The new Shepard Park amphitheater in the village of Lake George, opening officially in late June, will not only anchor events this summer, but drive tourism at the lake, officials and business owners say.
The latter are already seeing motel room reservations climb well in advance of the summer season, the Lake George Mirror was told.
Replacing a 1980s bandstand that was destroyed by fire in 2024, the new, $2.9 million stage complex is part of a much larger lakeside, outdoor performance space that took two years and roughly $5.5 million to complete.
“This is so much more than a bandstand,” said Mayor Ray Perry. “The new performance venue will be a game changer for Lake George and the whole area. We’ll be able to cater to the larger, national acts while retaining the regional acts,” Perry said.
Some renowned bands had declined invitations to perform in the past the Mayor said, because the old bandstand didn’t meet their needs.
The larger stage is supported by holding and green rooms and by advanced lighting, audio, visual and recording technology purchased at a cost of roughly half a million dollars.
A 46-ft-wide expanse of glass panels behind the performers on stage can be unfolded to allow music to drift toward the beach and boaters on the water.
“Shepard Park’s new stage is on par with the best in the country,” said Tanya Tobias-Tomis, the executive director of the Lake George Arts Project,
which produces weekly concerts as well the annual jazz weekend in the park.
“Typically, you do not see this level of design and engineering in a free-access venue. ‘What’s the return on the investment?’ a skeptic would ask. But Lake George recognizes there is a return on investment, and it’s this: Shephard Park creates experiences and memories that people will take home with them.”
A conference room below the stage overlooking the Lakefront Walkway, Shepard Park Beach, Lake George and French Mountain, “will be the most beautiful spot in the country,” said Perry.
An art gallery, to be called the Bandstand Gallery, accessible from the Walkway, will introduce new audiences to arts and crafts produced in the Lake George region.
Roughly $1.5 million was spent on reconstructing portions of the 115-year-old native stone tiered seating, as designed by Saratoga Springs-based Studio A Landscape Architecture and Engineering.
According to Mayor Perry, the tiered seating will continue along a hillside, thanks to contributions from private donors.
“So there’s more to come. We’re not done yet. We’re going to continue to improve Shepard Park, the most beautiful place in the country,” said Mayor Perry.
A version of this article first appeared on the Lake George Mirror, America’s oldest resort paper, covering Lake George and its surrounding environs. You can subscribe to the Mirror HERE.
Illustrations, from above: Lake George Shepard Park Amphitheater Bandstand under construction in May 2026 (photo by Adirondack Drone); and a rendering of the Bandstand provided by the New York Department of State.
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