44th Empire State Winter Games Opening Ceremony Feb. 1 in Lake Placid’s Olympic Center
44th Empire State Winter Games Opening Ceremony Titled “Then and Now”
44th Empire State Winter Games Expected to Draw 2,500 Winter Athletes to Compete in More than 20 Sports Throughout the North Country
Registration Still Open to Participate in the 44th Empire State Winter Games
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The 44th Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) Torch Relay kicks off Sunday, Jan. 28, from two starting points, Buffalo, N.Y. and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., as the beginning of its five-day journey that culminates in Lake Placid for the Opening Ceremony of the Feb. 1-4, 2024 Games.
With title sponsor Community Bank, N.A., along with supporting sponsors Zappone Motors, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, Stewart’s Foundation and Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, the torch relay will be welcomed by dozens of communities along the two routes that will merge in Lake Placid.
The torch relay kicks off Jan. 28 in Poughkeepsie at the McCann Ice Arena and the Buffalo area’s Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Ellicottville.
Along with visits to sponsor Community Bank locations, the torch relay is expected to involve up to 30 communities, schools, sports clubs, mascots, arenas and other venues as the ESWG flame winds its way east and north. In connecting three corners of New York state, the relay symbolizes a unifying spirit, inspiration and resilience as the ESWG celebrates the power of sport and community.
Among the stops: From the West – Holiday Valley Ski Resort, Williamsville and the Northtown Skating Center on Jan. 28; the Gowanda School District and Community Bank, Jan. 29; Orchard Park and Gowanda Community Bank locations, and the Lockport’s Cornerstone Arena, Jan. 29; Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium, Waterloo Community Bank and Bristol Mountain, in Canandaigua, Jan. 30; Cortland’s J.M. McDonald Sports Complex, the Cazenovia Community Bank, and the Oneida Community Bank, Jan. 31; and the Community Bank branches in Canton, Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, Feb. 1.
From the South – Poughkeepsie’s McCann Ice Arena and Newburg’s Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Ice Time Complex, Jan. 28; New York City’s Wollman Rink, Jan. 29; Valatie’ Community Bank and the Kiwana’s’ Ice Rink in Saugerties, Jan. 30; Latham’s Casella’s Waste Management, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York office and Phillips Hardware, in Altamont, Jan. 31; Zappone Motors, in Granville and the Community Bank branches in Ticonderoga and Lake Placid, Feb. 1.
At some stops, the torch will be feted with parades and by local athletes and teams, dignitaries and special ceremonies.
The ESWG, the largest amateur, Olympic-style, winter multi-sport event in the northeast is expected to draw around 2,500 athletes competing in more than 20 events. In addition to Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Paul Smiths, and Wilmington will host events during the 44th annual Empire State Winter Games.
The Games kick off on Thursday, Feb. 1, with an Opening Ceremony, which returns to Lake Placid’s Olympic Center and the Herb Brooks Arena, at 6:30 p.m. For the past two winters athletes, officials, volunteers, family, friends and spectators have gathered on the frozen ice of Mirror Lake to celebrate the Games’ opening event.
The theme for this year’s ESWG event is “Then and Now.” The event aims to celebrate the 43-year history of ESWG and recognize the commitment and dedication of the participating athletes over the years. The ceremony will highlight new sports and athletes in a setting that includes throwback imagery, uniforms and video content of athlete check-in, and in the athlete’s village.
Registration remains open and athletes can visit www.empirestatewintergames.com/sports/ to register.
For more information about the Empire State Winter Games, go to https://empirestatewintergames.com/.
Fans and athletes can also follow on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, using @ESWGames and #ESWGames.
Photos from the 43rd Empire State Winter Games are available HERE.
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About the Adirondack Sports Council
The Adirondack Sports Council is a not-for-profit organization established in New York’s Olympic region that combines decades of sport event management leadership, sustainability expertise, and creative engagement strategies to deliver impactful world-class experiences to communities and organizations across New York State and beyond.
The ADKSC cultivates strong partnerships with event stakeholders, participants, and communities by actively engaging in meaningful dialogue and aligning with their unique needs. This approach enables us to craft genuine, economically beneficial, and socially impactful experiences that resonate with the values and aspirations of all involved.
About the Empire State Winter Games
Founded in 1980, the Empire State Winter Games are a multi-day winter athletic competition headquartered in Lake Placid, NY. Amateur athletes of all ages and from all over the Northeast and Canada compete in more than 30 winter sports competitions over three days every February. The Empire State Winter Games are a community-driven event, courtesy of a partnership between the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST); the towns of North Elba, Wilmington, Tupper Lake, Harrietstown and Brighton; the villages of Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Paul Smiths, Wilmington, and Saranac Lake; the counties of Essex and Franklin; the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). Connect with the Games on www.EmpireStateWinterGames.com, Facebook.com/ESWGames, and Instagram.com/ESWGames.