Early end to major LG winter initiatives: ‘Winter Realms’ & ‘Winter’s Dream’ to close early

By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor

Two major new Lake George winter initiatives will both close early.

Winter Realms at Festival Commons posted on Facebook that its final day will be Sunday, Feb. 25. The attraction — successor to Ice Castles — was planned to continue into early March.

Winter Realms received a $150,000 grant from Warren County Occupancy Tax funds this year.

Ice Castles/Winter Realms officials did not respond to multiple Chronicle requests for comment.

Winter’s Dream will operate six more nights — Feb. 22 through Feb. 25, and Saturdays, March 2 and 9.

When Winter’s Dream opened in December, it planned to run through March 31 and be open every day but Tuesdays.

The Winter Coalition received $3 million in seed money from Warren County Occupancy Tax.

The Coalition has said it still plans to pay back the $3-million as promised over the attraction’s planned five-year run.

“We gave our word, and we would never go back on our word to give it back,” Winter Coalition chair Sam Luciano previously told The Chronicle.

Mr. Luciano told The Chronicle Tuesday that they were considering opening for an additional Saturday, March 16, during the State High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, but a Wednesday press release said it will close on March 9.

Winter’s Dream said it will host a community appreciation day on March 9.

Christian Dutcher, the Americade organizer who is running Winter’s Dream for the Coalition, said, “Our two biggest nights were last weekend,” with 1,000 visitors each on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17 and 18.

He said on Tuesday, they’ll know more about how the event fared after this vacation week. And, he said, “We are already planning for next year’s opening dates and other specials for next year.”

Coalition members previously told The Chronicle the attraction experienced far lower attendance than predicted, largely due to weather, the they said.

Mr. Dutcher repeated on Tuesday, “The attraction is weather-resistant but customers aren’t,” adding that for those who attend, “we have stellar reviews.”

Moment Factory of Montreal created the walk-through light-and-sound “experience” at the Fort William Henry.