Champ Day - Port Henry, New York

Champ Day - Port Henry, New York

Sponsored by the Moriah Chamber of Commerce, the 28th-annual Champ Day has games, sidewalk sales, street vendors, entertainment, pony rides and a foot race. For 2009, Champ Day in Port Henry featured both legendary lake monster Champ and French explorer Samuel de Champlain (interestingly young versions of both and definitely not threatening).

As part of the festivities, a Champ Hunt started at 9 a.m. and featured "Champ Dollars" from local businesses. Champ Dollars were redeemed for actual money at Sagan's Department Store on Main Street. Mountain Lake Services held a 2.5-mile Champ Chase Race at 10:30 a.m. starting at the corner of St. Patrick's Place and Main Street in Port Henry. A disc jockey and live entertainment performed throughout the day on the steps of the Lee House and a book sale was held at the Sherman Free Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Actor Michael Blakeley, who played Samuel de Champlain in the PBS documentary, recreated his role at Champ Day. Blakeley was also at the Fort Ticonderoga 100th anniversary weekend, and the dedication of Champlain Legacy Park in Ticonderoga.

Champ Day annually celebrates the famed lake creature, Champ, who has been mostly seen in Port Henry's Bulwagga Bay. Port Henry is pretty sure that Champ lives in their harbor. They celebrate his existence with their Annual Champ Day celebration. The resident monster, affectionately known as "Champ" or the nickname "Champy," has been sighted for as long as people have been in this part of the Adirondacks. Old stories of the Native American tribes that lived near Lake Champlain confirm that they believed a "horned serpent" lived in the lake.

Modern sightings of Champ started in Bulwagga Bay, Port Henry in 1819. This remains an excellent place to launch a Champ search.