60,000 Bikers Descend on a County of 60,000 People

Americade is the Nation's Most Popular Motorcycle Event

Americade, held in Lake George the first week of June, attracts 60,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to the Adirondack Park. Americade is enjoying its 26th anniversary. The country’s premier motorcycle festival offers bikers the Adirondacks, an area regarded as one of the most premier motorcycle riding venues in the world. Remember, New York’s Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, the Everglades, Glacier and Grand Canyon national parks combined.

The economic stimulus from this event – which has become historic in bikers' eyes – is a godsend for Lake George, and to a greater degree, the Adirondacks region whose survival depends on the summer tourist season.

For the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the primary law enforcement agency in Lake George, the Americade is a challenge. That demand is met by detailed logistical planning by Sheriff Bud York and the men and women of the Sheriffs Office. A key component of this security blueprint is a strong interagency cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, the State Police and the Municipal Police agencies in the area.

All of the Warren County Sheriff’s deputies are working during the Americade week and their extended shifts are covered by overtime money that Sheriff York has budgeted at the beginning of the year.

“When you have 60,000 visitors at a small resort you can really stretch police resources,” Sheriff York said. “The State Police send us five Troopers each day and the Glens Falls Police Department sends us their two motorcycle officers and this really helps our police presence.”

Sheriff York this year, through a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, has two motorcycles designed exclusively for law enforcement. Six deputy sheriffs have been trained to operate these police package bikes.

The maneuverability of the motorcycles in the Village of Lake George, which is jammed with 60,0000 civilian bikes, allows officers to reach “situations” quickly and to defuse “situations” before they escalate. In other words, enhanced response times.

But what deputy sheriffs are learning is that an intangible aspect of the police motorcycles maybe their greatest benefit.

“What we have seen is that our motorcycle deputies are better received into the bikers' culture,” stated Chief Deputy Shane Ross. “They are accepted, they talk the same language which seems to be giving us a better connection with the bikers.”

Sheriff York is quick to point out that for the most part, the group of bikers who participate in Americade are very well behaved and respectful of each other and the community they are visiting. He said often times where the problems develop is “kids” coming up from the greater Albany area to see the bikes and are looking for trouble.

“It’s the outsiders that aren’t apart of the motorcycle community that stir things up,” Sheriff York said.

The weeklong event is clearly a win-win situation for the bikers and the Village of Lake George as well as the communities of the vast Adirondack Park, whose roads provide the bikers with a picture perfect riding venue.

Clearly, the men and women of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office recognize the value of the Americade and the community they serve.

As Sheriff York says, “the rules are simple, have a good time and abide by the law.”