The Tupper Lake Masonic Craft Fair and Flea Market is returning to the Tupper Lake Waterfront Park on Demars Boulevard, August 18-20. The event features antiques, collectibles, and locally made craft items. A number of local and regional food vendors will also be on-site. The event begins on Friday, August 18, from 12 to 6 p.m. On Saturday, August 19, the flea market will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The flea market will conclude on Sunday, August 20, operating from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Tupper Lake Masonic Craft Fair and Flea Market is well-known as one of the largest events of its kind in the area, attracting thousands of bargain hunters and collectors from throughout the region. During the course of its 44-year history, it has brought together an impressive array of more than 100 vendors and craftspeople, with an eclectic mix of items for sale. The event was paused during the 2020 pandemic. According to Katie LaLonde, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism’s Tupper Lake marketing manager, the local community is thrilled to welcome the event after its recent absence. “Tupper Lake and the surrounding region has supported this event for a long, long time,” she said. “The craft fair and flea market has brought thousands of people to town over the years; bringing them together for a really fun, interesting and interactive event. We are thrilled that this summer tradition continues.” The organizing committee is also excited about re-establishing this popular community event. “We are so happy to welcome back all of the vendors, craftspeople and shoppers who have enjoyed this event in the past,” commented Organizer Bill Short. “I think the antique treasures, vintage collectibles, handmade crafts and unique curiosities will entice even more shoppers than in the past.” Event organizers are currently accepting applications from craftspeople and other vendors who are interested in taking part. “We are planning for this event to come back strong,” said Short. “There are approximately 60 vendors and craftspeople currently registered, and we are hoping to welcome many more.” Proceeds from the event will continue to support the Saranac Lake Masonic Lodge’s important work within the community and beyond. “Our organization supports those in need within the Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake communities,” commented Short. “Sometimes our neighbors - local families or individuals - need a bit of help during a challenging time, and the Masonic Lodge provides assistance whenever we are able. The proceeds from this event directly support that effort.” Vendor opportunities are available for individuals and businesses interested in showcasing products or services. Those interested in becoming a vendor at this event should email TLFleaMkt@gmail.com. ##

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is thrilled to announce the return of its “Battle of the Cones”, a summer showdown to determine the most popular and best Adirondack ice cream stand. In 2022, The Windchill Factory in Ticonderoga captured the title and associated bragging rights. As a result of that successful contest, it became clear that “Battle of the Cones” needed to become an annual summertime tradition, just like the ice cream stands themselves; this summer, the Adirondacks’ ice cream stands are ready. Online voting will begin on July 19 and close on August 22, with five weeks of voting and elimination until a winner is decided. Votes can be cast at BattleOfTheCones.com. The winner will be announced on August 23. According to ROOST’s Saranac Lake Regional Manager Kenzie Marine, “Battle of the Cones” was established to promote ice cream stands, their communities and the ice cream wayfinder trails, developed by ROOST. “We developed and launched “Battle of the Cones” as a social media campaign to promote ice cream stands throughout the region,” she said. “We thought that this would provide a fun and interactive way to encourage people to share their experiences and create some excitement around this summertime activity, while also encouraging people to visit the towns throughout the region by using any of the ice cream wayfinder trail maps.” ROOST has developed a number of wayfinder trails - online maps that people can follow to experience particular activities throughout the Adirondacks. These trails include information about farm experiences, breweries, history, cuisine and family-friendly activities. They can be found at AdirondackWayfinder.com. The “Battle of the Cones” contest schedule is as follows: Round One: Wednesday, July 19, until Tuesday, July 25 at 11:59 PM Round Two: Wednesday, July 26, until Tuesday, August 1 at 11:59 PM Round Three: Wednesday, August 2, until Tuesday, August 8 at 11:59 PM Semi Finals: Wednesday, August 9, until Tuesday, August 15 at 11:59 PM Finals: Wednesday, August 16, until Tuesday, August 22 at 11:59 PM Visit BattleOfTheCones.com for a list of all participating ice cream stands categorized by region. Contact:Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518-621-3662 518-578-6328 (cell)jane@roostadk.com

