Attention Foodies: You need to add these festivals to your bucket list! The Lake George Area has an abundance of food festivals taking place throughout the year in which restaurants exhibit their variety of cuisines, while chefs show off their culinary talents and innovative recipes. Sample and shop award-winning artisan foods, craft beverages, and organically-grown produce. One of the best ways to experience the Lake George Area is to eat like the locals!
March, April, and May features sticky sweet maple syrup and hot & spicy flavors. Here is the Spring Edition of our Festivals for Foodies series:
Thurman Maple Days
Dates: March 14 & 15, March 21 & 22, March 28 & 29
Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Multiple Locations in the Town of Thurman
Cost: Free to Attend
Got Maple? Thurman Maple Days is one of New York’s largest maple festivals, taking place over three glorious spring weekends in the month of March. Attend this sticky-sweet food festival to learn how your favorite pancake topper is made. Thurman, an Original Vacation destination, is home to generations of maple producers and maple farms with their own unique history and tap-to-table process. Their sugar houses will be open for the public to tour and taste, sample and shop, pure Adirondack maple syrup and other maple-flavored products like candies, baked goods, snack foods, coffees, teas, and more. Don’t miss out on the pancake breakfasts every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Valley Road Maple Farm or the Traditional Jack-Wax Community Party.
Neighboring farms also share in the maple mania. Martin’s Lumber hosts an artisan market and operates sawmill demonstrations, while Nettle Meadow Farm & Sanctuary gives farm tours and holds tastings of their award-winning cheeses. There is a lot in store for this short but sweet springtime event!
2026 tour hosts are as follows:
Maple Farms:
- Valley Road Maple Farm – 190 Valley Rd.
- Hidden Hollow Maple Farm – 312 Dippikill Rd.
- Toad Hill Maple Farm – 137 Charles Olds Rd.
- Mud Street Maple – 269 Mud St.
- Candy Mountain Maple – Corner of Mountain Rd. and Don Potter Rd.
Other Participating Locations:
- Martin’s Lumber & Artisan Market – 280 Valley Rd.
- Nettle Meadow Farm & Sanctuary – 484 South Johnsburg Rd.
- Thurman Town Hall – 311 Athol Rd.
- TEF Braids - 572 High St.
Click here to download the 2025 directory/map. Stay tuned for 2026's directory/map!
Up Yonda Maple Festival
Date: March 7
Time: Tours every half hour from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Up Yonda Farm Environmental Education Center
Cost: $6 person + $5 per vehicle with the Day Use Pass
Discover even more about the craft of sugaring at the Up Yonda Maple Festival. Venture out on a naturalist-led trek into the sugarbush at Up Yonda Farm, and partake in an hour-long interactive and informative tour. Tap a tree to taste the fresh maple sap, and – of course – sample some legendary northeast maple syrup.
Winter Meltdown Spicy Food Festival
Date: March 21
Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: The Shirt Factory & Cooper Street Parking Lot
Cost: Free to Attend
Can you handle the heat? Local chefs and food trucks will show off their versatility with flavors and spices at The Shirt Factory’s Winter Meltdown Spicy Food Festival. Vendors will set up inside The Shirt Factory building and in the Cooper Street Parking Lot for you to sample their small-batch foods, sauces, and spice mixes, as well as craft beverages, deserts, and baked goods.
The Shirt Factory is a historic building home to a community of artist’s studios, galleries, healing boutiques, and retail shops that will also be open during this event.
Bands N' Beans!
Date: March 29
Time: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center
Cost: Early-Bird Tickets - $30 / Tickets at the Door - $35
Mark your calendar – Bands N' Beans is back on! Brought to you by the Lake George Arts Project, 20+ regional restaurants will participate in this chili festival and competition where YOU vote for the winners! A lineup of bands will take the stage at this event that marks winter’s end and the beginning of spring in the North Country.
And the results are in! Your 2025 Bands N' Beans Chili Contest champs include: The Tannery at Gore Mountain (1st Place), Bean's Country Store (2nd Place), The Lagoon (3rd Place), TR's Restaurant (Hot Stuff Award), The Lakeside Restaurant & Tavern (Director's Cut), Jamo's Pub (Baby Bean).
Spring is Sweet, Maple in April
Date: April 18
Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: The Shirt Factory & Cooper Street Parking Lot
Cost: Free to Attend
Maple madness continues from March into April with The Shirt Factory’s Spring is Sweet, Maple in April festival! Sample specialty maple and spring-related items from local chefs, food trucks, and vendors that set up inside The Shirt Factory and in the Cooper Street Parking Lot.
The Shirt Factory is a historic building home to a community of artist’s studios, galleries, healing boutiques, and retail shops that will also be open during this event.
Glens Falls Wing Fest
Date: April 25
Time: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Downtown Glens Falls
Cost: Free to Attend; Vendors have their own pricing.
Wing Fest returns to downtown Glens Falls! Gather with other chicken wing connoisseurs to taste test wings from various restaurant vendors set up along Glen, Ridge, Bay, and Maple Street. Vote alongside local celebrity judges for the “Best Wings” in the city. Reigning champ is Seasoned (SUNY Adirondack) who was crowned “People's Choice” and Southpaw Bistro who was crowned “Judge’s Choice”.
Also taking place during the event will be the annual Michael Dubray Inferno Wing Eating Competition in honor of the event's late founder and local radio DJ, Michael Dubray. Contestants will face off to see who can eat a dozen fiery wings the fastest – the winner receives a trophy and bragging rights.
Photo Credit: Jaynie Ellis
*Originally published on March 7, 2023.