With the “Music Legends” Carnival theme this year, Trudeau’s poster features Doonesbury characters in the fictional “Tri-Lake All Stars” band rocking out on the back of a stake rack truck being driven in the parade down Broadway.

The “Tri-Lake All Stars” band came alive for the parade, hitting the street in the bed of a 1971 Ford-100 pickup truck with wooden siding. Dressed as Doonesbury characters Zonker, Mark, Alex, Duke and Jeff, Joe Waters, Peter Crowley, Kris Cheney Seymour, Dave Filsinger and Shaun Kittle rode in the truck Don Rumble recently sold to Mark Coleman, bumping rock ‘n’ roll all the way to the judge’s stand.

HSL Executive Director Amy Catania said replicating the Tri-Lake All Stars traveling band in real life was a natural thing.

“When I saw the poster, the first minute I opened up the poster, I thought ‘Oh, that’s something we should do for the parade,” she said.

Winter Carnival Queen Patti Sauvie and King Tim Burpoe wave to the adoring public at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

From Gimps to Goats

There was a new award for the parade this year — the Rich Merritt Gimp Trophy — named in honor of Rich Merritt, a Saranac Laker who traveled up from Albany every year to lead the Gimps in Carnival revelry down Main Street and Broadway.

Merritt died unexpectedly in October at the age of 59. His mother, Barb Merritt, chose Keith Murphy’s “Lake Flower Goats and Friends” walking group as the trophy winners.

The Goats bleated and baa’ed their way down the road, amping up the crows with their animalistic antics.

Merritt’s friends and family marched in the parade as the Gimps in his honor, dressing up in the numerous Carnival costumes he wore over the years, with some even wearing print-outs of their friend’s face.

Dancers with Soma Beats get down to the funky rhythm of Bucket Ruckus at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Other awards

Business Group — Float

First Place: Saranac Lake Marina “Yacht Rocks”

Second Place: Coakley Hardware

Business Group — Walking

Jodi Denton spins a chair with the Lawn Chair Ladies at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

First Place: Allan Moody Landscape

Second Place: Kazoos for News — Adirondack Explorer, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, North Country Public Radio

Civic or Volunteer Group — Float

First Place: Saranac Lake Adult Center

Second Place: SARNAK

Carnival Court members Zachary Goetz and Andrew Gay wave at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Civic or Volunteer Group — Walking

First Place: Historic Saranac Lake

Second Place: Moose Lodge

Youth Group — Float

First Place: Bloomingdale Girl Scouts #453

The Canoodlers paddle their way down Broadway at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Second Place: Saranac Lake Youth Center

Youth Group — Walking

First Place: Paul Smiths Boy Scouts

School Group — Float

First Place: Paul Smith’s College Woodsmen Team

Second Place: Northern Lights School

School Group — Walking

First Place: St. Bernard’s School

Independent Group — Float

First Place: Saranac Village at Will Rogers

Second Place: The Gimps

Independent Group — Walking

First Place: Lawn Chair Ladies

Second Place: Riverside Revelers

See more photos at:

https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/02/saranac-lake-winter-carnival-gala-parade/

and

https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/02/more-saranac-lake-winter-carnival-gala-parade/

Carnival Court members Chayse Delosh, Emily Gay and Whitney Warner wave from the Carnival Royalty float. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

A drummer with Zubra Urban Percussion marches down Broadway at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Employees of the Enterprise, Adirondack Explorer and North Country Public Radio play rock songs on kazoos at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. From left are Chad Ordway, Aaron Marbone, Chris Gaige, Tori Marbone, Grace McIntyre, Tracy Ormsbee and Devon Stratton. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Paul Smith’s College students on a Toby Keith float cheer at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Saranac Lake Central School District cafeteria staff their friends recrerated Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s “Lunch Lady Land” for a float at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Brandon Devito marches down Broadway at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)