LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) – On Tuesday, the sun shone on one of the village of Lake George’s biggest, and loudest, events of the year.
Americade organizer Christian Dutcher said things had come together well for the returning year of the annual touring motorcycle festival. On Tuesday, the first hundreds of what would be sure to be thousands of bikers rode into town.
Those bikers will spend the week riding through the Adirondacks and out into Vermont. Dutcher works directly with the towns that become the most popular destinations for riders, to make sure nobody gets overwhelmed.
He says Lake Placid is usually the most popular destination on riders’ lists.
See photos from the start of Americade on Tuesday:
Mama Riso’s says hello to Americade riders in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Friends Matt, Paul, David and Jim stop for breakfast at Howard Johnson’s before setting off for the start of Americade in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes parked for Americade on Tuesday morning at Howard Johnson’s in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes parked for Americade on Tuesday morning in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes motorized and traditional like ride to Charles R. Wood Park. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Some stuffed animals come along for the ride. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Yuasa Battery employees give free battery checks to bikers set to ride into the Adirondacks on Tuesday morning in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
An outdoor Americade marketplace runs all week at Charles R. Wood Park in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Yuasa Battery employees give free battery checks to bikers set to ride into the Adirondacks on Tuesday morning in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bike enthusiasts wait to ride demo bikes at an outdoor showcase space at Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bike enthusiasts wait to ride demo bikes at an outdoor showcase space at Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bike enthusiasts wait to ride demo bikes at an outdoor showcase space at Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
An outdoor market alongside Beach Road, down the hill from Fort William Henry, invites bike enthusiasts visiting Lake George, N.Y. for Americade. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
John Lazzeroni, owner of J&M Motorcycle Audio, does some speaker work at his booth at Americade in Lake George, N.Y., which his company has been coming to for 35 years. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
(Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
John Lazzeroni, owner of J&M Motorcycle Audio, does some speaker work at his booth at Americade in Lake George, N.Y., which his company has been coming to for 35 years. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
(Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
(Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
(Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
(Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes lined up on Beach Road in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes lined up on Beach Road in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes on Canada Street in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Bikes on Canada Street in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
The Lobster Pot on Route 9 welcomes Americade back in Lake George, N.Y. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Riders leave Fort William Henry to explore the Adirondacks. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
The Lake George, N.Y. Holiday Inn Resort welcomes Americade riders back to town. (Photo: Jay Petrequin) 
Howard Johnson’s in Lake George, N.Y. welcomes riders. (Photo: Jay Petrequin)
Americade runs from Sept. 21-25, a contrast from its usual dates in June. Some things have changed to pull that off, including the removal of the usual opening block party, replaced with a Saturday night concert in Shepard Park.
That said, there’s plenty to do in the great outdoors. In addition to rides, bikers can enjoy market and expo spaces at Charles R. Wood Park and along Beach Road.
Also this week is the Adirondack Balloon Festival in Queensbury. That doesn’t start until closer to the weekend, when Americade is expected to get busier. Dutcher says reducing the number of large outdoor events helps his organization reduce the strain on Warren County police.
