Winter Carnival at Alton Bay Ice Runway (B18) 2026

I only made it for the end of winter carnival at Alton Bay, but the crowd was still enthusiastic and the aircraft making a great showing. We had formation flights, smoke, low passes, and a paramotor that I didn't arrive in time to film. Alton Bay is a small village on the southern tip of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, known for its picturesque waterfront and seasonal tourism. In winter, when the lake freezes thick enough, it becomes home to the Alton Bay Ice Runway, the only FAA-approved ice runway in the continental U.S. The runway, marked and maintained by local volunteers, provides a rare opportunity for pilots to land on a frozen lake. The airport is owned, operated, and managed by the State of New Hampshire, Department of Transportation and Bureau of Aeronautics. Its operation depends entirely on weather conditions, with crews regularly measuring ice thickness to ensure safety.