Special Events
Special Events - 2019
- Annual Mitch Frasier Music Cruise - June 15
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Board 8:30 p.m. Sail 9:00-11:00 p.m.
Availabilities:
- Sat June 15
Price: $10 per person
- Father's Day Prime Rib Cruises - June 16
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Happy Father’s Day! We’ve scheduled two Father’s Day Certified Angus Prime Rib cruises on the 16th.
Availabilities:
- Prime Rib Buffet Lunch 12:00 (Board 11:30)
- Prime Rib Buffet Dinner 5:30 (Board 5:00)
Price:
- Fathers: $50
- Other Adults: $55
- Child (under 12): $25
Reservations required. Book online or, if by phone, credit card required to hold reservation.
Besides the certified Angus prime rib at the carving station, one other protein (either chicken or pork), 1 carb, 2 veggies, fresh fruit, salad, baguettes and butter, dessert.
- 2-4-1 Luncheon Cruises -
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Availabilities:
- June 17 (Mon)
- June 19 (Wed)
Price: $23 per person inclusive 50% discount - Fireworks Front Row Seats Viewing - July 4
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Boards 9:30 p.m. Fireworks start 9:45 p.m.
Availabilities:
- Thursday, July 4, 2019
Price: $2 per person
- 5 Pine Knot Tours for 2019!
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Pine Knot + Luncheon Cruise (Scroll down for info on Pine Knot/St Wm/Lunch Pkg)
Availabilities: July 4 & Oct 2
Price:
- $62 pp
- Reservations required
- 56 reservations maximum
Schedule:
8:15-8:45 Board the WW Durant at Pier 1, downtown Raquette Lake
8:45-9:05 Water taxi to Pine Knot
9:10-10:45 Pine Knot Guided Tour
10:45-11:00 Board the Durant at Pine Knot dock
11:00-1:00 Luncheon cruise with historic commentary
1:00 Dock at Pier 1 (in time to make the 1:30 guided tour of Sagamore if you’re interested)
Other scheduled tours of Pine Knot which also include a short tour of St. Williams, built in 1890.
$69 pp inclusive of cruise, meal, tax, gratuity, guided tours Reservations required
Limited to 56
Availability: Aug 2, Aug 5, Aug 14Schedule for Aug 2 (Friday)
8:30-9:00 a.m. Board the WW Durant for water taxi ride to St. Williams
9:00-9:20 Cruise to St Williams, built in 1890 by William West Durant
9:30-10:00 Tour the 100 yr+ church; National Register of Historic Sites, 2005; site of the original village of Durant, NY www.stwilliamsonlongpoint.org
10:00-10:30 Walk through the meadow to Pine Knot, situated on the south shore of Long Point
10:30-12:00 Guided tour of Pine Knot, the first Great Camp and home to Collis P Huntington of Southern Pacific RR fame Camp Pine Knot
12:00-12:10 Board the WW Durant, tied up at Pine Knot dock
12:10-1:45 Lunch cruise with historic narration
Schedule for Aug 5 (Monday)
9:45-10:10 Board the Durant
10:10-10:30 Cruise to Pine Knot
10:30-12:00 Guided tour Pine Knot
12:00-12:40 ish Walk to St. Williams, from the south shore of Long Point to the north shore; view the church
12:45-1:00 Board the Durant tied up at the St. Williams dock
1:00-2:30 Luncheon cruise with historic commentary
Schedule for Aug 14 (Wednesday)
9:15-9:40 Board the WW Durant
9:40-10:00 Cruise to Pine Knot
10:00-11:40 Guided tour Pine Knot
11:40-12:30 Walk through the field to St. Williams to visit the church
12:30-2:00 Luncheon cruise with historic commentary
- Scenic Excursion Friday July 5
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Availabilities:
- Friday, July 5. Board 1:30. Sail 2:00-3:30
- $16/$10/$5
We are scheduling a scenic excursion the Friday of July 4th weekend because we’re cancelling the excursion on Saturday, July 6 to make time for our annual Jimmy Buffet party. If your heart is set on a scenic excursion, we aim to please!
