By Arthur Gonick
Saratoga TODAY
LAKE GEORGE – I’ve been waiting for this one all summer.
Yes, it’s still summer, folks – though the autumnal chill has descended and the foliage transformation has begun. It’s easy to tout you to a bunch of established entities, festivals and events. But we do our job best here at PULSE Central when we tell you about something that could be the next big thing. And this is the contender for that title.
On a weekend chock-full of great choices, what you have before you is the “Reese’s Pieces” of music festivals: To paraphrase: two great genres that sound better together.
The American Music Festival for the Lake is a two-day music festival and community block party, with a heart –
benefitting a Lake George “clean waters” nonprofit and celebrating the opening of the new Charles R Wood eco-park in the village of Lake George.
Rock and roll is the central focus on Saturday’s performers, while Country rules the day on Sunday. And yet, within each of these broad crowd-pleasing categories, there is so much more.
Music highlights include performances by the international blues-funk superstar Robert Randolph & The Family Band and classic rockers NRBQ on Saturday (Rock Day) as well as cosmic cowboys New Riders of the Purple Sage and the female voice of bluegrass, Claire Lynch, on Sunday (Country Day). A total of eleven acts will perform, including Paranoid Social Club (pop-punk), Wild Adriatic (neo-soul rock), North and South Dakotas (alt-twang), Rosco Bandana (southern Americana), Stony Creek Band (country-rock), Girls Guns & Glory (alt-country) and Rich Ortiz (singer-songwriter) round out the lineups over the two days.
In addition to the music, a full array of family fun is also on tap, including: a Kids Zone, a Saturday night balloon “moonglow” and fireworks, the Flashlight 5K for road runners, arts and crafts vendors and an array of food and drink.
Admission is $15 Saturday, $10 on Sunday, with kids under 14 admitted at no charge. Reserved seating is available on either day for an additional $10. A portion of each admission supports the clean water efforts of the Save Lake George Partnership in its efforts to control the invasive species threat.
For additional information, directions, to buy tickets and updated schedules, visit FestivalForTheLake.com
