Sugar shacks, breweries, and restaurants celebrate maple syrup season March, 2019 Adirondacks, USA - The cold nights and warming days of March trigger sap flows and maple sugaring season throughout the Adirondacks. That means it’s time to celebrate spring’s sweetest by-product, maple syrup, with local maple-infused cuisine, sugar house tours, workshops and samples of freshly made syrup as restaurants and breweries cook and brew with maple syrup. With New York holding the title of the second largest producer of maple syrup in the United States — and the Adirondacks accounting for nearly one-third of the state's production — there are plenty of sugar houses and restaurants to visit, especially during the two designated New York Maple Weekends, March 23-24 and 30-31. Below is a sampling of events occurring in March in the Adirondacks: - Stop by Friend’s Maple Farm in Burke during the Maple Weekends and enjoy a free wagon ride through their sugarbush to see where the sap is collected. Take a look inside the sugarhouse and learn about the process of converting sap to maple syrup. Friend’s offers a variety of maple products including candies, coated nuts, cotton candy, syrup and maple cream. - The Wild Center in Tupper Lake is hosting several maple themed programs and crafts, sugar shack tours, maple specials and pancakes at the Waterside Cafe, and a taste of freshly made syrup right out of the pan. - Titus Mountain Family Ski Center is combining two events for its Maple Fest and Vintage Snowmobile Show, including maple margaritas, pancakes and restaurant specials, sugar on snow and maple cotton candy, all made with syrup from their own sugarbush. While you’re there, stop by the second annual Vintage Snowmobile Show on March 24. - In the Lake Placid region, Black Rooster Maple will open its doors to their newly built sugar house and give samples of maple cream and bourbon-barrel-aged syrup. The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery is brewing its signature UBU Ale with maple syrup! - Speculator is hosting a MapleFest with sugar shack tours, pancake breakfasts, Irish road bowling and a pond skimming contest at Oak Mountain, followed by live music. - A list of all sugar shacks in the area participating in the Maple Weekends can be found here. http://www.nysmaple.com/nys-maple-weekend/. ###

Contact: Carrie Gentile, communications coordinatorRegional Office of Sustainable Tourismdirect: 518.621.3665 or 518.523.2445 ext. 123 TITUS MOUNTAIN IN UPSTATE NY NAMED #2 BEST OVERALL RESORT IN NORTH AMERICAMalone, NY, Adirondacks, USA - Titus Mountain Family Ski Center debuts as the #2 best overall resort in North America in Liftopia’s 2018/19 Best in Snow awards announced today. It also earned the #1 resort for beginners in North America, the #2 most family-friendly resort and #3 best value resort in North America. These accolades are preceded by Titus’s earning the top family-friendly ski area in North America in last season’s Best in Snow awards.Overall, Titus Mountain made the top three in 11 national and regional (Northeast) categories. Voters consistently applaud its “great grooming” and note there are “always chairs available,” with a “perfect slope for beginners” and an “over-the-top family friendly” atmosphere.The Best in Snow awards by Liftopia, the largest online market for lift tickets and mountain activities, is based on the feedback from thousands of skiers and snowboarders. It takes into account more than just the number of votes, but also the number of votes in relation to the size of the resort and visitors. This levels the playing field between large and small resorts and uncovers the true top ski areas across North America, based on what matters most to consumers."We are always striving to keep our customers happy by offering affordable skiing, family and beginner friendly amenities, and top-notch snow conditions" said Bruce Monette, co-owner of Titus Mountain Family Ski Center."The 2,025-foot summit mountain is home to 50 trails and glades over three inter-connected mountains accessed by 10 lifts, as well as a two lane tubing hill. Located in Malone, NY, it is just an hour south of Montreal, two hours from Ottawa, three hours from Albany, and about 5 1/2 hours from the New York City metro area.As the name implies, Titus is big on being beginner and family friendly.“We make skiing with kids easier by offering plenty of easily-accessible beginner and intermediate terrain, an advantageous resort layout with short distances from the parking lot to the slopes, and ski-in and ski-out lodging,” said Monette.Through its unique “4-1-1” program, thousands of area students have learned to ski for free at Titus Mountain. Participating fourth graders in Titus’s "Intro to Ski" school program receive a free season pass and access to rentals for the rest of the season. The students also receive a voucher for one lift ticket and rental for a parent or guardian to use so they can show them what they learned.And at Titus, newbies don't have to worry about getting on the wrong lift because all of them access easy trails. There are also three terrain parks, one of which is considered forever wild and never gets groomed. The "Best Kept Secret" program allows their ski school to create programs centered around skiers' needs, rather than making them fit their needs into a pre-made program.Titus offers a multi-lane tubing