Vermont jam band Twiddle headlines Saturday’s show with two sets. (Photo courtesy Improv Records/Jay Blakesberg Photography)
Two stages, a late-night Rage Stage, 22 bands and free opening pre-parties is why the American Independence Music Festival is dubbed “The biggest party of the year.” The 2019 AIM Festival is coming to the Lake George Festival Commons this Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 – Sept. 1.
This is the fifth year for the Festival that brings top touring bands from the national festival circuit to the shores of Lake George. The event closes out the Lake George summer season with non-stop music. Vermont-based jam band Twiddle headlines Saturday night and Baltimore’s Pigeons Playing Ping Pong head Sunday night’s lineup.
Single-day tickets are $50; $90 for both days. VIP options that include buffet dinner, discounted drinks, free snacks, private bar and other benefits are available at $190 for the weekend or $100 for a single day. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite. Children age 12 and younger are free when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Attendees must be 21 or older to attend the late-night shows at King Neptune’s pub.
2019 AIM Festival Daily Lineup
Gates open at 10:30 a.m. The bands play between 11:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. both days. Music continues until 3 a.m. on the late-night Rage Stage at King Neptune’s Pub, which is a ½ mile north of the Festival Commons.
Friday night, Aug. 30, features a free pre-party in Shepard Park with Capital Zen and After Funk beginning at 6 p.m. followed by Floodwood at 10 p.m. on the stage at King Neptune’s.
Metered parking is available on surrounding streets ($1 per hour) and in public parking lots ($2 per hour.) Private parking lots in the area offer all-day parking. Private lots generally charge between $15 and $20 a day. Visit the AIM Festival website or the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, (518)668-5755, for lodging and camping information.
The Festival Commons is an outdoor venue. Autumn comes early in the Adirondacks, and it may get chilly in the evening, so be sure to bring a jacket. Coolers and outside food and beverages are not permitted with the exception of unopened bottled water. No pets, guns, knives or other weapons are allowed on the grounds. The Charles R. Wood Park is a smoke-free facility. Re-entry is permitted with a Festival wristband.