By Paul Post
There was a major concern after last year’s mild, rainy winter that Ice Castles wouldn’t return to Lake George.
In 2022, the frosty attraction had drawn tens of thousands of visitors, helping boost year-round tourism.
In February, shortly before retiring, former Mayor Bob Blais called together a meeting of local business leaders with a goal of finding a new way to bring people to Lake George during the cold-weather months. They formed a new group called Warren County Coalition.
The result of their efforts is Winter’s Dream, an outdoor multi-sensory experience at Fort William Henry museum that helps people enjoy the beauty of winter in a colorful new way with lights, sound, music and video projection.
“There are several words you can use to describe Winter’s Dream. Mystical, immersive, beautiful, thought-provoking, but as you’ll soon see Winter’s Dream is nothing short of magical,” said Mayor Ray Perry, Blais’s successor. “This will forever change the way people think of Lake George as well as the way they think of winter. Adults and children alike, when they think of winter, they’ll think of Lake George.”
Winter’s Dream is one of two large attractions officials are counting on to bring visitors to the region. The other is Winter Realms at Charles R. Wood Park Festival Commons, created by the same company that brought Ice Castles to Lake George. Its primary features are a 90-foot by 60-foot outdoor skating rink, an illuminated 60-foot-tall Christmas tree, Mystic Light Walk, huge ice carvings by world-champion sculptors, a fairy village, 90 live locally-sourced Christmas trees, a 15-foot snowman and hundreds of thousands of colorful lights. Additional ice sculptures will be created throughout the season.
Both attractions expect to remain open through March.
Winter’s Dream, at Fort William Henry, is comprised of five separate installations — one in each of the structure’s four second-story bastions and one in the ground-floor parade ground.
Full Moons is an array of huge pole-mounted globes surrounded by colorful, rising steam. Frozen Lakes features hundreds of tiny lights with sound effects that replicate the “music” made by shifting ice.
At Winter Woods, guests are invited to wander through tall lights resembling a sparkling forest of luminous trees. First Snow’s hundreds of laser lights recreate a light snowfall, with gently falling flakes people are invited to capture.
Cabin of Dreams, illuminated by a swirling snowstorm, is an interactive display. Kids and adults alike take turns tossing “balls of yarn” (plastic balls) at the structure. With each hit, a large colorful quilt suddenly appears on cabin walls.
Winter’s Dream is a self-guided, walking experience so visitors may take their time to fully enjoy each part of it.
The attraction was created by Montreal-based Moment Factory, which since 2001 has masterminded more than 500 unique projects around the world with clients such as the NBA, Disney, Universal Studios, rock stars and major international airports.
“Our mission is to bring people together,” said Christian L’Heureux, the firm’s general manager of signature experiences. “We are thrilled to be here.” Behan Communications President Mark Behan welcomed more than 200 people to a Dec. 7 sneak preview party of the attraction, which opened the next night. Warren County has supported the project with $3 million in occupancy tax funds.
Winter’s Dream is expected to have a five-year run at Fort William Henry.
“Lake George as a community is taking the unprecedented step of establishing a true, year-round tourism season, becoming a major destination at all times of the year,” Behan said. “This is a long-sought goal. Mark this date down. You were here at the beginning for Tourism 365.”
Holiday Inn owner and Coalition President Vincent Crocitto II said, “We are thrilled to bring people together to experience the enchantment and fun of a Lake George winter. The excitement is palpable as ticket sales continue throughout the Northeast and even spanning continents. There was a ticket sale all the way from Africa.”
Winter’s Dream and Winter Realms complement many other activities the area has to offer such as Lake George Winter Carnival, held each weekend in February, in addition to several hotel ice bars, a wide variety of restaurants and recreational opportunities such as skiing, hiking, ice fishing and snowmobiling. Winter’s Dream is open six days per week (closed Tuesday) through March 31. Opening times will vary throughout the season based on changing sunset times. It will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day and Jan. 2, 2024.
For tickets, which can only be purchased online, and further information go to: www.lakegeorge.wintersdream.com.
Winter Realms is scheduled to be open from 4-10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday (closed Monday to Wednesday) through March 3. However, it will be open daily from 4-10 p.m. from Dec. 14 to Jan. 1; Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15); and winter school break (Feb. 19-23). For tickets and information go to: www.winterrealms.com.