Americade ready to roll
50,000 bikers expected to gather in Lake George for week
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. » More than 50,000 touring motorcyclists will descend on Lake George for the week-long 35th annual Americade, which kicks off Monday.
Concerts, comedy acts, demo rides and boat cruises are just some of the activities in store for riders who visit from throughout the U.S. and overseas.
During opening night activities, starting at 6 p.m. at the Fort William Henry Hotel, Yamaha will unveil a new touring motorcycle, its biggest announcement of the year.
“There’s a lot of buzz around it already,” said Americade director Christian Dutcher. “There’s going to be a live global feed. We’ve never done this before here.”
Opening night will also include live music, a motorcycle stunt show and a ghost tour at the Fort
William Henry Museum.
Dutcher’s goal each year is to add new features and attractions, while retiring others, so that no matter how often people visit, there’s always something different and exciting. Last year, for example, he added DirtDaze, a separate but related rally headquartered at the Painted Pony Ranch, for adventure riders who prefer dirt roads, which are found throughout the Adirondacks.
“It was really well-received, so we’re continuing it this year,” he said.
The new Lake George Festival Commons space gives Americade a venue for attracting top-level entertainers. The concert lineup for Saturday features Molly Hatchet, one of America’s most famous southern rock bands, which plays a mixture of rock and roll, blues, country and gospel, reminiscent of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The concert lineup also includes Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, best know for its 1972 hit song “Hot Rod Lincoln,” and the Mallett Brothers Band from Maine.
TourExpo, Americade’s large trade show, featuring with hundreds of vendors, will have live music this year for the first time, as well.
Of course, the main reason people visit Americade is to enjoy rides through the picturesque surrounding region. Several different guided day trips are planned through the Adirondacks and to Vermont, with stops at historic covered bridges and quaint country inns.
Numerous seminars and classes are also scheduled, where industry experts share the latest tips, trends and news about motorcycling. More than a dozen manufacturers, from Harley-Davidson to BMW, will also give people a chance to try out their bikes with demo rides.
Barbecues, boat cruises, fireworks and the Northeast Drill Team Championship, which sees riders weave in and out in formation, are just a few of the many other activities planned. People are also encouraged to visit local attractions such as Great Escape and the Adirondack Eagle Flyer zipline.
Things kick into high gear Thursday night with a 9:30 p.m. Light Parade through the village, as motorcycles are illuminated after dark. This will be followed by a Festival of Lights at 9:40 p.m., a fire juggler at Fort William Henry, and judging at 10 p.m. for bestdecorated and most-colorful bikes.
A second, larger parade is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, when hundreds of bikes will rumble through the village, quite often with riders dressed in crazy costumes.
Americade has an estimated $50 million regional economic impact, including money spent on lodging, meals, fuel, supplies and entertainment. Dutcher’s parents, Bill and Ginny, founded the event and are still involved in keeping things running smoothly. Ginny oversees the registration desk, while Christian sent his 76-year-old father on a mission to scout out dirt roads for visitors to ride in the Adirondacks.
“He loves it,” Christian said.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.tourexpo.com.