SARANAC LAKE, NY - The Saranac Lake streetlight banner program has a new addition to its lineup that celebrates the thriving local arts scene. The newest banners were designed by local artist Anna Kittle with the help of the volunteer Saranac Lake Arts and Culture Advisory Board. The Arts and Culture banners highlight writing, art, dance, theatre, and music, and include three of each of the five designs. The village has 15 light poles that banners are displayed on regularly. “The colorful, well-designed banners that line our downtown main streets are ageless, adding festiveness, purpose, and variety, while promoting our most treasured activities, events, connections, and special causes that make Saranac Lake decidedly different,” Kathy Ford, chair of the Arts and Culture Advisory Board said. “Soon to be added to the mix of paddling, hiking, and more will be striking new banners promoting the arts that are so vital to Saranac Lake. A special project of the Arts and Culture Advisory Board, these five banners capture our vibrant local arts community, representing music, creative writing, theatre, dance, and art. “I had the honor of working closely with talented local artist, Anna Kittle, who spent numerous volunteer hours creating the beautiful illustrations for each of these arts banners. The designs align with and incorporate the colors of our Saranac Lake brand and mosaic patterns. They will line Main Street and Broadway in the next month, catching the eye while sparking the imagination, sharing that Saranac Lake is also #decidedlyArts.” Other banners include the brand's mosaic design, the 6er hiking challenge, and Celebrate Paddling. Earlier this year, “Racism is a public health crisis” banners as well. “Banners are our village's calling card as they are the first things people notice and read when they come to our downtown, so they are key to our village's image and marketing,” Saranac Lake Mayor Clyde Rabideau said. “We work shoulder to shoulder with ROOST professionals in developing banner concepts, then their design, and even the printing of the banners. ROOST is a vital partner, with us every step of the way, making sure our image and marketing are on point.” “Working with the village and volunteers on the art banners was great because it highlighted how active and involved the members of the community are,” Justin Levine, ROOST’s Saranac Lake marketing representative, said. “The village’s program is excellent, and the banners - no matter which set - are a wonderful addition to the scenery. “While each set of banners is unique, ensuring they are in line with the village’s Decidedly Different brand allows the banners to promote Saranac Lake with distinct but cohesive messaging, and we look forward to continuing to move this program with the village.”

ADIRONDACKS, NEW YORK - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is pleased to announce the launch of Adirondack Wayfinder, a new website that showcases the Adirondacks through thematic road trip itineraries. Originally developed through the support of a DEC Smart Growth Grant awarded to Hamilton County, the goal of Adirondack Wayfinder is to help highlight the variety of experiences and the unique communities that make up the Adirondack region. At 6 million acres, the sheer scale of the Adirondacks can be intimidating for first-time visitors. Adirondack Wayfinder helps take out the guesswork by allowing travelers to search through a variety of curated itineraries that appeal to different interests. Once an itinerary or “trail” has been selected, it can be customized by adding and/or removing different attractions and amenities. Users enter their starting point and the website reorders the trail stops based on that location. Once the trail and starting point has been selected, the information can be pushed to Google Maps, allowing users to navigate via their mobile device or sync with their vehicle’s navigation system. “Our scenic roadways can connect visitors to a rich variety of experiences. The concept of the Adirondack Wayfinder is to help foster that connection and encourage people to spend additional time discovering more of what the Adirondacks has to offer,” states Bill Farber, Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors. “In a year where people are looking to avoid congested areas, we look forward to leveraging the new Adirondack Wayfinder to help disperse people around the region.” “The visually impactful and easy to navigate website is designed to inspire travelers by showcasing the unique travel opportunities available in the Adirondacks,” says Michelle Clement, Director of Marketing at ROOST. “Road trips to close-by destinations with plenty of outdoor opportunities are the type of travel people are looking to experience at this time. The Adirondacks have this product and Adirondack Wayfinder is an excellent tool for telling this story.” For the initial launch, the website highlights topics relevant to traveling in the fall of 2020, such as motorcycle touring, breweries, farm trails, and family-friendly itineraries. Existing thematic trails, including the New York State Designated Adirondack Cuisine Trails, are also available on the website. Additionally, Adirondack Wayfinder features easy access to fall foliage reports and “Adirondack Travel Alerts,” which hosts information on what travelers should know about traveling in the Adirondacks and New York state during this time. As seasons change, and more businesses and attractions around the Adirondacks continue to return to regular operations, the types of trails highlighted will adjust and continue to grow. Additionally, businesses and communities are encouraged to create their own trails and itineraries. For anyone who has an idea for a new trail, a toolkit has been developed by River Street Planning and Development, in conjunction with ROOST and Hamilton County, to assist others in developing their own trails and itineraries. The toolkit is available at AdirondackWayfinder.com/about.ROOST is the destination marketing organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. The new Adirondack Wayfinder website can be found at AdirondackWayfinder.com. ### View/Download High-Resolution Fall Images View Travel Media Press Release