Visitors to the Adirondack region of upstate New York can experience adventures in the wilderness, along with small town charm and comfort in the Hamilton County region. Recent storms caused some temporary flooding and brief closures of some attractions and properties, depending on their location. In most cases, simple repairs have been made; hotel properties continue to welcome guests and attractions are busy hosting summer visitors. According to Alex Roalsvig, Town of Long Lake director of parks, recreation and tourism, the region continues to bustle with activity. “The Long Lake community is bouncing back after the storm, and despite some considerable damage to some private homes and property we will continue to work together and rebuild,” she said. “Our business community is 100 percent open and determined to make our community stronger than ever before. Truly, it’s ‘business as usual’ for the vast majority of the area - restaurants are busy, hotels are full and we welcome everyone, our doors are open.” Hamilton County is in the center of the six million acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. More than one million acres (95 percent) of Hamilton County is public land, accessible to everyone. Charming villages are scattered throughout the county, making it the perfect mix of wilderness adventure and comfort. The communities of Blue Mountain Lake, Long Lake, Raquette Lake and other surrounding towns and hamlets provide places to explore, relax and learn about the region’s history, with wilderness adventure right at the doorstep. Blue Mountain Lake is one of the Adirondacks’ most beautiful towns. The community boasts a number of natural and man-made attractions, including The Adirondack Experience - the Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, boat tours of Blue Mountain Lake, charming local restaurants such as Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner, and local arts centers, all providing visitors with the opportunity to become immersed in the local region and its history. Local shops offer an interesting mix of locally made products and items crafted by local artisans. Blue Mountain itself is one of the most popular mountains to climb in the Adirondacks; many trails in the region are family-friendly with beautiful views, while providing an opportunity to become immersed in the Adirondack wilderness. According to Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism Hamilton County Regional Manager Katie LaLonde, those hoping to hike in the area should ensure that trails are dry. “Since we are in mid-summer, it’s likely that they will be in good shape fairly quickly,” she said. “This also offers an opportunity to remind people about taking care of this beautiful region. LoveYourADK.org offers practical tips and important information for those venturing out onto trails that may have experienced some damage. We encourage everyone to visit that site before planning a hike.” Long Lake is another charming village, just a few miles from Blue Mountain Lake. It boasts a beautiful beach, mountain bike and hiking trails, and paddling opportunities - Long Lake is also home to Helms Aero Service, offering seaplane charters for those wishing to experience a bird’s eye view. The Adirondack Hotel, one of the region’s oldest properties built in the 1850s, continues to welcome visitors - its new owners continue the hotel’s long tradition of providing both comfortable accommodations and delicious dinners. Other properties in the area include cabins and cottages nestled in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle, along with lakefront hotel options that offer quiet beauty and waterfront activities. The Long Lake town beach is one of the most beautiful in the area. Each Friday evening during the summer, the town hosts its Music By The Lake concert series, providing entertainment for visitors and local residents. Raquette Lake, another community within a few miles of Blue Mountain Lake, is a delightful little village that's filled with old world, small-town charm. Raquette Lake is the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks with more than 100 miles of shoreline. The lake is home to the W.W. Druant, offering both sightseeing and dinner excursions with a peek into the region’s history. Nearby is Great Camp Sagamore where visitors can either spend the day or stay overnight. Hiking and paddling along the area’s trails and waterways provide a true wilderness retreat, close to cozy cabins and vacation properties that dot the roadways and shorelines. Visitors to Hamilton County traveling from the east should note that Route 28 between Newcomb and Long Lake did experience some damage. The road may be closed for a couple of weeks; travelers should visit 511ny.org for the most current updates. Contact:Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518-621-3662 518-578-6328 (cell)jane@roostadk.com

The Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan (DMP) Committee announces the appointment of Adam DeSantis as its Lake Placid / North Elba economic development director. The position has been created to direct the implementation of the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan 2030; with the goal of developing a collaborative approach to improving the quality of life and economic opportunities for year-round residents and visitors through the establishment of an effective economic development strategy for the region. DeSantis’ new role as economic development director includes planning, organizing, and implementation of economic development initiatives, including business attraction and retention, aligning industry investment with regional priorities, supporting housing diversification, engaging in grant writing efforts, research, evaluating and optimizing event management, all while fostering public engagement in the process. During his tenure, he will implement policies and initiatives to attract new industries and professional services, while also leveraging regional strengths, including investments in regional sports venues and existing professional expertise to expand industry segments, ongoing investment, and clusters of professional services. DeSantis brings extensive experience in housing development, market analysis, business management, budgeting and inter-agency collaboration to the director of economic development position. He served as vice president for a senior housing real estate development group in Albany where he assisted with securing municipal approvals, financing and construction management of numerous senior living communities in the Capital District. Most recently, DeSantis served as the manager of overlay, installations, drawings and signage for the FISU World University Games, which involved ensuring the collaboration of regional partners, including government agencies, ORDA, regional universities and local utilities to