Lake George ushers in spring with Sham ‘Rock’ the Block street party

The crowd was elbow-to-elbow with the wait staff at Duffy’s Tavern weaving through the crowd with platters of corned beef and cabbage this Saturday for the annual Sham “Rock” the Block St. Patrick’s Day party. Outdoors, in the parking lot and along Lower Amherst Street, revelers, many dressed in Kelly green, congregated around a crackling fire pit and at picnic tables to lift pints of Guinness in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. Some children bounced in, and slid down, rainbow-colored inflatables while others rode ponies behind the old Warren County Courthouse.

This is the sixth year Lake George has celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with the Sham “Rock” the Block party. Festivities kicked off at noon, with most of the action this year taking place indoors. Albany-based Celtic band Triskele took the stage at 1 p.m., singing “Molly Malone” and other traditional and not so traditional songs from The Emerald Isle.

Triskele co-founder Noeleen Whelan, a native Dubliner and bodhrán player, led the singing of Irish protest song “A Nation Once Again” in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916. Whelan infused humor into the act telling jokes between songs — “What do you call a sleepwalking nun? A roamin’ Catholic!” Between Triskele sets, several dozen Wild Irish Acres step dancers performed for the crowd.

Outdoors, participants in the adult scavenger hunt competed for prizes by scouring the village to collect an assortment of items on the scavenger hunt list. Teams battled at the human foosball tournament held in the Boardwalk Restaurant parking lot overlooking Lake George. Shoppers strolled along the Canada Street sidewalks, investigating the offerings of the several shops that opened for this final weekend of winter. The party continued today with live music, human foosball, children’s game and a St. Patrick’s Day parade up Canada Street.