Jazz at the Lake
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12-14, 2025!
Now in our 41st year, Jazz at the Lake is one of the Northeast’s premier jazz festivals. Set against the backdrop of beautiful Lake George, Jazz at the Lake (Lake George Jazz Weekend) celebrates the vibrant and diverse genre of jazz and brings together talented musicians from around the country. Ranked as one of the top 20 longest, consecutive-running jazz festivals in the country, our festival also boasts one of only two spots in the top twenty that are entirely free.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Gruskin Creative for their years of generous support and their dedication to one of our most vital programs. We are also thankful to the Town of Lake George, the Village of Lake George, Warren County Tourism, the New York State Council on the Arts, Anonymous, and our members and donors for supporting this year’s Jazz at the Lake.
Free music festivals are disappearing but The Lake George Arts Project is committed to keeping our festival FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. Created with our mission of providing income opportunities for artists and presenting high-quality arts programming for the region in mind, Jazz at the Lake promotes artistic expression, creates enriching cultural experiences, and supports artists and our local economy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much does it cost to attend?
Not even a penny!
…Though we do accept donations to help support the program!
What is the venue like?
The venue is the Shepard Park Amphitheater and is an open-air stage with Lake George as our backdrop. There is stone, tiered seating, but many attendees bring chairs and blankets and sit in the grass surrounding the stage.
Is there food and drink?
We do have food vendors and there are lots of amazing places in town for food and drink.
What do you do if it rains?
What is rain?!? In all seriousness, we are constantly watching the weather predictions for the event. If the day is going to be a washout, The Lake George High School Theater/ Auditorium is our rain location. Visit this page for updates or call us at 518-668-2616.
Stay the whole weekend!
We have amazing performances scheduled all weekend and Lake George is a beautiful destination. Learn more about lodging, food and other Lake George activities: https://lakegeorgechamber.com/
If you are looking for the perfect lodging for the weekend please consider
the Holiday Inn Resort, Lake George NY.
The Blue Moon Motel
For decades, the Blue Moon has hosted all of the artists who perform at our festival (how cool is that?). The Blue Moon is our official Lodging Partner for 2025.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, September 12
On the stage in Shepard Park
6pm:Sara Caswell Quartet
7:30pm: Jazz Around Town
Stay Tuned for Updates!
Saturday, September 13
10am: Coffee and Jazz
Shows on the stage in Shepard Park at:
1pm: Matt Wilson’s Honey & Salt
3pm: Lucía
5pm: Jeremy Pelt Quintet
7pm: Alfredo Rodríguez Trio
Sunday, September 14
10am – 12pm: Jazz Cruise
Shows on the stage in Shepard Park at:
1pm: Trio Grande
3pm: Edmar Castañeda Quartet
5pm: David Gilmore Quartet
THE SCHEDULE
A Message from Daniel & Tanya (2024)
From Daniel:
Welcome back to this year’s Jazz at the Lake celebrating 40 years of world-class jazz performances in our beautiful Shepard Park! That’s right! 40 years!!! This festival is truly a treasure and one of the few places where audiences can hear so many incredible jazz artists for free!
As Curator of the festival for 6 years, and since my first performance here in 2004 with the Harvie S band, I have always been delighted by the sheer joy and enthusiasm of the audiences here. I couldn’t be more excited about the artists who will be gracing our stage this weekend!
Each one of these composer/band leaders has continued to explore and develop the limitless possibilities of jazz music. I encourage you to listen to all their albums – and also check out the music of their fellow band members. All of them are exceptional improvisers and composers, and many are band leaders in their own right! On a personal note, I’m very excited to premiere a new group I assembled to celebrate our dear friend and visionary of the Lake George Jazz Weekend, Paul Pines. Our performance on Sunday will incorporate poetry written by Paul which was published in his final book, A Furnace in the Shadows: Selected Poems.
As always, we are deeply grateful to Kenneth & Susan Gruskin for their generous and continued support. I want to offer a big thank you to Tanya Tobias-Tomis, Director of the Lake George Arts Project, who always works tremendously hard to make this annual event possible. If you see her around this weekend, please say thank you!
We hope you enjoy this year’s Jazz at the Lake!
Daniel Kelly
From Tanya
I’m filled with a profound sense of gratitude and excitement. For four decades, The Lake George Arts Project has had the privilege of bringing together the finest jazz musicians from around the globe and creating unforgettable experiences for audiences like you. We’ve witnessed the evolution of jazz, explored new frontiers, and celebrated the rich heritage of this timeless genre. From the legendary performances that have graced our stage to the vibrant community that has grown around our festival, every moment has been a testament to the enduring power of the arts.
As we look back on the past four decades, we’re inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Our commitment to presenting innovative programming and fostering a deep appreciation for jazz remains unwavering.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to you, our audience, and to Kenneth and Susan Gruskin and Gruskin Creative for 15 years of generous support and their dedication to one of our most vital programs. We are also thankful to the Town of Lake George, the Village of Lake George, the New York State Council on the Arts, Anonymous, and our generous members and supporters. We would also like to thank YOU. Your presence, enthusiasm, and passion have made our festival a truly special event. Together, we’ve created a legacy.
Here’s to another 40 years of Jazz at the Lake!
Tanya Tobias
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JAZZ AT THE LAKE
Lake George Arts Project previous Executive Director John Strong (1984 – 2020), and Paul Pines, previous Jazz Weekend Artistic Director (1983 – 2018), planned the first ever Lake George Jazz Weekend over 35 years ago. We were blessed having Paul Pines, artist, writer, poet, Jazz enthusiast and advocate, curate this event all those years. He never missed a beat – making magic happen every time. Paul passed on June 27, 2018. He created a remarkable legacy for this annual event, and he will be missed by so many artists, musicians and Jazz fans, just to name a few. Please click here for more info and links on Paul’s creative life.
Paul’s vision for Jazz at The Lake continues. Paul’s friend and colleague, Daniel Kelly, jazz pianist/composer, continues Paul’s work in his 3rd year as LGAP’s Jazz Weekend Artistic Director and Curator. Daniel performed at the 2010 Jazz Festival with his EMERGE TRIO and again in 2015 with his trio WORKS featuring saxophonist Joe Lovano. He also performed at our Summer Concert Series in 2016 with violinist Gretchen Koehler.
Daniel Kelly and Paul Pines became close friends during their association over the years.
Said Paul: “I remain convinced that Daniel Kelly is one of the most stunningly original talents both as an improviser and a leader that I have known in a long career of promoting this art form. His musical ideas spring naturally from a visionary imagination.”
Daniel Kelly is also the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Connection Works, an artist-run non-profit organization based in Brooklyn that, since 2007, has presented workshops for young people and produced over 250 concerts, featuring artists such as Grammy award-winner Joe Lovano, NEA Jazz Masters Dave Liebman & Shelia Jordan and MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipients Dafnis Prieto & Steve Coleman.