ensure successful installation of structures throughout the region in advance of the events. I am incredibly excited about this opportunity,” DeSantis said. “I’ve learned so much about the region, its incredible organizations, its challenges and its local economy that is very much rooted in tourism. I believe that my role, bringing these organizations together to solve challenges, while enticing new business to the area and keeping the visitor and local resident experience at the core of every decision, will allow the plan to realize its potential and possibly uncover additional opportunities that have yet to be conceptualized.” DeSantis will report to the North Elba / Lake Placid DMP Committee, with his primary points of contact being the committee co-chairs. The committee comprises representatives from a number of partner organizations, including the Village of Lake Placid, the Town of North Elba, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid Central School, Adirondack Sports Council, Lake Placid Marathon, New York State Adirondack Park Agency, and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). According to Destination Management Plan Committee Co-Chair Emily Kilburn Politi, the committee’s primary objective is to ensure its plan is fully executed, leading to the creation of this important position. “The destination management plan is a well-researched and thoughtful plan, identifying many strengths and outlining many opportunities, while taking into account a variety of perspectives,” she commented. “The economic development director position is paramount to ensuring that the elements of the DMP are enacted; ultimately benefiting the region by ensuring sustainability for its residents, its business and its visitors.” According to Mary Jane Lawrence, chief operating officer at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), the region’s destination marketing and management organization supports new community initiatives that improve quality of life for residents and the visitor experience. “Destination development and management is important for the sustainability of the region; and - a significant component of ROOST’s strategic plan,” she said. “We look forward to working closely with Adam as part of executing this plan.” The Town of North Elba and ROOST will allocate funding for the position from the Community Tourism Enhancement Fund portion derived from the additional 2% occupancy tax, paid by those who stay in local lodging properties, implemented in 2020. About the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan The Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan provides a 10-year road map, aligning the priorities of local government, economic development, community organizations, and residents to balance the tourism industry with community needs. The goal is to ensure a quality of life for residents that complements the quality of the place for visitors. The plan was initiated by the Town of North Elba, Village of Lake Placid, and ROOST in 2019. The years-long process included research, surveys of public and private stakeholders, focus groups, workshops, town hall meetings and review of various town and regional planning documents. Results of the process identified strengths, opportunities and challenges and developed a series of prioritized action items to ensure that DMP strategies align with and support other community goals. The destination management plan can be accessed here. ## Contact:Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518-578-6328 (cell)jane@roostadk.com

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) has received two awards from the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) in a ceremony that took place during the organization’s 2023 annual meeting in Rochester earlier this month. The awards recognize outstanding initiatives and achievements of New York state’s destination marketing organizations, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses. Categories included marketing campaigns, destination management initiatives, location stewardship, innovation and leadership. “The campaigns, initiatives, and projects submitted for the 2023 Tourism Excellence Awards illustrate the world-class work being done by New York's tourism professionals," observed Bob Provost, president of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. "The caliber of the work nominated this year, coupled with the 40% YOY increase in nominations challenged the judges who reviewed and scored this year's entries.” The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism received the NYSTIA “Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects and Programs: Creative Use of Data to Drive Success” award along with the “Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future” award. NYSTIA’s “Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects and Programs: Creative Use of Data to Drive Success” award recognizes ROOST for its “Seasonal Abandon Site Emails” campaign. The campaign was designed to send a series of follow-up emails to consumers, showcasing activities, events and attractions within the Adirondack region, specifically based on their previous visits to one of the various Adirondack region websites. The follow-up emails provided curated and relevant information based on the website pages visited by each user. These emails, sent to those who visited the Adirondack region websites, resulted in a 66 percent open rate, meaning that people who received them were interested in receiving this communication from the region, indicated by the percentage of those who read the email. Additionally, 20 percent who read the email took the additional step of engaging with the specific content that was sent in the email by following a website link. ROOST also received the “Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future” award for its work establishing the North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund (LEAF), supporting community enhancement projects