The 2021 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival poster, designed by Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau

SARANAC LAKE — Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau has released his poster design for the 2021 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.

Using this Carnival’s designated theme, “Mask-erade” — which Trudeau spells with the more traditional “Masquerade” — the poster shows multiple “Doonesbury” characters with different face masks representing various features of the Adirondacks. Trudeau, who was raised in Saranac Lake, has created the Winter Carnival poster design since 2012 to benefit the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. He has also designed an annual button for the Carnival since 1981. This year’s buttons are not yet available, and their design has not yet been released.

Posters are for sale at Ampersound music store, 52 Main St. The cost is $17 including tax; payment is by cash only. In addition to current year posters, some from prior years are still available for $10 each. Posters for the year 2012 are completely sold out. For those who will not be travelling to Saranac Lake this year, a poster can mail-ordered by contacting Jeff Dickson at casjdcksn@aol.com or 518-524-2731. There is an additional cost for shipping.

Again this year, Trudeau signed 100 posters, which cost $75 each including tax. Those who have purchased signed posters in the past should contact Dickson to continue their numbered series. There is an additional cost for shipping if local pick-up is not possible. Unclaimed numbered posters will be made available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Dickson to be placed on the waiting list.

A raffle will be held for signed poster No. 1. Sales are limited to 100 raffle tickets at a cost of $5 each. Tickets are available from Dickson from now until the end of Carnival on Feb. 14, at which point the winning ticket will be drawn and the winner notified.

The 2021 Winter Carnival will take place Feb. 5-14. Most of the event’s traditional events have been canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An Ice Palace will still be built, and organizers are planning two fireworks shows, which people can watch from inside their vehicles.

The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee, formally known as the Society for Promotion of Winter Carnival, Saranac Lake Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of volunteers dedicated to planning and presenting an annual mid-winter festival.  This 10-day, communitywide event traces its roots to a one-day Winter Carnival held in 1897 by the Pontiac Club.  The Carnival honors its heritage every year by building an Ice Palace from blocks of ice harvested from Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay, where Carnival events have been traditionally held for generations.  For more information, visit www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com.