Adirondack Wine & Food Festival 2023
February 24, 20232023 Lake George Model Car Festival
February 24, 2023Americade 2023
17 W Brook Rd
Lake George
NY 12845
Americade Motorcycle Rally is one of the most famous motorcycle rallies in the US and will celebrate its 40th year, May 30-June 4. The event will feature the most motorcycle factory demos in the US, an enormous expo on the shores of Lake George, guided and unguided rides throughout the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, boat cruises, concerts, stunt shows and more.
Americade is a large motorcycle event unlike any other in the US.
It’s a week-long festival of all-brand motorcycling, including guided and unguided tours (touring, cruising, sport-touring and adventure/dirt) in the beautiful Adirondack Park, and the Green Mountains of VT, the most factory demos of any event in the US, a massive trade show, catered dinner boat cruises, stunt shows, comedy shows and much more. Americade also partners with the Ride For Kids (Americade is the only rally RFK has partners with) and the Wounded Warrior Project for whom Americade serves as a therapeutic week in the lives of recovering veterans, as well as numerous local and regional charities; it has helped raise well over $600,000 and counting.
Americade has been viewed by the national motorcycle press as a unique event among national rallies, providing a family-friendly atmosphere despite its size since its inception. The event, and the attendees, are warmly viewed by the local community.
Americade is a gathering of friendly, fun-loving folks, for whom motorcycling is a social hobby. It is not about demonstrations of hostility or public speeding, and it has never waivered from its support of the statements of the former President & CEO of Harley-Davidson: “Something We Never Want to Lose” and the AMA position that “Loud Pipes Risk Rights.”
It is the creation of Bill Dutcher whose guiding principles continue through present day. Namely, “to highlight the best of motorcycling,” always welcoming all brands and types of riding, carefully creating events, rides and social moments to highlight what is best about motorcycling, while ensuring that the public’s perception of motorcycling is positively swayed. Dutcher is the recipient of the 1998 American Motorcyclist Association MVP Award and 2003 American Motorcyclist Association “Brighter Image Award” honoring an individual who has generated good publicity for motorcycling, as evidenced in the New York Times (”Americade is doing more for the image of motorcyclists than any other event…”), the Associated Press (“Americade is about as peaceful as a motorcycle rally can be. And it certainly is no Sturgis”), and countless regional press and national motorcycle magazines. The event has garnered positive reviews within and outside of motorcycling since 1983, directly influencing millions of participating motorcyclists and countless more members of the public.
WHEN?
2023: May 30- June 4th (Tuesday the 30th is for the Pre-Registered Party)
HOW DID IT START?
May 1983 marked the first “Cade” in the east. Veteran motorcyclist Bill Dutcher and a small but able staff hosted “Aspencade East ” at Lake George, NY. Social and demo headquarters were at Roaring Brook Ranch. The TourExpo trade show was held at the Glens Falls Civic Center, approximately 10 miles to the south. This first event drew about 2,000.
WHY WAS IT ORIGINALLY NAMED “ASPENCADE”?
Since 1971, there had been a touring motorcycle rally in Ruidoso, NM bearing this name. The name came from an annual civic festival, which celebrated the changing colors of the aspen (birch) trees, by having a cavalcade of horses. Dutcher arranged with Aspencade organizer, Til Thompson, to use the Aspencade name for the eastern touring rally.
WHY AMERI-CADE?
In 1986, “Aspencade East” was changed to “Americade”, because the new name better signified the multi-brand national-sized rally it had become. By 1986, total attendance was nearly 10,000, making it the largest touring rally in the motorcycle world. At the same time, Americade’s tradeshow was relocated from the Glens Falls Civic Center to Lake George Village.
For over 20 years the Expo was located at Million Dollar Beach Parking Lot, but in 2018 was moved closer to Americade’s event headquarters, Fort William Henry Resort in Lake George Village, at the beautiful Charles Wood Festival Commons.
MORE GROWTH
The latest figures again show that Americade Week is the biggest shoulder-season week of business for the Lake George Region resort community and the biggest single boost to the local economy. The community welcomes these smiling motorcyclists not only for the economic boost they provide but also because of many lasting friendships which have been developed with Americaders from around the world. Americade also works hard to be a Good Neighbor, by donating to local charities.