park with a ride back to the top via a chairlift. Both the tubing area and ski trails are open days and evenings. Titus also has some built-in advantages, such as easy commutes from major cities with little or no traffic and short lift lines.Best in Snow Awards MethodologyMethodology: Liftopia has the largest ski activity marketing and distribution platform with a comprehensive and unbiased overview of the ski industry. To compile the 2019 Best In Snow Awards, Powered by Liftopia, some 8,000 consumers were surveyed to measure their enthusiasm on specific aspects of their favorite resorts such as challenging terrain, crowds, family friendliness, snow consistency and overall quality. Respondents took into consideration criteria such as snow quality and conditions, grooming, accessibility, terrain variety and difficulty, vertical drop, learn to ski and snowboard programs, staff and instructors, resort size, crowds and lift lines, accessibility of lifts and beginner terrain, off-slope activities, the surrounding community, and cost of lift tickets, rentals and programs, among others. The responses were weighted with a proprietary algorithm based on Liftopia’s exclusive dataset that includes skier and snowboarder visits annually, acreage, uphill capacity and average true cost of skiing, to surface the best ski areas overall and across seven categories and five regions. Given all factors and categories, final results were calculated based on what matters most to skiers and snowboarders.###

For Immediate Release March, 2019 ADIRONDACKS, USA - Golf courses and hotels in the Adirondacks, located just across the U.S. border in northern New York, have partnered to offer Canadian at par golf-and-stay packages. Golfers can save 25 percent on hotels and greens fees. Packages begin at $170 for one night’s lodging and two days of golf. Malone West Golf Course The promotion is aimed at Quebec and Ontario golfers, many of whom already enjoy these classically-designed courses and spectacular scenery, but will welcome the added savings by paying Canadian at par rates. The dollar-for-dollar deal includes 72 challenging holes at four picturesque courses, paired with select lodging that offers plenty of amenities. Drive time between the courses and Ottawa or Montreal is two to three hours. Golf and stay packages are valid through the fall and can be booked at GolfAtPar.com. They include one- or two-night accommodations, two or three days of unlimited golf, and guaranteed tee times when booked a week ahead. Golf bags will be stored for free at the clubs, and the cart is free for the first round each day. Participating courses include the beautifully manicured 36-hole Malone Golf Club, designed by golf architect Robert Trent Jones. The club was awarded 4.5 stars by Golf Digest and received the "Good Service" seal for both the East and West courses. Malone Golf Club Not-to-be-missed courses featured in the promotion include the Saranac Golf Club, an 18 hole, par 70 course designed by Seymour Dunn in classic Scottish style. The course is hailed as the most immaculately maintained course in the Adirondacks. In addition, the 18 hole Tupper Lake Golf Club is a 6,153-yard mountain course designed by Donald Ross with mountain and lake views. In addition to golf and stay packages, the Tupper Lake course offers greens fees at par. Saranac Inn Golf Course Tupper Lake Golf Course Hotels featured in the Golf At Par offer include Holiday Inn Express, Malone EconoLodge, Red Roof Plus and Suites, Four Seasons, Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, Shaheens Adirondack Inn and Dreamland Motel. Shaheen's Adirondack Inn "This Canadian discount is just one more reason to visit in the Adirondack and Malone regions, which offer world-class golf, affordable accommodations and spectacular scenery,” said James McKenna, the president of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST). ROOST is the accredited destination marketing organization (DMO) responsible for promoting Essex County, Franklin County, Hamilton County, the town of North Elba, the town and village of Tupper Lake, Harrietstown, Lake Placid, Piercefield and Saranac Lake, New York, to the traveling public. For more information about the organization, visit roostadk.com. The Adirondacks is a six million-acre forest comprised of over 2,000 miles of hiking trails, 46 peaks over 4,000 feet, 1,200 miles of rivers and an estimated 3,000 lakes and ponds. The region provides the ideal backdrop for both adventure-seeking outdoor enthusiasts and for those looking for quiet solitude in nature. Within its borders are towns and villages with vibrant main streets, lodging, restaurants and breweries to round out your stay. ###