Please join us for winter planning! As the temperatures begin to dip, the ROOST team has been busy working on winter preparations. Before we finalize our plans, we want your feedback. As a result, we are hosting community meetings for each of the regions we represent. The goal of these meetings is to provide an update on the priorities we have outlined for the coming season, and learn more about what you and your businesses are planning for the coming winter. We hope you are able to join us. Below please find the information for each meeting scheduled: Lake Placid - Wednesday, September 30, 2020 (10:00 a.m.)View video recordingPresentation deckQuestions: Bethany@roostadk.com Whiteface Region - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 (7:00 p.m.)Held in conjunction with the October Whiteface Visitors Bureau October meeting.Meeting handoutQuestions: Savannah@roostadk.com Hamilton County - Wednesday, October 14, 2020 (10:00 a.m.)View Video RecordingPresentation deckQuestions: Katie@roostadk.com Saranac Lake Region - Wednesday, October 14, 2020 (12:30 p.m.)View Video RecordingPresentation deck Questions: Justin@roostadk.com ADK Hub Region - Thursday, October 15, 2020 (1:00 p.m.)View Video RecordingPresentation deckQuestions/RSVP: Brooke@roostadk.com Tupper Lake Region - Friday, October 16, 2020 (10:00 a.m.)View Video RecordingPresentation deckQuestions: Katie@roostadk.com Lake Champlain Region - Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (10:00 a.m.)Video Conference Link (coming soon)Questions: Suzanne@roostadk.com

ROOST is supportive of the Town of Tupper Lake’s efforts to develop a resolution to address diversity, equity, and inclusion. We acknowledge that the first attempt at the resolution did not move forward with success due to first amendment rights, which the Town Board is sworn to uphold. Nevertheless, this has brought about an opportunity for conversation, reflection, and learning. We hear you, and we are currently working with the town as they work to advance this initiative over the coming weeks. Additionally, we look forward to continuing to work with the community to advance Tupper Lake as a welcoming and inclusive destination.

ADIRONDACKS, NY – After careful consultation with our sponsors, sport coordinators, and local/state officials regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our athletes, coaches, volunteers, spectators, and our longtime partners – we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 41st Annual Empire State Winter Games in the North Country. Empire State Winter Games events originally scheduled for January 28 - 31, 2021 will not take place. The challenges and uncertainty that COVID-19 has presented prevent the organization from appropriately planning, organizing, and producing events safely in 30+ different sports. “Although the decision to cancel the Games in the traditional sense is a hard one, it is of the utmost importance to keep everyone safe during these unprecedented times,” says Molly Mayer, Executive Director of the Empire State Winter Games. “We are dedicated to producing a high quality event and ensuring all parties involved, including our local communities, remain safe.” Empire State Winter Games remains hopeful to host a virtual or social media event for 2021 participants. Founded in 1980, the Empire State Winter Games are a multi-day winter athletic competition headquartered in Lake Placid, N.Y. 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, Malone, and Brighton; the villages of Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Paul Smiths, Malone, Wilmington, and Saranac Lake; the counties of Essex and Franklin; the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA); and New York State Senator Betty Little. Connect with the Games on www.EmpireStateWinterGames.com, Facebook.com/ESWGames, and Instagram.com/ESWGames. For more information, please visit www.EmpireStateWinterGames.com. Please direct all questions and inquiries to info@empirestatewintergames.com. ### Media Contact: Molly Mayermolly@eswgames.com 520-982-6667 Download Press Release