20th Annual Lake George Community Band Festival Returns to Shepard Park July 18

Mark your calendars, music lovers: the Lake George Community Band Festival returns to Shepard Park in Lake George Village on Saturday, July 18, 2026, celebrating its 20th year with a full day of free live music on the shore of the Queen of American Lakes. Community bands from across the Northeast and Canada will fill the lakeside park with brass, woodwinds, and percussion beginning at noon — and this year, the milestone festival gets to show off Shepard Park's brand-new amphitheater.

A Milestone Year for a Beloved Lake George Tradition

Twenty years is a remarkable run for any community event, and the Lake George Community Band Festival has earned every candle on its cake. The first festival was held in 2006, and in the two decades since it has grown into the largest band festival of its kind in the Northeast.

The event has evolved along the way, too. What began as a multi-day gathering has been reimagined as a high-energy, single-day musical marathon — an entire festival's worth of performances packed into one unforgettable summer Saturday.

A Full Day of Free Music by the Lake

Performances begin at noon at Shepard Park, right on the waterfront in the heart of Lake George Village. Community bands travel from all over the Northeast — and even from Canada — to take the stage one after another through the afternoon.

Best of all, the festival is completely free. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket, stake out a spot on the grass, and settle in for hours of marches, show tunes, and big-band favorites with the lake and the Adirondack mountains as your backdrop.

The New Shepard Park Amphitheater Takes Center Stage

This year's festival arrives just in time to enjoy Shepard Park's new state-of-the-art performance space. The upgraded venue features a new stage with a 46-foot rear wall and modern sound, lighting, and visual systems — a worthy successor to the park's former bandshell.

For a festival built entirely around live performance, it's a game-changing debut. Two decades of community music now have a lakeside stage to match the occasion.

From a Centennial Celebration to a Northeast Tradition

The Lake George Community Band itself predates the festival. The band came together in 2003 as part of the Centennial Celebration of Lake George Village, and three years later it launched the first festival at Shepard Park.

Today, the hometown band anchors the event and plays gracious host to visiting ensembles, turning a local celebration into a regional tradition that brings musicians and audiences back to the lake year after year.

Make a Day of It in Lake George Village

Shepard Park sits right on Canada Street, steps from the village's shops, restaurants, ice cream stands, and public beach. Arrive early for a swim, wander the shoreline between sets, or hop aboard a steamboat cruise before the music starts.

Stick around after the final number, too — summer evenings in Lake George Village mean golden light over the mountains and some of the prettiest sunset views in the Adirondacks.

Quick Facts

• What: 20th Annual Lake George Community Band Festival

• When: Saturday, July 18, 2026 — performances begin at noon

• Where: Shepard Park, Lake George Village, NY

• Cost: Free and open to the public

• Who: Community bands from across the Northeast and Canada

• Claim to fame: The largest band festival of its kind in the Northeast

• New this year: Shepard Park's state-of-the-art amphitheater stage

• History: First festival held in 2006; the Lake George Community Band formed in 2003 for the Village Centennial

More Live Music All Summer Long

Can't make it on July 18? The Lake George Community Band performs free concerts at Shepard Park throughout the summer season, including Thursday evening dates on July 16 and July 30. Details for the festival and the full concert schedule are available from the Lake George Community Band (lgcb.org) and the lakegeorge.com events calendar.

So grab a blanket, bring the family, and come help a great local tradition celebrate its 20th birthday in style.

See you around the lake,

Greetings From Lake George

Cover image generated by AI.