- Annual Jimmy Buffet Party Cruise - July 6
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Board 11:30 a.m. Sail 12:30 – 3 p.m.
Availabilities:
- Saturday, July 6
Price: $48 per person
What to Expect:
- DJ Glen LeBlanc returning to play Jimmy Buffett and island tunes
- Costume contest
- Trivia contest
- Delicious buffet
- Maximum of 75 people
- Reservations not required, but appreciated.
- Cash bar
Menu:
- Peel and eat shrimp
- Spicy Queso & bean dip
- Passed cheeseburger sliders
- Chips, salsa & guac
- Sweet calypso pineapple and pork bites
- Caribbean salad with jerked chicken
- Key lime pie
- Glass-ical Musick to be presented at St Williams on Friday, July 12
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“A not-to-be-missed lecture- demonstration . . . Dennis James is not only one of the world’s foremost glass Armonica virtuosos but also an unusually diverting lecturer,” writes The New Yorker.
Adults will be fascinated and children delighted as Dennis James presents Glass-ical Musick at St. Williams on Long Point, an entertaining exploration of the history of glass music. Mr. James says he took up the glass Armonica to investigate the 18th century belief that playing the unusual glass musical instrument would cause a person to become insane. Not yet showing signs of the mysterious illness, James will present Glass-ical Musick, on July 12 at St Williams on Long Point, a witty survey of the complete history of glass music. The illustrated musical lecture-demonstration will feature the glass Armonica, a recreation of the 18th century musical
instrument invented and named by Benjamin Franklin. The “Glass-ical Musick” program has been carefully prepared for a general audience with a balanced content of music performance and historical information.James plays his own recreation of the Franklin armonica design, incorporating custom tuned crystal glass bowls blown by Erwin Eisch in Frauenau, Germany. Mounted on a motor-turned spindle and rubbed with his water- moistened fingers, the armonica glass bowls produce notes and chords of remarkable sonority. The program includes musical compositions for glass instruments by Mozart, Beethoven, J.A.P. Schulz and others, plus other music arranged by James
from a variety of sources.“James has to be heard to be believed. His way with the instrument is virtually magical . . . it glitters, it soothes, it seduces.”Since at least 1492, musicians in Europe have assembled sets of wine glasses, fine-tuned with the water in the bowls, and produced a sound with an almost ethereal quality by gently rubbing around the rims with moistened fingertips. After attending a 1761 recital featuring the musical glasses Benjamin Franklin invented his armonica, both the instrument and its name. Franklin’s armonica is thought to be the first truly American musical instrument. The armonica quickly became the rage of Europe’s music community and enjoyed a vogue throughout the Old World’s salons and concert halls for some 50 years.
Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer, the infamous Austrian hypnotist, found the armonica literally mesmerizing. He used the music in his “magnetic seances,” putting patients with apparent nervous disorders into a trance from which they awoke fully cured. By 1800 the armonica had acquired an increasingly sinister reputation. Its tones were reputed to make women faint, send dogs into ecstatic convulsions and apparently forcing many of its performers into early retirement with nervous disorders. By the mid-nineteenth century the instrument was banned in many European countries and faded rapidly into total obscurity.
The beauty and mystery of glass music is now being revived internationally, aided by the enchanting performances by Dennis James. A dedicated and imaginative devotee of music history and authentic performance practice.
