NEWSLETTER
The arts are alive and well in the Adirondack Mountains! Concerts, live theater, film and music festivals, and museums highlighting local culture are plentiful. Many venues offer thrilling mountain views as a backdrop, while others are tucked away in quiet, friendly towns. Whatever your taste in art may be, head to the rustic hills of the Adirondacks. Plus, discover world-class arts and culture in every region of New York State with I LOVE NY’s newly-launched regional map and guides, upcoming calendar of events, and more.
JUMP TO: Visual Arts | Theaters and Performing Arts | Historic Sites and Landmarks | Music and Film | Events and Festivals
Visual Arts
Hyde Collection, Art Museum and Historic House
In the early years of the 20th century, Louis and Charlotte Hyde built a home modeled after an Italian Renaissance Palazzo. Their shared interest in travel and art sent them to the great museums of Europe, honing and shaping their passion for masterpieces. Soon they acquired works by Sandro Botticelli, Edgar Degas, and Winslow Homer. In 1933, the couple made a special trip to Berlin to purchase a Rembrandt, which they hung in their library. When Louis passed away just a year later, Charlotte continued to build their private collection, adding works by Picasso, Renoir, Whistler, and many more. Charlotte died in 1963 and the estate was transformed into a museum open to the public. Today, the Glens Falls historic home contains one of the most impressive collections of fine art in the region.
Adirondack Experience-The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake
More than 20 buildings span 120 acres on the shores of Blue Mountain Lake, located in a hamlet by the same name. The campus is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, who can hike, canoe, play lawn games, and feed the fish at Marion Carry Pond. There is also a great deal of love for artists and art, exemplified by galleries featuring works inspired by the magic of the Adirondacks. Painting, glass etching, and jewelry making are among some of the workshops offered, and a Summer Concert Series invites visitors to enjoy live music in an idyllic mountain setting. The museum is open from May to October.
The culture of the Haudenosaunee is the featured highlight at this Onchiota museum that opened in 1954. Upon arrival, visitors can admire the exterior, which is a traditional long bark house representing the Six Nations Confederacy. Inside, thousands of artifacts and works of art are on display. Much of the artwork was created by founder Ray Fadden and his descendants, including hundreds of black-and-white drawings by his son John, and a selection of paintings by his grandson David. The works depict the people and places of the Haudenosaunee, providing a glimpse into Native culture.
Akwesasne Cultural Center and Museum
Located just east of Massena, this cultural center and museum strives to maintain the rich traditions and art of the Akwesasne Mohawk culture. They do this through displays of photographs, art, beaded accessories, and many more artifacts that reveal the story of the Akwesasne. Whether on a guided or self-guided tour, don’t miss the wampum exhibit room, where the 200-year-old Wolf Belt, which was repatriated to the community in 2010, is on display. Classes are offered that promote the survival of traditional arts, including the creation of baskets, corn husk dolls, and raised beadwork techniques. A Native American library sits on the floor above the museum.
Sacandaga River Sculpture Park
Credit: @emmabaldwindesigns on Instagram
Eight acres on the banks of the Sacandaga River is the setting for the work of sculptor John Van Alstine. The sculptures, made primarily of granite and steel, interact with their natural setting, making a breathtaking landscape even more beautiful. Van Alstine is a renowned artist whose works have been exhibited around the world, including a sculpture that was displayed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Located in Wells, Sacandaga River Sculpture Park is open by appointment only. Call 518-774-6641 or email john@johnvanalstine.com.
Embrace your inner artisan with a course in jewelry making, basketry, embroidery, and so much more at a school dedicated to teaching and preserving traditional Adirondack crafts. Beyond offering courses in nearly any type of craft making you desire, the Adirondack Folk School hosts live music, storytelling, art talks and many more special events. If you’re not from Lake Luzerne, where the Adirondack Folk School is based, no problem! Many courses are one or two days long, making them short enough to include in your visit to the area.
Theaters and Performing Arts
The Strand Center for the Arts
Explore the world of art in the heart of downtown Plattsburgh. Opened in 1924 as a Vaudeville Theatre, this is the place to go for concerts, films, artist salons, art exhibitions by local makers, and annual art-focused events including a Halloween Artisan Market. Painting, pottery, life drawing, and many more classes are sure to fulfill your inner creativity. There are also private music lessons, art studio space for members, and a long list of programs that will have kids diving hands-first into art making!
Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts
Since opening in 1967, this multidisciplinary arts center in Blue Mountain Lake has become a cornerstone for the arts in the Adirondacks. Their annual ADK Lakes Theatre Festival draws crowds who adore live theater, while their Weekend Concert Series features live music from a dynamic range of genres. The ALCA Gallery features a variety of artwork in their rotating exhibits. Be sure to check out the workshops—past offerings have included lessons in watercolor landscapes, illuminated paper vessels, and ceramics.
Take a watercolor workshop, attend the ADK Quilt Conference, or make your very own ceramic rain chain. These are only a fraction of the creative offerings at View Arts Center in the charming hamlet of Old Forge. Live music, theater, talks, and lectures are also on the busy schedule of events. Rotating exhibitions feature art in all forms, created by local artists.
This visual and performing arts organization in Tupper Lake offers abundant opportunities to fuse art with the incomparable Adirondack landscape. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to the annual Summer Performance Series, which brings live jazz, country, classic rock, and more to Flanders Park. Or bring the kids to a Little Loggers Kids Show, held every Friday all summer long. In October, don’t miss the Tupper Lake Plein Air Festival (October 1-6), an event that invites artists from across the country to capture the magic of autumn in the Adirondacks. The gallery space at Tupper Arts features rotating exhibits all year long.
For more than 40 years, Pendragon Theatre has delivered professional theater to the village of Saranac Lake. Pendragon prides themselves on producing cutting-edge theater, producing five performances every summer. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Muppet Cabaret, and a jukebox musical comedy called The Marvelous Wonderettes are among past performances. Every summer, Camp Pendragon provides youths with the opportunity to work with professional theater artists. Additional performances and events take place throughout the year.
An 1876 working train station is the venue for professional theatrical arts in Westport. Their annual season features plays and musicals that, depending on the production, will move audiences to tears, bouts of laughter, toe tapping, foot stomping, or all of the above! Selected performances are followed by discussions known as Depot Dialogues. And if a train happens to pass through during a performance? Expect the lights to dim, or the actors to freeze on stage, or perhaps the show will simply go on! It’s all part of the unique experience of The Depot Theatre.
Historic Sites and Landmarks
A collection of more than 6,000 artifacts in a historic home in Chazy encourages visitors to imagine life in America during the Colonial Revival Movement. The home itself also represents the era, which saw a revival of art, architecture, gardens, and more that reflected the aesthetics of the nation in its founding days. Throughout the 13 rooms, visitors will discover paintings, decorative arts, textiles, books, and more that exemplify the early 20th-century movement. A highlight is the large collection of English and French pottery, which was of great interest to Alice Miner, the last resident of the home.
Great Camp Sagamore
Credit: @cfbrenton1 on Instagram
Dabble in the arts at this luxurious yet rustic Gilded Age retreat. Located in scenic Raquette Lake, the camp was designed by William West Durant in 1897. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt later purchased and expanded the property, and often traveled there with his guests–and a team of servants–to escape New York City and enjoy the fresh air of the Adirondacks. Luckily, you don’t have to be a guest of the Vanderbilts to visit! There are many ways to experience Great Camp Sagamore, including events that put the arts front and center. Capture the exhilarating scenery in a Plein Air Painting Workshop, learn the techniques of weaving an Adirondack Pack Basket, or partake in a quilting or knitting retreat. Great Camp Sagamore also hosts book readings, and their Summer Concert Series features live music, free and open to the public, from June to August.
In 1810, Henry Delord purchased a one-story stone cottage in Plattsburgh. He expanded the cottage and the property, and it subsequently accommodated three generations of the Delords. The historic home is now a museum, allowing visitors a glimpse into life in the North Country in the 19th century. In addition to original furniture, dinnerware, and other items that display the daily lives of the Delord family, the home also contains an incredible collection of 18th and early 19th-century portraiture. Works by John Singleton Copley, Ezra Ames, and Samuel F.B. Morse are among them, as is a Renaissance painting that dates back to 1640. The Kent-Delord House Museum is open for tours from May to September.
Music and Film
Adirondack Film Society hosts a variety of initiatives, all with the same goal: to spread the love of film and filmmaking around the Adirondacks region. Their annual Lake Placid Film Festival (November 7-10) features an eclectic selection of off-the-beaten-path films. Panel discussions and parties round out the three-day event. A film series, See Something That Means Something, features edgy movies meant to spark thoughtful discussions. Adirondack Film also joins forces with local venues: audiences can view summer classics at the Strand in Schroon Lake or enjoy outdoor films at the Adirondack Mountain Club in Lake Placid.
