UPDATE— Adirondack Wine & Food Festival cancelled for 2020
The 6th Annual Adirondack Wine & Food Festival that was rescheduled from June to September 2020 has been cancelled.
This festival has become an annual tradition and will return June 26 & 27, 2021. Mark your calendars!
In the meantime, please visit our map to learn more about local craft-beverage producers. Buy local and support local makers.
Read a news release below from the organizers:
LAKE GEORGE, NY — It is with a heavy heart that Adirondack Festivals LLC today announced it will cancel the 2020 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The 6th annual festival was originally scheduled for June 27th & 28th, 2020, at the Lake George Festival Commons in Lake George Village. In April, the festival was rescheduled to September, while organizers worked tirelessly to ensure the festival would adhere to state and local guidelines designed to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
However, with so much uncertainty about protocols for large events, and with the health and safety of attendees, vendors, volunteers and employees put first, organizers decided it was best to cancel this year’s festival, said Sasha Pardy, owner of Adirondack Festivals LLC.
“The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival is one of the most anticipated annual events in the Lake George region and is typically the unofficial summer kickoff for many wine and food lovers from across the Northeast,” Pardy said. “Over the past several months, we held out hope that we would be able to provide our attendees with the experience they have come to know and love, including sampling from more than 120 of New York’s best wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries and artisan food vendors. However, it has become clear that we would not be able to hold an event we, our attendees or vendors would be happy with. While it pains me to have to cancel an event that so many people look forward to every year, we feel this is the best option for everyone involved. Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival community.”
Last year, festival attendees came from 32 states and Canada to attend the event. Recent increases of COVID-19 cases across the country, and New York requiring a 14-day quarantine for travelers from more than 30 states, presented additional challenges, Pardy said.
“Additionally, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival holds a temporary Farmer’s Market permit from New York state. Current Farmer’s Market guidelines prohibit any form of entertainment, seating and sampling on premises, which are all elements our festival thrives on,” Pardy added.
Refunds will be issued to all 2020 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival ticket holders.
Pardy said the 2021 festival will be held on June 26th & 27th (the last weekend in June, like it normally does every year.)
In the meantime, festival organizers will get back to work planning next year’s event and continuing their fundraising efforts to benefit the festival beneficiary, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.
This incredible organization that connects local children with caring adults who provide social support, mental health services, tutoring, experiences and so much more, has had their ability to raise money ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the festival beneficiary, BBBS was to receive a portion of every ticket sold and proceeds from water and merchandise sold at the festival. Last year, this fundraising totaled over $15,000; money that will be greatly missed, especially with BBBS having to cancel numerous other fundraising events already this year, said Bill Moon, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.
“We are saddened to hear that we will not be able to partner with the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival this year,” Moon said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taken so much from so many and while we are disappointed, we remain thankful for such wonderful community partners like the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival and the presenting sponsor Adirondack Winery. The children and families we serve need us now more than ever. Our path forward remains unclear, but I am confident our community will get through these troubling times. We want to thank Adirondack Wine & Food Festival for their commitment to our youth and we look forward to partnering with them and seeing all of you at next year’s festival!”
Anyone who can afford to help BBBS in their time of need is greatly encouraged to do so. To donate, please go to adkwinefest.com/bbbs
The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival features New York’s best wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, artisan food vendors, food trucks and more. Held in a gorgeous setting, with beautiful Lake George as its backdrop, the festival is a try-before-you-buy farmer’s market style event that also generates a tremendous economic impact on the surrounding Lake George region.
Last year’s festival generated a $3.5 million economic impact, with over 4,000 hotel room nights generated in the area – and this year’s festival attendance was expected to surpass 7,250. Survey data shows 85% of festival attendees plan their trip to Lake George specifically around the dates of the ADK Wine & Food Festival, further pointing out its importance to the regional economy.
Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB said, “We are so very sad to have this beloved festival canceled as it has introduced a broad spectrum of local craft beverage and food makers to thousands of patrons over the past six years. We know the festival organizers are acting in the best interests of our community. Though we can’t gather now, we encourage people to buy local and support these producers and artisans any way they can. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and economy.”
Joanne Conley, tourism director at Warren County Tourism said, “Sasha pours her heart and soul into all of her endeavors and the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival is no exception. She began rethinking festival strategy in the early stages of the pandemic and never gave up hope that a safe event could take place this year. There is no doubt in my mind that Sasha and her team are already thinking about a bigger and better 2021 festival.”
Ticket holders will be contacted about the event cancelation and can expect to receive their refund in 1 to 2 weeks.
We are very hopeful that ticket holders will continue to support the festival to ensure it can be held next year and for years to come and to support an incredible organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.
About Adirondack Festivals LLC:
Founded in 2014, Adirondack Festivals LLC is based out of Queensbury, N.Y., and owned by Sasha Pardy, who is also the co-owner and president of Adirondack Winery, the presenting sponsor of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival. The festival is held annually, the last weekend of June, at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George, N.Y. It is generously supported by Warren County Tourism.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks:
Since 1975, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks has changed the lives of children by matching them with caring adults who guide them on a path to success throughout Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
