04 Mar Annual Events to Plan Your Lake George Camping Trip Around
The Lake George area is home to a wide variety of seasonal, annual events ranging from motorcycle rallies to food fests, Independence Day concerts, car shows, music festivals, and more. There’s truly something for everyone! The region is also home to some of the best camping, with the scenic Adirondack mountains so close. So, why not plan your camping adventure at Lake George Campsites around one of these staple events for an epic, fun-filled family vacation? Seems like a no-brainer to us!
Spring Events
Americade
Americade is a large-scale annual motorcycle rally that takes place in Lake George in the spring. It’s a week-long celebration, typically the first week of June, that includes everything from guided motorcycle rides in the Adirondack Park to demonstrations of the latest bikes and gear, a huge trade show, boat cruises, fireworks, concerts, comedy shows, charity events, and more. Top companies like Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Triumph, and Suzuki are there to show off the latest and greatest in bikes, parts, helmets, clothing, and accessories.
And unlike many other motorcycle events across the country, Americade is known for its family-friendly environment. If you’re a biker, Americade is an event you don’t want to miss. Bring the whole family along and spend a week enjoying all that the Lake George region has to offer. As a host property for Americade, we welcome motorcyclists with open arms. We’ve got plenty of space for you and your bikes, whether it be at a full hookup RV site, a no hookup tent site, or parked in front of one of our fully equipped cottages.
Adirondack Wine & Food Festival
The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival is a newer event in the area, but it has quickly become a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Adirondack Winery presents the two-day celebration of all things food and beverage at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons. The event typically takes place at the end of June.
The festival showcases some of the best wineries, breweries, distilleries, artisan food vendors, and craft vendors that the area has to offer, with samplings and demonstrations. It’s a family-friendly event, as kids under 15 get free admission. There’s also a kid’s activity tent on site, a playground, and a skate park located just outside of the festival grounds to help keep kids entertained all day long. After a long day of sampling delicious adult beverages and local grub, you can take the quick drive down the road to Lake George Campsites and spend a relaxing evening by the campfire with your family and friends.
Summer Events
Independence Day Celebrations
The Lake George area is a truly happenin’ place to celebrate Independence Day. They’ve got everything from fireworks to live music, festivals, museum exhibits, sporting events, and more! Check out our previous blog post that details 25 ways to celebrate July 4 in the region.
The Village of Lake George puts on an impressive fireworks display each year that can be viewed along the waterfront. The Glens Falls Symphony holds an annual Summer Pops Concert at Crandall Park that includes an evening of beloved popular tunes and a fireworks display set to classics like “Stars and Stripes Forever.” If you’re into roller coasters, Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury has its annual Coca-Cola July 4 Fest. (Don’t forget we’re one of the best campgrounds near Great Escape – just down the road!)
Not only that, but we will have a whole host of activities onsite at Lake George Campsites for our guests. Last year’s festivities included food trucks, patriotic crafts, family Olympics, a DJ dance party, yard games, a bike parade, movie nights, and more. Hurry up and book your July 4 weekend stay now, as this is one of the most popular weekends for Lake George camping, and we are sure to sell out!
Adirondack Independent Music Festival
The Adirondack Independent Music Festival is a three-day, multi-band event at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in the heart of Lake George. The event typically takes place the first weekend in September. The festival “prides itself on high-quality production and an amazing atmosphere that is suitable for all ages.”
The 2023 lineup included incredible artists, including Moe and Dark Star Orchestra. The festival also includes a fantastic beer and wine selection, a full bar, and some of the area’s finest food and merchandise vendors.
With Lake George Campsites being just a 10-minute drive away, it’s the perfect spot to make your homebase during your music festival excursion. You won’t regret planning your vacation around “Lake George’s biggest party of the year!”
Lake George Music Festival
If classical music is more your jam, you’ll definitely want to check out the annual Lake George Music Festival in mid-August. This two-week event offers audiences the opportunity to experience classical music within a historic and scenic setting at the Carriage House at Fort William Henry. The festival brings artists from all over the world to show off their talents through a mix of solo concerts, chamber music performances, open rehearsals, public receptions, and informational talks.
After a day of listening to Brahms and Mahler, you can return to your cozy campsite at our Lake George campground and unwind with a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers. You can even take a quick dip in the pool to cool off after a hot summer day (yes, we’re one of the few Lake George campgrounds with a pool).
Fall Events
Adirondack Balloon Festival
The Adirondack Balloon Festival has been a staple fall event in the Lake George region for fifty years! Typically near the end of September, this event brings hot air balloonists from across the country and around the world to Lake George to display their wide variety of hot air balloons for all to see. This event attracts thousands of people each year who gather in different locations, like Crandall Park and the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, to marvel at the vibrant balloons that take to the skies.
After spending the day staring up at the sky, you can spend the evening staring at the beautiful swirling colors of a campfire at Lake George Campsites. We’ve got firewood, firepits, smores supplies, and anything else you could possibly need for the perfect evening outdoors.
Lake George Jazz Weekend
If you are a fan of jazz music, you’ll want to plan your trip to the area around Jazz at the Lake. This mid-September FREE event will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 and is considered one of the Northeast’s premier jazz festivals. The festival is put on by The Lake George Arts Project and “promotes artistic expression, creates enriching cultural experiences, and supports artists and our local economy.”
So come and enjoy the sounds of jazz played by talented musicians from across the country with Lake George as a gorgeous backdrop, and then retire for the evening to your cozy, amenity-filled cottage at Lake George Campsites. What could be better?
Adirondack Nationals Car Show
The Adirondack Nationals Car Show, “Upstate New York’s premiere muscle car show,” has been in business for more than thirty years. What started as a small show with a few local car enthusiasts has grown into an event with over 1,500 cars and more than 200 vendors. The event typically takes place the second week of September and runs from Thursday through Sunday.
If you are into classic cars, planning your Lake George vacation around this event just makes sense. Car show weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the camping season for us at Lake George Campsites, and we want you to join in on the fun! Reserve your stay now, as the weekend will sell out.
Plan Your Travel
Our 2024 season at Lake George Campsites runs from May 1 through October 14, so let us be your lodging choice for all of these Lake George events. Whether you’re popping a tent, parking your RV, or relaxing in one of our cozy cabins, you’ll have everything you need for a truly memorable family vacation in the Adirondacks.