A professional chamber orchestra that formed in 1917 continues to grace the Adirondacks with live classical music throughout the summer months. Concerts are grouped into different series and take place at various venues. The Park Series concerts are held at Mid’s Park in downtown Lake Placid. Performances are free and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The Symphony Series brings the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and more heavyweights to Lake Placid Center for the Arts, while the Adirondack Series utilizes popular attractions like The Wild Center for their performances.
New York State Old Tyme Fiddlers Association
Tap your feet to joyful tunes at a New York State Old Tyme Fiddlers concert, as musicians, along with a slew of special guests, entertain audiences with old-time fiddle music at the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame in Osceola. Guests are free to peruse the Hall of Fame and visit the Fiddlers Kitchen for refreshments. Their Summer Concert Series takes place from May to September, every Sunday at 2 p.m. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to learn more about the annual Fiddler’s Picnic and other special events.
Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra
Led by Maestro Charles Peltz, this professional symphony orchestra strives to bring adventurous programming to classical music fans in the Adirondacks. A five-concert subscription series takes place from October to May and includes the popular Holiday Pops! tradition in December. Concerts take place at the Glens Falls High School Auditorium on Sundays at 4 p.m. If you’re craving live classical music outside of their regular season, don’t miss the annual Summer Pops and other special events throughout the year.
Nothing brings a community together more than reviving a beloved local business. This may be especially true for movie houses, which are increasingly difficult to come by in small towns.
The Lake Theater in Indian Lake, housed in a 1937 building, closed for good in 2006. A local volunteer organization purchased it, and residents from surrounding communities banded together, donating time, labor, and money to ensure its survival. Indian Lake Theater opened in 2008, once again providing the people of Indian Lake and beyond with a space to settle in and watch great movies. Live music, sing-along movie parties, and yoga are also on the schedule of events.
Events and Festivals
Musicians, conductors, and composers spend two summer weeks in August in scenic Lake George. They perform new compositions as well as traditional pieces, and artists range from emerging to established. The best part? The festival provides classical music fans with a full two weeks of daily concerts, open rehearsals, special events, and much more. Each event is dynamic and unique and embraces the picturesque Lake George setting. Most performances take place at the historic Carriage House at the Fort William Henry Hotel.
On stage at the Adirondack Theatre Festival, you might recognize an actor who’s been in a Broadway show, on television, or even on the big screen. That’s the caliber of talent the festival draws to the Adirondacks each summer (June-August). The festival’s dedication to producing new plays and musicals means you’re among the first to lay eyes on a particular show. Many go on to Broadway and other major theatrical destinations. Performances take place at the Charles R. Wood Theater in downtown Glens Falls.
Adirondack Folk Music Festival
The Adirondack Folk Music Festival is a daylong event in August whose mission is to honor the roots of local music. Musicians hail from around the world but each and every one of their styles have influenced the music of the Adirondacks. Past festivals have entertained audiences with the globally infused sounds of Vanaver Caravan, the front porch style pickings of the Jamcrackers, and the Native American song, dance, and storytelling of Matoaka Little Eagle. Bring a blanket and chairs to the Schroon Lake Bandstand and hear what makes the North Country so special. Food trucks and craft vendors are on-site. The festival is free and open to the public.
The perfect gift is one that cannot be replicated. It is often handmade and can only have come from a certain artist or place. That’s what you’ll find at the Adirondack Artisan Festival, a daylong event in July set on the beautiful grounds of the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. Products are inspired by the Adirondacks and many of the artisans have learned their craft from generations before them. Peruse handcrafted pottery, furniture, and woodwork, or take home an Adirondack-themed quilt, a framed photograph that captures the perfect wilderness scene, and so much more!
Enjoy the fruits of talent produced by the oldest summer vocal training program in the country! Seagle Festival has been at the forefront of producing high-quality opera and musical theater in the Adirondacks for more than 100 years. Mainstage productions take place from June to August; recent shows include Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, and The Musical World of Disney. Seagle Festival was founded in 1915 by voice teacher Oscar Seagle when each summer, up to 125 aspiring singers would travel to Seagle Colony to study with him. Seagle died in 1945, but his legacy lives on. Hopeful performers still travel to the Schroon Lake campus each year to study opera and musical theater with renowned expert faculty.
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