Volunteers from the Ice Palace Workers 101 (IPW 101) began to harvest ice from Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay on Monday, Jan. 22, and the palace walls began to rise. Then warmer weather and rain threatened the structure in the middle of the week, forcing a day off for IPW 101 volunteers on Friday. The day before, they threw blue tarps over the sections they had finished to preserve them in the rain. On Saturday, they got back to work in what some called “challenging” conditions. Nighttime temperatures are expected to drop through the week.

The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival begins on Friday, Feb. 2 with the coronation of royalty, sponsored by the Women’s Civic Chamber, at the Harrietstown Town Hall, starting at 7:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “Creepy Carnival.” The 10-day festival runs through Sunday, Feb. 11.

For more information, visit saranaclakewintercarnival.com.