“As the audience’s enthusiastic response showed, your performance was the hit of the season, both musically and educationally. I greatly appreciate your effort in creating such lovely instruments and assure you that you’ve made many new friends for glass-ical music.” – Laurence Libin, Dept. of Music Instruments, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC)“What an amazing presentation-history, music, comedy, audience participation, etc. He had a standing room only crowd spellbound for over an hour!” Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio)Adirondack Experience, the museum on Blue Mountain Lake, in partnership with Raquette Lake Navigation and St. Williams, is offering the concert/luncheon cruise package at $75 pp incl as an exclusive members-only reward. If you’re not already a Museum member, we suggest you join so you don’t miss out on this unusual opportunity to not only hear Mr. James play, but also to visit with him while cruising. Join the Adk X herehttps://www.theadkx.org/join-support/membership-overview/general-membership/
After July 8, if there are any unsold seats on the boat, we will open up the package to anyone interested at $99 pp inclusive. Reserve by calling RLN at 315-354-5532. One other opportunity for theconcert onlyis available. If you can’t spare the time (9:30a-2:00p) or if the price for the whole package is too high ($75 or $99), tickets for the concert only at St. Williams are available at $25 pp which includes water taxi service to and from St. Williams from the town dock. Buy those tickets through St. Williams by calling 315-291-4000. You’ll need a credit card to buy. Alex can either mail you your tickets or you can pick up at St. Williams on a will-call basis upon your arrival.
The timing for the package event is as follows:
9:45-10:00 Arrive Raquette Lake and board the WW Durant
On the way to the concert Mr James will provide a “Classic Ragtime” Salon-style repertoire program, playing his electric piano.10:00-10:30 Cruise to St. Williams and deboard
10:30-10:50 Enjoy the historic St. Williams built in 1890 with commentary by the innkeeper
11-12 Concert at St. Williams
12-12:20 Mingle, Board the Durant tied up at the St. Wm dock
12:30-2:00 Luncheon cruise with 2:00 ish dock (plated/served 3 course meal)
Timing if you’re attending the concert only:- Be at the town dock on Fri July 12 at 10:15 am.
- Water taxi back to town dock leaves by 12:15.
To recap:- Adk X members can purchase tickets @$75 pp online http://www.raquettelakenavigation.comor by calling 315-354-5532.
- Non-members can purchase tickets @$99 pp by calling 315-354-5532.
- People wanting to buy concert only tickets @$25 pp should call 315-291-4000 with credit card handy.
- Wine Pairing Luncheon Cruise with Bet The Farm Winery from the Finger Lakes - July 13
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Availabilities:
- Saturday, July 13, 2019 @ 11am – 1pm
Price: $50 per person
- FULL Moon Moonlight Cruise Sat July 13
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Featuring entertainer Joe Bolton. $8 pp. Reservations not required.
Board 9:30. Sail 10:00-11:30 pm
- Beer Pairing Dinner Cruise featuring Buried Acorn Brewskis Fri July 26
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John Naegele will MC this beer pairing, tasting 4 different Buried Acorn Brewing Company (out of Syracuse) beers.
Availabilities:
Fri July 26 Board 5:00. Sail 6:00-9:00
Price: $65 per person
Beers & Menu TBD
- 21st Annual Durant Days - August 2
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Fri Aug 2, 8:30-2:00 time commitment $69 pp
8:30-9:00 a.m. Board the WW Durant for water taxi ride to St. Williams
9:00-9:20 Cruise to St Williams, built in 1890 by William West Durant
9:30-10:00 Tour the 100 yr+ church; National Register of Historic Sites, 2005; site of the original village of Durant, NY www.stwilliamsonlongpoint.org
10:00-10:20 Walk through the meadow to Pine Knot, situated on the south shore of Long Point
10:30-12:00 Guided tour of Pine Knot, the first Great Camp and home to Collis P Huntington of Southern Pacific RR fame Camp Pine Knot
12:00-12:10 Board the WW Durant, tied up at Pine Knot dock
12:10-1:45 Lunch cruise with historic narration
AUG 2 $69 pp inclusive of cruise, meal, tax, gratuity, guided tours
Reservations required
Limited to 56
- Dr. Frank Wine Pairing Dinner Friday August 9
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Board 5:00 p.m. Sail 6:00-9:00 pm
Availabilities:
Friday August 9
Price: $75 per person | 4 courses
- Menu & wines TBD
Dr. Konstantin Frank ignited the “Vinifera Revolution”, a movement that forever changed the course of wine growing in the Finger Lakes and the United States. Dr. Frank’s vision, knowledge and determination are credited with elevating the New York wine industry from a state of happy mediocrity to a level that today commands world attention.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Frank’s granddaughter, Barbara Frank, on board, during this cruise. She will be sharing her vast knowledge of each wine as we serve each course.
