Grafton Lakes State Park and the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park will host the 24th Annual Winter Festival on Saturday, January 24, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Winter Fest will feature winter exhibits, vendors and recreational programs
An ice fishing tournament, sponsored by Trout Unlimited, will begin at 5 am on all the ponds in the Park. The tournament will run until 3 pm and participants must register at the Park’s maintenance shop by 11 am. An entry fee is required to participate in the fishing tournament, but the Winter Festival itself remains free of charge.
The Winter Festival will feature environmental and recreational workshops and outings, including snow sculpture and snowball-throwing contests for the kids, horse-drawn sleigh rides and a live animal exhibit
. There will be snowshoe and cross-country ski outings on a variety of themes such as winter tree identification and animal tracks. Snowshoes and cross-country ski rentals will be available at our main Beach area at the Eastern Mountain Sports Display from 10 am to 2 pm.
Visitors may ice skate at Long Pond and rent snowshoes from the Park Office throughout the winter. Snowshoe rental rates are $10 per day, and group rates are available.
For more information about the Winter Festival, please call the Park at 518-279-1155. For additional information about New York State parks, please visit our website at www.nysparks.com.