Register to Win an Opportunity for Your Family to Visit Lake Placid and the 46th Annual Empire State Winter Games
46TH Annual Empire State Winter Games Scheduled for February 5-8, 2026
46th Annual Empire State Winter Games Theme, “Where Chill Meets Will”
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. – The 46th Annual Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) Torch Tour is set to ignite excitement across New York State as it kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 27, with a lively parade through downtown Saugerties. Beginning at 5:15 p.m., the torch procession will step off from Washington Ave., travel along Main St., continue down Market St., and loop back toward the Kiwanis Ice Arena, uniting athletes, families, and community members in celebration of the Games’ official countdown.
This stop is the first of 13 across New York State, carrying the flame west to Syracuse and Buffalo before it turns northeast toward its final destination in Lake Placid. The journey concludes on Thursday, Feb. 5, when it arrives at the Olympic Center just in time for the 7 p.m. Opening Ceremony.
With title sponsor Community Bank, along with supporting sponsors Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, Della Auto Group, Stewart Shops, Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, and Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, the nine-day long torch tour, accompanied by Adirondack Mac, the Games’ official mascot, will make visits to Community Bank branches, local skating clubs, area schools, clubs, and other local businesses before arriving to Lake Placid where it will light the ESWG Cauldron, officially kicking off the four-day multi- sports event and festival.
At each stop on the Torch Tour, the Games’ iconic LED flame and Adirondack Mac will be joined by past and current Empire State Winter Games athletes, local dignitaries, representatives from sponsoring organizations, and athletes and mascots from area teams and clubs, creating an unforgettable community celebration.
Also, at each Community Bank torch tour stop, visitors can register to win a Lake Placid Adventure Giveaway. The unforgettable Adirondack experience includes a two-night getaway to Lake Placid, complete with dinner, and four Lake Placid Legacy Site Passports, which include all-access tickets to the iconic Olympic venues, and more.
The 46th annual ESWG is the largest and longest-running amateur winter multi-sport event in the United States. This winter’s event is expected to attract winter athletes from ages eight to 80 who will compete in more than 20 winter sports, including curling, Alpine skiing, sliding sports, figure skating, sled hockey, winter biking, and more. In addition to Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Malone, Utica, and Wilmington will also host events.
The Games officially kick off on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., when more than 2,500 athletes participate in Opening Ceremony being held in the Olympic Center’s Herb Brooks Arena. This year’s ESWG event theme is “Where Chill Meets Will.” This powerful message embodies the determination, resilience, and spirit that define winter athletes, while also capturing the unique blend of challenge and celebration that makes the Games a premier multi-sport winter festival. The theme will be woven throughout the four-day event, uniting competitors, spectators, and the community in honoring the grit and passion that drive winter sports.
2026 Empire State Winter Games Torch Tour stops also include: Community Bank, 109 South Warren St., Syracuse, Jan. 29; Community Bank, 1091 Main St., Buffalo, Gowanda Elementary School, 450 Aldrich St., Gowanda, and Buffalo Skating Club, Cornerstone Arena, 1 Grigg Lewis Way, Lockport, Jan. 30; Community Bank, 3330 Monroe Ave., Pittsford, Jan. 31; Utica Curling Club, 8300 Clark Mills Rd., Feb. 1; Community Bank, 420 Balltown Rd., Schenectady, Feb. 2; McNulty Academy, 60 Brandt Place, Amsterdam, Feb. 3; Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, 40 Century Hill Dr., Latam, Feb. 4; and Community Bank Branches in Tupper Lake, 75 Park St., Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, 46 Broadway, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid, 2166 Saranac Ave., Feb. 5.
Fans can follow the torch tour by visiting https://empirestatewintergames.com/games/torch-tour/.
For more information about the 46th Annual Empire State Winter Games, go to https://empirestatewintergames.com/.
Fans and athletes can also follow on Facebook, Instagram, and X, using @ESWGames and #ESWGames.