Following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival will return to Lake George on Saturday, June 25 & Sunday, June 26.
The summer kickoff event will feature more than 120 of New York’s best wineries, distilleries, breweries, cideries, artisan food producers, food trucks and more at the Lake George Festival Commons at Charles R. Wood Park in Lake George Village.
The family friendly event is one of the most celebrated wine and food events in the Northeast, and over 7,700 attendees are expected this year.
“Two years ago, we didn’t know when we’d be able to hold this festival again,” said Sasha Pardy, who founded the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival in 2014. “Now, with our festival only a month away, we are 100% committed to bringing our guests the experience they have come to know and love over the years: Sampling the state’s best craft beverage and food products with beautiful Lake George as their backdrop!”
The last Adirondack Wine & Food Festival was held in June 2019. Over 6,700 guests attended, with 73 percent of attendees saying they planned a trip to the Lake George area specifically to attend the festival.
Tickets for this year’s festival are selling at a record pace.
“This tells us our event has been missed and we look forward to giving our attendees an experience they’ll never forget,” Pardy said.
The 2022 Festival is expected to generate 4,745 overnight stays in the area and produce a $3.6 million economic impact on the region.
“As the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival returns from their pandemic hiatus, the event is attracting even more new and different visitors,” said Gina Mintzer, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. “The event producers have been very strategic in their growth plans that enhance the Lake George vacation brand of unique experiences. Because of their efforts, the festival continues as a substantial economic engine for the region adding tremendous impact to the area.”
For a third time, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks (BBBS) will return as the festival beneficiary. A portion of every ticket sold is donated to this incredible organization that provides mentorship, tutoring and experiences to youth in Warren, Washington, and northern Saratoga counties. BBBS raised $15,000 at the 2019 Festival and this year’s goal is even higher!
“It has been a long two years for everyone,” said Bill Moon, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks. “Opportunities to come together to have some fun while also helping our kids are more important than ever before!
“We currently have the longest waitlist in our 47-year history with over 100 youth waiting to be matched,” he added. “Every child has potential and it’s our job to defend that potential, and we are doing that with the support of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival.”
Volunteers from BBBS will make sure everyone stays hydrated by selling Origin premium spring water bottles, generously sponsored by Blue Triton Brands.
Big Brothers Big Sisters also operates the Drop-Off / Pick-Up Tent, where guests can “check” the beverages and foods they purchase at the festival until they are ready to leave.
Throughout the weekend, attendees can view special events at the festival’s Culinary & Cocktail Tent. There will be culinary demonstrations by the festival’s official celebrity chef: Chef Eric Hudson of Hudson’s Private Chef Services.
Join Mixology sponsor Mixaritas at the tent, where owner Kelli Hatin and guest mixologists will shake up craft cocktails prepared from vendors’ ingredients.
There will even be “Iron Chef”-style cooking competitions with “secret” ingredients from festival vendors.
The festival will introduce live entertainment for the first time this year. Included in every ticket, attendees will see “wandering” entertainers across the festival grounds throughout the weekend, including Magician TJ Clancy, a West African Drum Circle from Rural Soul music studio, dance performances from Dynamic Dance Works, and stilt walker / aerialist Jessica Black.
For the first time, the festival will also have VIP cabanas both days. These luxurious “glamping tents” are provided and sponsored by the Adirondack Safari glamping campground in Warrensburg, and their mobile glamping company, Glamp ADK.
This year’s festival will feature 24+ wineries, 15+ distilleries, 3+ breweries, 4 cideries, 3 meaderies, 10+ food trucks, 25+ artisan food vendors, 4 non-alcoholic beverage producers, and 10+ craft and specialty vendors.
In addition to one- and two-day tasting tickets, VIP, designated driver, and underage tickets are available (children under 15 years old are free). DD and underage attendees may sample artisan foods and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as have access to food trucks and all festival activities.
Additional family friendly offerings include a Kids’ Activity Tent sponsored by Fun Spot, a natural playground and skatepark at the venue, and a photobooth operated by On the Spot Photos.
Tickets will be available at the door; however, VIP and Saturday tickets have sold out in the past so advance ticket purchase is recommended. More event details will be provided to current ticket holders and subscribers via the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival email newsletter, social media accounts (@adkwinefestLG), and at adkwinefest.com.
A complete vendor list will be released in June, but the current vendor list is available at adkwinefest.com/vendors.
When: Saturday, June 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (VIP Ticket Holders can enter an hour early)
Where: Lake George Festival Commons at Charles R. Wood Park 17 West Brook Road, Lake George, NY 12845
Ticket Information:
One-Day General Admission Tasting Ticket: $45 Saturday, $40 on Sunday.
Includes sampling at all booths, a souvenir wine glass, a reusable eco-friendly bag, use of the Drop-Off / Pick-Up Tent and a program guide.
Weekend Warrior 2-Day Tasting Ticket: $75 (an $85 value!).
Includes all perks of a General Admission Ticket, but with access to both days of the festival!
VIP 2-Day Tasting Ticket: $99 (a $170 value!).
Includes everything in the Weekend Warrior Ticket, plus 1-hour early entry both days, the ability to skip the General Admission entry line when you arrive, exclusive front-row seats at the Culinary Tent (with free food & cocktail samples, while supplies last). Also includes a 6-bottle reusable wine tote, a collectable sticker, a wine glass holder necklace, a bottle of Saratoga Spring Water, a 10% discount on festival merchandise, VIP discounts at participating vendor booths and a coupon book with $300+ in savings. VIP Cabanas – which were available at added cost – have sold out for the event.
One-Day Designated Driver / Underage Ticket: $15.
Includes sampling from artisan food vendors, a reusable eco-friendly bag, a program, a bottle of water and a souvenir wine glass.
About Adirondack Festivals LLC:
Founded in 2014, Adirondack Festivals LLC is based out of Queensbury, N.Y., and owned by Sasha Pardy, who is also the co-owner and president of Adirondack Winery, the presenting sponsor of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival. The festival is held annually, the last weekend of June, at the Lake George Festival Commons in Lake George, N.Y. It is generously supported by Warren County Tourism and many local and corporate sponsors.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks:
Since 1975, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks has changed the lives of children by matching them with caring adults who guide them on a path to success throughout Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
For vendor and ticket information, images, videos, logos, and more, please visit:
www.adkwinefest.com/media
