Festivals for Foodies – Spring

Written by Jaynie Ellis

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 11 & 12, March 18 & 19, March 25 & 26

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 Maple Sugar Party on April 1st.

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!

Maple Farms:

Other Participating Locations:

Click here to download a directory/map.

Winter Meltdown Spicy Food Festival

Date: March 18

Time: 11 a.m. – 5p.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 26

Time: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Location: Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center

Cost: Early Bird Tickets – $20; Tickets at the Door – $25

Mark your calendar – after a 3-year hiatus 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! Eight 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 2023 Bands ‘n Beans Chili Contest champs include: Bean’s Country Store (1st Place), DownTown City Tavern (2nd Place), Andy’s Adirondack Grill (3rd Place), Holiday Inn Resort (Hot Stuff Award).

  • Matt Mirable & Alison Jacobs
  • The Switch
  • Stony Creek Band
  • Dirt Cheap
  • Big Sky Country
  • Mark and Jill Juniper
  • Tim Wechgelaer & Chris Carey
  • Radio Junkies

Early Bird Tickets are available online through March 24 – click here to purchase tickets.

Spring is Sweet, Maple in April

Date: April 15

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 29

Time: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Downtown Glens Falls

Cost: Tasting Tickets – $1 Per Ticket; Wing Eating Competition – $25 Registration Fee

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 among other award categories. Reigning champ is Gourmet Cafe who was crowned “Best Wings” by the judges at last year’s event, while the People’s Choice winner was the Bullpen Tavern.

Also taking place during the event will be the 2nd annual Michael Dubray Inferno Wing Eating Competition in honor of event founder and local radio DJ, Michael Dubray, who passed away in January 2022. Contestants will face off to see who can eat a dozen fiery wings the fastest – the winner receives a trophy and bragging rights.

Registration fees from the Inferno Wing Eating Competition go to the Michael Dubray Scholarship Fund – click here to sign-up.

Photo Credit: Jaynie Ellis 

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