September in Lake Placid brings some cool late summer/early fall events to the mountains. Check out our complete calendar for all of the 80+ events taking place in September. Here are some of our favorites.
44th Annual Lake Placid Classic
It's hard to imagine it's been 44 years since Dr. Bob Lopez (a local veterinarian) started this annual running event in Lake Placid. Long distance running was in its early stages of popularity when Bob decided to introduce Lake Placid to the sport as an event. Needless to say, it was a success! Not surprisingly, Lopez was subsequently chosen as Lake Placid's representative in the Torch Relay for the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. A total of only 52 runners were picked for the team - 26 men and 26 women, representing all 50 states plus Lake Placid and the District of Columbia. It was an incredible honor to be selected out of the thousands of applicants from around the United States.
Now in it's 44th year, the Half Marathon has undergone some changes along the way - the route, moving the date from June to September recently, and the name change this year to "Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon." Don't be confused, it's still the same race! Each year the race proceeds go to a local charity, with this year's being Connecting Youth and Communities, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help keep our local kids healthy in mind, body and spirit. The route takes runners through Lake Placid's Main Street, around Mirror Lake, out Route 73 past the ski jumps and onto River Road and then back River Road to the Lake Placid Horse Show Grounds. After the race, participants can enjoy food, music and lots of camaraderie. It's both fun to watch and participate in.
Get outside with ADK
Fall in the Adirondacks is a perfect time to get outside and that's precisely why the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) holds its Fall Outing. This year's event falls on the weekend of September 19 - 21 and will be based out of the Keene Valley area, with outing headquarters at the Keene Valley Fire Dept. The reason for the location? ADK wants to return to the communities so severely affected by 2011's Hurricane Irene as well as highlight everything these communities have to offer.
Many of the best hikes and walks in the Adirondacks have trailheads (a trailhead is a starting point) in these communities as well. Between Friday and Sunday, 52 different outings are offered, from very easy to very strenuous. There's something for everyone and great variety from long hikes to paddles and shorter tours. Out of the 50+ outings, I counted 21 in the EASY category, so don't be intimidated!
All the weekend's events are open to the general public and you can sign up online. In addition to the outings, when signing up you can include boxed lunches, a pancake breakfast at the Keene Fire Hall, a Saturday night concert at Keene Central School and a Spaghetti Dinner at the Keene Valley Fire Dept. Everything you wish to participate in can be packaged and paid for with one stop shopping on ADK's registration site.
ADK's Fall Outing Weekend is a great way to introduce yourself to some terrific hikes and activities and perhaps come to the conclusion that you should become a member of this historic and very active organization...or not. You don't have to join or be a member to participate. Let us know if you do participate and what you did!
RAGNAR'S COMING!
What is Ragnar? You and 11 crazy friends pile into two vans and tag team run about 200 miles, day and night, relay-style. Only one runner hits the road at a time. Each participant runs three times, with each leg ranging between 3-8 miles and varying in difficulty. So, from the elite runner down to the novice jogger, it's the perfect race for anyone. Ragnar Relay hits New York State and the Adirondacks September 26th and 27th, beginning in Saratoga Springs and ending in Lake Placid on the 27th. I know several folks who've participated and they say it's both a blast and a grueling event. Runners tag team sleeping and running through the night.
Ragnar sponsors also leave a lasting impression on the communities they touch. The Adirondack Mountain Club is one of the charities they support, so there's a great charitable reason to participate as well. The course starts in Saratoga Spa State Park and skirts the Hudson River, goes through Lake George, up the west side of Lake Champlain and finishes in Lake Placid. Catch the runners on any of the roads they run through and cheer them on by checking out a map of the course.
A RARE ARTIST STUDIO OPPORTUNITY
If you are an aspiring artist, an art collector, or just someone who likes art, you won't want to miss the Artist at Work Studio Tour on September 27th and 28th. Encompassing a huge chunk of the Saranac Lake, High Peaks, and Whiteface Regions, the tour will offer the public a rare opportunity to visit our local Adirondack artists at work in their own studios and purchase their pieces. My husband and I participated in the tour a couple of years ago and visited several artists in the area. It was fascinating to see their studios, chat with them and look at some of their finished and unfinished works. The artists are very enthusiastic and love talking about their work. Many are willing to share tips and techniques as well.
There is a map you can download which shows the locations of all the artist studios. Check that out and also look at the schedule as some of the artists are not available every day of the tour. You can find a list of the participating artists with addresses at the Saranac Lake Artworks website.
Plan ahead into October and visit for the Whiteface Mountain Oktoberfest, the 3rd Annual Lake Placid Brewfest and the Essex County Cheese Tour. You can make reservations in advance, so don't waste a minute planning your next getaway to Lake Placid.