April, 2019 In its fourth year, Eat ADK, the Adirondacks’ restaurant week, has expanded to include more restaurants, culinary events; and special pricing at participating hotels. Adirondacks, USA - During EAT ADK, an eight-day celebration of culinary exploration, participating restaurants, pubs and bistros will be offering multiple course menus at fixed prices. EAT ADK is also full of food and beverage related events such as “dinner and a movie” at the Palace Theatre and the Lake Placid Center for the Arts in Lake Placid and the State Theater in Tupper Lake; live music at area bars and restaurants; wine appreciation and culinary classes; and wine and whiskey tastings. Some area hotels will offer special packages to those looking to extend their stay in the Adirondacks. Details and a complete schedule of events is forthcoming and will be found at eatadk.com. With 45 participating dining establishments, residents and visitors can look forward to sampling the best dishes at discounted prices. Visit the Adirondack communities of Lake Placid, Long Lake, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, and Wilmington where restaurants will be offering special prix fixe menus with pricing options of $15, $20 and $30. This year’s event highlights both established restaurants as well as recently-opened enterprises. “We are very excited that this popular event keeps growing and more visitors and locals are experiencing the wonderful cuisine in our Adirondack region,” said EAT ADK organizer Kelsey Torrance. “The restaurants highlight the many culinary options available here.” “The Adirondacks offer diverse, world class dining and accommodations that attract visitors all year long,” said James McKenna, CEO of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST). “The specials offered during EAT ADK will encourage locals to try new establishments, and also attract out-of-region visitors who will stay at our hotels, shop in our stores, and discover what makes the Adirondacks such a unique destination.” Along with celebrating Adirondack cuisine, the event also strives to help local families who need food assistance. Those participating in EAT ADK are encouraged to bring prepared wrapped food or snacks that would be appropriate for school-aged children. The items will be distributed to area public schools that have a backpack program. The backpack programs helps alleviate child hunger by discreetly providing hungry children with backpacks full of nutritious and easy-to-prepare food on Friday afternoons so they have food to eat throughout the weekend. The idea for an Adirondack restaurant week was hatched at Paul Smith’s College, a four-year college in the Adirondacks with robust culinary and hospitality programs. In 2015, Professor Joe Conto, the Director of the Hotel, Resort, and Tourism Management Program, along with ten students from Paul Smith’s College Field Studies in Hospitality class led by Professor Kelly Cerialo, worked with Professor Conto, and the EAT ADK Volunteer Committee. Paul Smith’s College is now a proud sponsor of EAT ADK Restaurant Week. Students and faculty from the college continue to work closely with the restaurant week committee to organize this exciting event. For continuous updates and additions to EAT ADK, visit eatadk.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 3, 2019 Adirondacks, USA — Fly fishermen from across the country and Canada will convene in Wilmington, NY, May 16 - 18 for the Ausable Two-Fly Challenge. This year’s catch and release tournament is celebrating twenty years of fishing, storytelling and raising money to preserve the West Branch of the Ausable River. Proceeds go to regional preservation non-profits and to stock the river. To mark the 20th anniversary, organizers added an extra day of fishing, expanded fishing hours and added more non-fishing events including a comedy night with well-known comedian Louis Ramey. He’s been featured on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, Comedy Central’s USO Tour, Comedy Central’s World Comedy Tour and on his own half hour special, Comedy Central Presents: Louis Ramey. The Two-Fly Challenge starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 16 at the Wilmington Town Beach with a barbeque, beer, bonfire and a band. Anglers will fish all day Friday and Saturday morning on the beautiful and well-stocked Ausable River. Anglers are invited to a Fly Tier’s reception Friday evening, followed by the comedy night with Louis Ramey. The weekend wraps up Saturday evening with a banquet at Whiteface Mountain, complete with prizes, raffles, and awards and a new live auction. The 411 Anglers are allowed to bring two barb-less hook flies of any combination or patterns. Once the flies are lost or unusable, he or she is out. Anglers must fish with a partner and each must record the total number of fish caught, the length of each fish and the cumulative number of inches. The winner is determined by the highest cumulative length of each fish caught. There are four competitive categories: junior, men, women and professional. Each fisherman can choose just two flies to use per day. About the Ausable River and Wilmington It's the diversity of the river that allures many anglers to explore the West Branch of the Ausable River, located in New York’s Adirondack region. What stands out the most is the large amount of pocket water, where the best trout live. The river holds vast amounts of oxygen from water tumbling over the rocks and boulders, which provide plenty of hiding places, food and resting spots. The river also harbors slower sections that are deep with undercut banks. The town of Wilmington, just nine miles from Lake Placid, is home to fly-fishing shops, numerous guides, and affordable lodging and restaurants, not to mention gorgeous mountain scenery. Registration is open to the public, online at www.whitefaceregion.com/do/events/two-fly-challenge. For more information, contact the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau at 518-946-2255, or via email at info@whitefaceregion.com. ###