within the Lake Placid region. As part of its mandate to support community projects that enhance resident and visitor experiences within local communities, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism worked with the Essex County board of supervisors to establish this funding opportunity. The fund is sustained through an additional 2% occupancy tax implemented by the Essex County Board of Supervisors in June of 2020. Occupancy tax is collected when people stay at a resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental property within the county. The funds are distributed to the 18 towns in Essex County and used to benefit residents and the experience of visitors to the region. The Town of North Elba, to formalize the process, established the LEAF fund and an oversight committee to allocate its portion of the two percent. According to ROOST Chief Operating Officer Mary Jane Lawrence, this funding provides the means for local organizations to enhance their local community, activities and programs. “We are thrilled that so many local organizations have benefitted from this grant funding - the funds support projects that impact residents and visitors alike,” she said. “A healthy community is a sustainable community and a great place to visit.” The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are open to all New York State tourism marketers and are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. Nominees spanned every corner of New York State and judges were challenged by the diversity and quality of the entries. About the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism: The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Lake Placid, Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York state. About New York State Tourism Industry Association:The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) is a member-driven, 501(c)6 nonprofit organization at the vanguard of transformational tourism marketing, stewardship and long-term strategic planning. We assist our members in advancing responsible economic growth, creating jobs, revitalizing communities, supporting small business success, and increasing state and local tax revenues in order to improve the standard of living, quality of life and pride of place for New York State communities and residents. We achieve these goals by facilitating the success of our members in realizing the economic potential of New York State's tourism industry as a catalyst for collaborative initiatives, exceptional marketing programs, industry research and legislative awareness for the private sector of New York State's tourism industry. www.nystia.org. 2023 Tourism Excellence Awards Recipients “Leisure Travel in NY” from Advance Media New York on behalf Amtrak NY Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: Regional or Statewide “Dutchess Tourism” from Dutchess Tourism, Inc. Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: TPA/County/DMO Local Level - Budget Over $500,000 “‘Let’s Go Greene’ 2022 Marketing Campaign” from Workshop on behalf of Greene County Tourism and Film Commission (“The Great Northern Catskills of Greene County”) Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: TPA/County/DMO Local Level - Budget Under $500,000 “Seasonal Abandon Site Emails” from Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Creative Use of Data to Drive Success “Holiday/Winter Campaign” from Dutchess Tourism, Inc. Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing Campaign - Budget Over $500,000 “Miss New York Destination Experience by Rail” from New York By Rail Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing Campaign - Budget Under $500,000 “Zen Finder Outdoor Experience Trail” from Dutchess Tourism, Inc. Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: The Great Outdoors of New York State - Budget Over $500,000 “Fall Fishing Program: ‘More Water = More Fish’”, from NYS Canal Corporation and Orleans County Tourism Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: The Great Outdoors of New York State - Budget Under $500,000 “Pretty.Cool.” from Dutchess Tourism, Inc. Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets - Budget Over $500,000 “Adirondack Experience BIPOC Marketing Efforts” from Workshop on behalf of Adirondack Experience Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets - Budget Under $500,000 “Visit Syracuse Visitors Guide” from Visit Syracuse/Visit Syracuse Film Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials - Budget Over $500,000 “NYUp Travel Guide - Summer” from Advance Media New York Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials - Budget Under $500,000 “Visit Nyack, Inc.” from Visit Nyack, Inc. Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations Campaign “Cortland Curiosities: A Strange & Forgotten History Trail” from Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries - Budget Over $500,000 “Barn Quilt Trail of Leroy” from Genesee County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries - Budget Under $500,000 “Community Tourism Enhancement Fund” from Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future - Budget Over $500,000 “2022 Saratoga 250 Branding and Logo” from Workshop on behalf of Saratoga County Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future - Budget Under $500,000 Valerie Knoblauch, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection Excellence in Leadership: Career/Lifetime Achievement Claire Dunlap, Cayuga County CVB Excellence in Young Professional Leadership Charlie Daley, co-founder the Destinations of New York State Scholarship Fund The New Yorker Award “Cayuga County CVB” from Cayuga County CVB Excellence in Tourism Equity & Inclusion “Akwesasne Travel” from Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Excellence in Sustainable Stewardship: Champions of Change “Wine, Water and Wonders of New York State” from Wine, Water and Wonders of New York State Excellence in International Tourism Marketing: New York Tourism Ambassador ##