By Marianne Christy

One of the hockey contests at the 2014 Adirondack Ice Bowl. Photo by Gina Greco

Forty-four hockey teams from across the country will come to Inlet on Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24 to compete in the Adirondack Ice Bowl Pond Hockey Festival.

The action will take place on Fourth Lake in front of The Woods Inn with teams of four competing in three guaranteed games consisting of two 15-minute halves and a five-minute intermission.

Registration opens on Friday at 7:30 a.m. Preliminary round play is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

Food and beverages will be available on site at the Screamen Eagle Shanty on the Ice throughout the weekend.

Live music will also be provided both days. On Friday at 5 p.m. Double Barrel will perform in the Pavilion and at 9 p.m., Stage Door will play.

Molly and Jeff will play at 1 p.m. in the Pavilion and at 9 p.m., Last Left will take the stage.

Dueling Pianos will provide indoor entertainment in the Woods Inn Dining Room at 3:30 p.m.

Spectators can simultaneously watch the 4 p.m. Syracuse basketball game on Saturday at the on-the-ice Ice Bar or at the Pavilion.

Shuttle service will be available throughout the weekend, courtesy of the AIB.

Shuttles will run continuous loops from Inlet to Old Forge from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday, making stops at the Woods Inn, parking lots at Fern Park and Arrowhead Park, Rocky Point, Deer Meadows, Drake’s Inn, Northwoods Inn, The Tavern in Eagle Bay,  Daiker’s, Water’s Edge Inn, Old Forge Camping Resort, and Tony Harper’s Pizza and Clam Shack.

A complete schedule of events can be found at: adirondackicebowl.com