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Lake George Dedicates the New Shepard Park Performance Stage with a Full Day of Free Live Music

  • Writer: Joe Blizzard
    Joe Blizzard
  • 5 days ago
  • 3 min read

It's a banner day in Lake George Village. Today, Friday, July 17, 2026, the Village of Lake George officially dedicates the brand-new Shepard Park Performance Stage on Canada Street, celebrating with public tours, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a full day of free live music right on the shore of Lake George. After two summers of making do with a temporary stage, the heart of the village's summer entertainment scene has a permanent home again — and it's a stunner.


A Comeback Two Years in the Making

A little over two years ago, the beloved Shepard Park bandshell was lost to an electrical fire. It would have been easy for the music to go quiet, but Lake George doesn't work that way. The village kept its free concerts and festivals running on a temporary stage through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and the crowds kept coming.

Today, that patience pays off. As reported by The Lake George Examiner, the new Shepard Park Performance Stage opens its doors with a celebration worthy of the wait — a true community win for the village, for local musicians, and for every visitor who has ever spread a blanket on the Shepard Park lawn on a summer evening.


A 46-Foot Window on the Lake

The new stage's signature feature is a 46-foot-wide fold-up clamshell window across the back wall. When it opens, audiences get an unobstructed view of Lake George glittering behind the performers — a backdrop no indoor venue in the world can match.

Downstairs, the building works just as hard. The lower level includes warm-up space for performers, a small conference room, an art gallery space, and a dedicated room for the Shepard Park Beach lifeguards. It's a smart, multi-purpose building designed to serve the park all season long.


A Full Day of Free Live Music

The dedication is an all-day, family-friendly affair, and everything is free. Public tours of the new stage begin at 11 a.m., so you can see the clamshell window and the new facilities up close before the music starts.

At noon, the Stony Creek Band kicks off the live music. Village officials hold the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m., and then the bands roll on: Blue Moon Band at 1:45 p.m., followed by The Switch, Jonathan Newell, and Rich Ortiz through the afternoon.


Fridays at the Lake Kicks Off Tonight

The celebration flows straight into the evening as the Fridays at the Lake Concert Series opens its 2026 season on the new stage. The Blues House Rockers take over at 6 p.m., and headliner E.B. Jeb closes out the night starting at 7:30 p.m.

There are few better ways to spend a July evening in the Adirondacks: live music, a lakeside lawn, and the sun setting over the mountains across the water.


More to Come All Summer at Shepard Park

The new stage gets no time to rest. The Lake George Community Band Festival arrives at Shepard Park on Saturday, July 18, and the 4th Annual Summer Loving Fun Fest takes over the park July 23-26 with live music, craft vendors, food trucks, and family fun.

Add in the weekly Thursday night fireworks over the lake through August 27, and Shepard Park is set to be the beating heart of Lake George all summer long — now with a world-class stage to match its world-class view.


Quick Facts

  • The new Shepard Park Performance Stage in Lake George Village, NY is officially dedicated on Friday, July 17, 2026.

  • The stage features a 46-foot-wide fold-up clamshell window with an unobstructed view of Lake George behind performers.

  • The lower level houses performer warm-up space, a conference room, an art gallery space, and a lifeguard room for Shepard Park Beach.

  • The original Shepard Park bandshell was lost to an electrical fire a little over two years ago; concerts continued on a temporary stage in 2024 and 2025.

  • Dedication day is free: tours at 11 a.m., live music from noon, ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., and the Fridays at the Lake series opener at 6 p.m. with headliner E.B. Jeb at 7:30 p.m.

  • Shepard Park is located on Canada Street in Lake George Village, steps from the lakefront and Shepard Park Beach.


If you're anywhere near the village today, wander down to Canada Street, grab a spot on the lawn, and be part of the first chapter of the new Shepard Park stage. Bring a chair, bring the kids, and stay for the music under the stars.

See you around the lake,

Greetings From Lake George

Cover image generated by AI.

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