We are less than two months away from the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

And while Milano and Cortina will be hosting the Games, it won’t be the only place to take it in. Lake Placid, a two-time Winter Olympics host, has plans to celebrate the Games here.

What You Need To Know

The 2026 Olympic Games will be in Italy this February

Lake Placid is hosting a number of events during the games

The Empire State Winter Games will be held during the first few days of the Olympics and in the Adirondacks

“Any time there’s an Olympics, summer or winter, we’re in celebration mode just to bring sport to our community and to the region,” Olympic Regional Development Authority Communications Manager Darcy Norfolk said.

Lake Placid, which hosted the games in both 1932 and 1980, will be holding a month-long celebration to join in on the festivities.

“It’s a great time, Feb. 6 through the 22nd, when the games are going on in Italy to really celebrate as an entire globe and really support the athletes, Team USA, but also bring people together,” Norfolk added.

The party actually begins one day before the opening ceremonies in Milano/Cortina, with the Feb. 5 start of the Empire State Winter Games. It is four days of New York athletes of all ages and all abilities competing across the Adirondacks.

“You’re going to feel the Olympics right here in Lake Placid, as if you were just in a whole city somewhere else,” Norfolk said.

In addition, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum will be one of numerous places to go to insert yourself into all that is Olympics, both past and present.

“A fun fact is that the very first Olympic podium debuted at the 1932 Olympics here in Lake Placid,” Lake Placid Olympic Museum Director Courtney Bastian said as she stood near a replica of that podium.

“A place in the local community where people can come and see the artifacts and learn firsthand experiences. It’s really special,” Bastian said of the museum and plans for the games.

The museum is only part of it. Throughout the village, there will be viewing parties, Olympic athlete meet and greets, arts and crafts, interactive displays, themed skating nights and more.

And of course, it would not be Lake Placid without celebrating the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and the “Miracle on Ice.” There will be a virtual kiosk on hand where you can step into a Team USA hockey jersey.