SARANAC LAKE -- All kinds of animals are crawling out of the woodwork.

But not the usual suspect camp invaders.

They're creatures crafted from big hunks of wood under clever hands of wood carvers around the country.

UNVEILINGS PLANNED

Five Adirondack Carousel creatures are to be unveiled in the next few weeks, with five others due to arrive by mid winter.

"Hank" the Heron, made by carver Leo Lambert of Woburn, Mass., was brought to the village in June, where he stands floor to ceiling in Cinderella's storefront window, gawking over Broadway with a big wooden fish in his mouth.

The thrush carousel seat will be unveiled Saturday by carver Tracy Kochanski of Westfield, Mass., in a 3 p.m. public celebration at Greens and Beans Cafe.

A bobcat, caught in a playful pounce, arrives at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake amid great fanfare at noon Friday, July 18, with carver Bob Eck from Plantation, Fla.

And the beaver by Carl Borst of Rotterdam and skunk seat carved by Tom Hozinger of Roanoke, Ind., will be revealed together at the Saranac Lake Block Party on Aug. 7.

"This is a very busy, busy time for us," said Sarah Greenwood, spokeswoman for the Adirondack Carousel project, as the herd comes home.

23 PLANNED

The creatures, each struck by a brass pole -- which someday will be smudged in small fingerprints -- have been carvers' works in progress for several years.

Boldly painted and embellished with harness ornaments, the Adirondack Carousel will be installed once 20 characters are ready, Greenwood said.

Several, like the large-mouth bass and the black fly, are already housed in public places, awaiting the final parade to the Adirondack Carousel pavilion.

The five additional creatures coming this fall and winter -- the turtle, fox, moose, frog and bear -- will bring the finished number to 17.