Photos: Lake George kicks off the holidays with song and light

Thousands flocked to Lake George Village Saturday evening filling Shepard Park, the sidewalks up and down Canada Street, Beach Road and the Lakefront Walkway for the Annual Lite up the Village celebration. The crowd size appeared to be the largest yet in the festival’s 25-year history, and the Village and Town of Lake George, in anticipation of a large turnout, had expanded the scope of the celebration to entertain the crowd.

The Lake George holiday tradition is held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in Shepard Park. The community gathers to welcome the holidays with a sing-along and illumination of the Lake George holiday light displays followed by fireworks. In recent years, the program has expanded to include an ugly sweater contest, a lighted firetruck parade led by the Lake George Volunteer Fire Department, meetings with Santa Claus at the firehouse and a holiday concert performed by the Lake George Community Band.

This year, about three dozen people entered the Ugly Sweater Contest. Organizers had added a children’s division, which led Master of Ceremonies Bobby Dick to comment, “I think they’ve mistaken ugly contest for cute contest.” A young boy from Massachusetts won the children’s contest. Merissa Marco of Lake George won the adult contest.

New for this year, the Gem Radio Theatre Dancing Witches performed their dance routines for the audience at the Shepard Park Amphitheatre. The Dancing Witches, whose shows have become popular at events throughout the region, swapped out their pointed black hats for Santa caps, strung their broomsticks with Christmas lights and danced to rock music with children at Lite up the Village.

Bobby Dick and Susie Q along with Rich Ortiz led a sing-along of holiday songs leading up to a 6:30 p.m. count-down to the lighting of thousands of holiday lights that were strung throughout Shepard Park and Lake George Village. The lighting was followed by fireworks and a parade of lighted firetrucks.

Several area fire companies participated in the lighted firetruck parade, which escorted Santa and Mrs. Claus down Canada Street. Following the parade, children lined up in the firehouse bays to meet Santa as the Lake George Community Band performed holiday music.

The Lake George holiday lights will remain lit every night through the end of the year. Displays in Shepard Park will remain through Winter Carnival, which is held each weekend in February.