You鈥檙e a lot like me. I enjoy sipping a Mai Tai at the beach as much as the next guy, but in winter I prefer to take advantage of the cold weather. These are my favorite celebrations of the season.
Saranac Lake, New York
When you live in the woodsy hinterlands of New York鈥檚 Adirondacks, you look for any creative way to get outside and have some fun during the frigid winters there鈥攁nd it鈥檚 plenty frigid in , which records the lowest temperature in the Lower 48 on an average of 13 days a year. The winter carnival in this former logging town just up the road from Lake Placid began in 1897, and it’s now a weeklong affair, beginning this year on February 2. The highlight is the massive Ice Palace, made from ice bricks cut from Lake Flower and lit at night. There鈥檚 also curling, skiing, a parade, a four-mile fun run, a downhill inner-tube race, and the coronation of an ice king and queen.
Quebec City, Canada
The world鈥檚 largest winter carnival takes place starting the last weekend in January every year in the snowy wonderland of and lasts through the second week of February. Events, official and unofficial, take place throughout the European-styled city but are centered in the public park called the Plains of Abraham, where there are sleigh rides, snow sculptures, snow slides, sled runs, dogsled rides, cross-country ski trails, and a kids outdoor play village. Not to be missed is the annual ice canoe race on the impossibly chilly, fast-moving St. Lawrence River. This year鈥檚 carnival runs from January 27 to February 13.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Established in 1886 to prove to the rest of the country that St. Paul wasn鈥檛 just some frozen hick town, has grown to become a Midwestern institution. Taking place January 26 to February 5, the main events include a half-marathon, sled dog race, a torchlight parade, and a medallion treasure hunt with a $10,000 prize.
Durango, Colorado
, Durango鈥檚 annual February party, is proof positive that the long Rocky Mountain winter isn鈥檛 very kind to the psyche of the town鈥檚 stir crazy locals. It takes the mind of a very creative shut-in to think up events like the Polar beer plunge (picture an outdoor pool of beer), beard growing competition, burp-off championship, donut eat-off, kayak pool slalom contest, ski softball game, arm wrestling competition, winter triathlon (the events are skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snow tubing), and the contest to see who can stuff the most people into an outhouse at one time. Put all that together, and Snowdown may be the only winter carnival in the country that scares more people away from a town than it attracts. And that鈥檚 why you shouldn鈥檛 miss it. This year’s carnival runs February 1 to 5.