The 23rd annual Black Velvet Art Party will take place on Saturday, November 5th, 2011, 8 pm to midnight at Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George. The event is a celebration of black velvet art. Artists donate new, original works of art for the party’s silent auction. This funky formal features awards for original black velvet art and attire, live music, dancing, games, and more. All proceeds from the event support the Lake George Courthouse Gallery exhibition series. This year’s theme is “BLING!”

Call for artists: One of the special features of the event is the silent auction of “black velvet art” – created and donated by local artists, as well as past exhibiting artists of the Courthouse Gallery. The idea of “black velvet art” is wide open to artistic interpretation, and there are always surprises. For more info email mail@lakegeorgearts.org, or call 518-668-2616.

The Lake George Arts Project was established in 1977 to offer comprehensive programs in the arts. Its mission is to provide exposure and income opportunities to professional and emerging artists, and to provide quality arts programming for the residents and visitors of the Lake George region.

Adirondack summers end with a bang—or in this case, a biddle-de-bop. You have one more weekend to enjoy the biggest event of the Lake George Arts Project’s free summer concert series: Jazz at the Lake — two full days and a night of hot sounds by the lakeshore.

Head to Shepard’s Park (Canada Street) on Saturday, Sept 17th for a set of hot Cuban jazz infused with African rhythms with the Osmany Paredes Quartet, starting at 1PM. Stick around for some jazz saxophone with John Ellis, backed by the New Orleans sounds of Double Wide. And rounding up the afternoon is the Grace Kelly Quintet, featuring the brilliantly nuanced vocals and sultry saxophone of the 19-year-old Grace, who has been hailed by Wynton Marsalis as a “first-class jazz musician.” The day performances end at 6PM, leaving you time for dinner and a little fun in Lake George Village (at the arcades, mini-golf, or shopping) before returning for the evening set at 7:30PM.

And do return for the Don Byron New Gospel Quintet, a marvelous mix of different genres from r&b to classical with a jazz undertone. Don Byron plays clarinet and sax to his own compositions and arrangements, which have garnered raves from audiences around the world.

The Sunday (Sept 18th) program opens again at 1PM (closing at 6PM) with the classic jazz stylings of prodigy pianist Charles Cornell with his quartet. There’s more jazz sax to follow with Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green, and wrapping out the weekend is Kyle Eastwood (eldest son of Clint) whose many original compositions include the scores to his father’s films, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Grand Torino, among others.

The performances will all be held rain or shine—the designated setting is Shepard Park Pavillion, but in case of rain, it moves to Lake George High School, both on Canada Street in LG Village.

Lake George Jazz Weekend is a free outdoor concert program offered through the generous support the New York State Council on the Arts, the town and village of Lake George, and Kenneth and Susan Gruskin. The LG Jazz Weekend has been a hit every year since it first started in 1984. This program is the biggest and best of the summer season, and is sure to leave you pining for next year—all you have to do is show up!

And to keep this wonderful series alive for future years, you might consider becoming a member of the Lake George Arts Project