Major rock and country music festival to debut in Lake George

A two-day festival featuring nationally renowned rock 'n roll and country music performers — the first event of its kind for the Lake George — is scheduled for this weekend in the village. This "American Music Festival for the Lake" is set for Saturday Sept. 20 and Sunday Sept. 21 in Charles Wood Park off West Brook Road. This festival is the first event to be held in the park's festival space. First of its kind for Lake George, this music festival headlines six rock groups of different genres on Saturday and five country-rock groups on Sunday. The festival also features an arts & crafts fair, food trucks, children's activities, beer and wine on festival grounds. Off-site activities nearby include children's amusement rides, themed boat cruises, pony rides, fireworks, hot-air balloon rides and parasail excursions — plus a Moonglow mass balloon lighting Saturday evening. Admission to the music festival grounds is a modest $15 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday for adults, and free for children under 14. Dave Ehmann of Improv Records said the event would be a fun memorable party, bringing enthusiasts of leading-edge rock 'n roll and country music to the village. An additional evening of hip-hop and rap music occurred Friday evening. Scheduled to perform at this music festival Saturday are the renowned Robert Randolph & the Family Band whose leader has won acclaim for his Hendrix-like riffs on the pedal steel guitar; Paranoid Social Club, a punk-pop trio that's achieved a cult status following two international hits; the famed NRBQ band that has riveted audiences with its repertoire of blues, rock and swing; the twang-rock alt-band North & South Dakotas; as well as Wild Adriatic, the Capital Region rockers that have earned national fame. Slated to perform at the fest Sunday are: the supergroup New Riders of the Purple Sage that once included members of the Grateful Dead and have been called "the cosmic cowboys of country rock; the Claire Lynch Band whose namesake was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year three times and has been nominated for two Grammys; Rosco Bandana, a southern band that blends country blues and folk; the Boston band Girls Guns & Glory which has gained thousands of fans during its recent international tours; plus area favorites The Stony Creek Band. A schedule of concerts and tickets can be viewed at www.festivalforthelake.com. A portion of all proceeds of the weekend's events are to go towards enhancing the ecological health of Lake George. The weekend is a expansion of last year's Festival for the Lake which raised more than $22,000 for the protection of Lake George's water quality. V.I.P. seating is available for $10 per day additional. "Super V.I.P." tickets" for $100 allow entry to the backstage hospitality tent with food and drinks, presumably with the opportunity to meet and greet performers. $50 of this premium charge goes towards thwarting invasive species in Lake George and qualifies as a charitable deduction. Lake George Mayor Robert Blais said Tuesday he has high expectations for the event. "Take home a wealth of memories and know that you've also helped to preserve our treasured Queen of America's Lakes," he said. Additional Friday hip-hop concert Friday night's concert featured the Cleveland group Bone Thugs 'n Harmony, which has sold 40 million records and won a Grammy in the 1990s. Concert production manager Dave Ehmann of Improv Records said he had high expectations for the weekend, and he was aiming at attracting a crowd of at least 1,500 on Friday and Sunday, and 2,500 on Saturday. "I wanted to bring the finest acts I could to Lake George now that the new festival space is open," he said. Details on the festival can be found — and tickets can be obtained — at www.festivalforthelake.com.

Signup for our newsletter

Major rock and country music festival to debut in Lake George

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS