group will entertain you from 4 - 8 pm. Dinner at Adirondack Loj is also offered (this one's not free, though).  I truly hope this event turns out to be the first of many annual Winterfests to come! See you there!

Art & Culture

In addition to our sporting events and outdoor field days, the arts continue to be a big thing on our calendar. Lake Placid Center for the Arts offers music, gallery exhibits and openings this month, so check those listing on our full calendar as well. Also on tap at LPCA is the Banff Mountain Film Festival, an annual collection of films by and about passionate outdoor adventurers.

Olympic memorabilia

On January 17, stop by the High Peaks Resort for what should prove to be a fun and fascinating look back at Lake Placid's Olympic heritage. Winter Games Memories and Memorabilia is a call out to all winter games fans and collectors or lovers of memorabilia. Dig in your closets for those artifacts that are Olympic-related and bring them down for some storytelling and appraising by Olympic collecting experts. Or just bring yourself. Storytelling, games, fun and photo opps for kids as well as museum curators and committee planners from the 1980 Games will be on hand.  A highlight will be a rare public screening of a promotional film for the l980 Winter Games in Lake Placid.  Dig out and dust off and I hope to see you there from 5:30 - 9:30 on Friday, January 17th.

Citizens unite to ski!

Update as of January 17: Loppet Postponed until March 8.

January wouldn't be complete in Lake Placid without the 31st Annual Lake Placid Loppet and Kort Loppet. Taking place on Mt. Van Hoevenberg's legendary Olympic cross country trails on the now post-poned from January date of March 8th, the 50K (just over 30 miles) Loppet is a grueling winter skiing marathon for the well-trained and hardy skiers. This race annually draws hundreds to this premier citizen race. The shorter 25K Kort Loppet is also a highlight of the day. Come out and watch the mass start at 9 a.m. on race day.

Exciting high school hockey

Sporting events wouldn't be complete without hockey. Northwood School will host its 35th Annual Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament on January 17 - 19th. With 40 teams competing from all over the country, the tournament will feature 24 boys teams and 16 girls teams this year. This tournament traditionally  boasts some of the best high school hockey in the country and is not to be missed if you're a hockey fan. Stop in the arena during the weekend and take in a game or two. Also, don't miss the pond hockey tournament on Mirror Lake Saturday morning, which is a part of this overall event. The pond hockey makes for some great photos!

Much, much more

With such a full calendar, I can't begin to cover every event taking place this month, but definitely drop by our full events calendar for the complete list of events in Lake Placid and January. I hope to see you out and about at many of these fun winter events that help to make Lake Placid famous for outdoor recreation, arts and of course, our terrific heritage of playing in the snow for over one hundred years!