As temperatures swung below zero, village residents hurried along the snowy sidewalks for the annual ritual of coronation. Emceed by Patti Sauvie of the Women’s Civic Chamber this year, the ceremony recognizes citizens young and old for civic engagement, volunteerism and achievement.

Even the third-graders chosen to be pages for the court shone with superstar qualities — and some glitter — as they strode solemnly between rows of seats in the auditorium and took their places on the stage.

Chamberlain Drew Benware provided sonorous announcements of names and awards, as well as a tribute to the “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” game show on National Public Radio. Benware entertained the crowd with stories of other festivals in other places and asked them to choose the least preposterous one by voting with their applause.

The six pages performed a dance to “Dancing in the Moonlight” that partook of a variety of different dance styles, from Mousketeers-type moves to hip-hop.

Saranac Lake High School seniors Kayleigh Merrill and Julian Gambacurta, attendants to the king and queen on the Winter Carnival Court, dance at Friday night’s Coronation. (Enterprise photo — Glynis Hart)

The court, made up of high school seniors, pulled off an amazing dance complete with the boys lifting and spinning the girls in the air.

Finally, the high school jazz band got the audience tapping their toes and swaying in their seats with two tightly executed pieces.

After many, many thanks to the sponsors of the event, more awards to individuals without whom Carnival would not happen, and many rounds of applause, the audience rose to its feet and headed for the royal reception.

It seemed only appropriate that King Clyde’s first act of his Winter Carnival reign was to take Queen Nancy by the hand and begin to dance.

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Royalty of this year’s Saranac Lake Winter carnival pose on the stage of the Harrietstown Town Hall Friday night. From left are Julian Gambacurta, King Clyde Baker, Queen Nancy LaBombard, Kayleigh Merrill, (front) Princess Victoria Smith, other members of the Court, pages Lily Zander, Ashlynn Tomaszewski and Madison Wilcox, and Archbishop Christine Bell. (Enterprise photo — Glynis Hart)

See and buy more photos from this event on our CU photo gallery.

The pages perform to “Dancing in the Moonlight” to an appreciative and noisy Coronation audience Friday night in the Harrietstown Town Hall. The pages are Trey Mariano, Madison Wilcox, Lucas Rogers, Ashlynn Tomaszewski, Brice Heery and Lily Zander. (Enterprise photo — Glynis Hart)

2017 Winter Carnival King John Wamsganz and Queen Anita Meserole take their last walk as royalty before passing their crowns to the new monarchs Friday night in the Harrietstown Town Hall. (Enterprise photo — Glynis Hart)