Barbara is the Regional Marketing Representative and Consulting Winemaker for Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars and Chateau Frank Winery. She has over 30 years of experience in wine production, research, instruction and marketing.
In addition to having been head winemaker at Dr. Frank’s and Chateau Frank, Barbara has operated in various winemaking capacities at S. Anderson, Navarro, Schramsberg and Domaine Mumm. She also worked as National Sales Representative for Billecart-Salmon Champagnes. Barbara has lectured on wine and wine appreciation at various institutions including the Culinary Institute of America, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and the International Wine Center (NYC).
Her educational background includes a B.S. in Viticulture from Cornell University, guest student at the Geisenheim Institute in Germany and an M.S. in Enology from California State University at Fresno.
- FULL Moon Moonlight Cruise Sat August 17
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Midnite Mike, da blues man
Board 9:30. Sail 10:00-11:30 $8 pp. Reservations not needed.
Availability: Saturday, August 17
- Wine Pairing Luncheon Saturday August 24
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Board 10:30 a.m. Sail 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Plated/served.
Availabilities:
- Saturday, August 24
Price: $50 per person | 3 course + 3 wines with complimentary sparkling to start
Menu & Wines Still TBD. Wines & speaker from Fulkerson Winery in the Finger Lakes.
- Saranac Beer Tasting - Sunday, September 1
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Board 11:00 a.m. Sail 12 – 2 p.m.
Availabilities:
- Sunday, September 1
Price:
- $45 per person
- $35 (DD & those who don’t drink beer)
Here’s what to expect for your $45 per person-
Beer, BBQ and Blues:
- Boarding 11:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. with sailing 12 – 2 p.m.
- Must be 21 years to taste; DD can be under 21 years
- Matt Grainger entertaining (not just blues)
- Reservations appreciated
- Limited to 75 people
- BBQ fare includes fall-off-the-bone ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw, apple crisp
- Generous pours of Saranac’s latest
- Cash bar available
- Traditional Labor Day $5 Excursion
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Board 11:00 am. Sail 11:30-1:00 pm
Just $5 each. An $11 savings!
Beverage& snacks available for purchase.
- Adirondack Experience Members Only Exclusive Offering Sept 26 Thursday
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Exclusive for Adirondack Experience Members. Guided tour of Camp Pine Knot, the first Great Camp built by Durant and sold to Collis P Huntington of Southern Pacific RR fame. A tour of Pine Knot is a treat- it’s not open to the general public. You can only visit with special permission.
After the 90 minute tour, you’ll board the Durant at the Pine Knot dock and proceed with a plated, served luncheon cruise.
Availability: September 26, Thursday
Time commitment: 9:00am-1:30 pm
Price: $62 pp inclusive
- Traditional Columbus Day $5 Excursion
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Board 11:00 am. Sail 11:30-1:00 pm
Just $5 each. An $11 savings!
Beverages & snacks available for purchase.
- Snowflake Excursion w/ Cider & Cinnamon Fried Cakes - October 19
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Boarding at 1:30 p.m. Sailing 2:00-3:30. Reservations not required. Lower enclosed cabin heated. Cash bar. We can’t guarantee the snow, but we can guarantee a blast to close the 2019 season.
Availabilities:
- Saturday, October 19
Price:
- Adults: $16
- Under 12 years old: $10
- Under 4 years old: $5
What to Expect:
- Complimentary cider
- Doughnuts/fried cakes
- 1/2 price with comp pass
Raquette Lake Navigation
