Holiday Open House at the Shirt Factory
Festivities kick off on Thanksgiving Weekend with the 13th annual open house and follow up with a second open house two weeks later. As in years past, the Shirt Factory is giving away chances to win a Shopper’s Advantage Basket of gift certificates and goods worth hundreds of dollars. Each $25 spent during an open house event counts as one ticket for the raffle. The signature event covers Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and an extra shopping day on Sunday! Experience the Shirt Factory’s energy at its busiest! Enjoy free acupuncture, artist demos, sales and mini-lessons. The event is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 28-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 21 Cooper St., Glens Falls, NY.
Over-30 Basketball at Gavin
Grab your sneakers and get ready for Over-30 Basketball! Designed with the mature, basketball-playing crowd in mind, the Over-30 Basketball Program is for adults, ages 30 and over. This is a drop-in activity which runs Mondays, 8-10 p.m. now through May 19. The weekly fee is $5 per person (cash only), and a maximum of 20 players can participate on any given night. Any questions, please contact the park office at (518) 584-9455.
First Night Saratoga 5K Run
The 17th annual First Night Saratoga 5K Run, presented by the Saratoga Arts, will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m. The run is limited to the first 1,500 registrants. There is no day of race registration. The race has sold out for the past 13 years. A ChronoTrack B-Tag computerized scoring system will be used. The USA Track and Field certified course starts and finishes on the Skidmore College Campus. Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female finishers as well as the top three male and female finishers in five-year age categories. All finishers will receive a First Night commemorative medal. Register by Nov.28 for the early registration fee of $25 and a guaranteed moisture-wicking long-sleeved shirt. After Nov. 28, registration is $30. Refreshments following the race. Showers and restrooms available in the athletic complex. Save time by registering online or download an application and map at www.saratoga-arts.org. There is no additional fee for registering online. For further information contact First Night Saratoga at (518) 584-4132.
Annual Coat Drive
Donations for the eighth annual coat drive are being accepted now through Jan. 7, the Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company (4208 Route 50 and 227 Ballard Road, Wilton) is hosting their annual Coat Drive. The Jones Road and Ballard Road offices of Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company are collecting winter coats and other cold-weather clothing items to benefit the Adirondack Vets House. Items can be dropped off during regular business hours. For more information about the coat drive, call the Jones Road branch at (518) 587-8484.
Polar Express Comes to Saratoga
The Polar Express comes to the Saratoga North Creek Railway (26 Station Lane, Saratoga Springs). Take your child to experience the magic of the season on a mystical round-trip journey to an extravagantly built North Pole. Read along with the story as the train makes its magical round trip journey to the North Pole. Meet Santa and enjoy caroling, hot cocoa, a treat, and a special gift for each child. Kids are encouraged to wear their pajamas, just like in the story. Trips are in November (23, 25-26, 28-30) and December (2-7, 9-14, 16-23, 26-28). Ticket prices vary by class and availability.
Pinocchio Performance at National Museum of Dance
Come relive the classic tale of “Pinocchio,” a puppet’s journey as he transforms into a “real boy,” at the National Museum of Dance, beginning Dec. 4 at the Mr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Riggi Theater. Performances will be held December 4-5 at 10 a.m. and Dec. 6-7 at 2 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.brownpapertickets.com.The National Museum of Dance is located at 99 South Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
Breakfast with Santa
The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA) is once again sponsoring the annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8-11 a.m. in the gymnasium of St. Mary’s School, 40 Thompson Street, in the Village of Ballston Spa. A delicious breakfast will be provided courtesy of the Eagle Matt Lee and Union Fire Companies. Children and their families will enjoy activities, live performances and a chance to chat with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Cost for the breakfast is $5 per person and reservations are not necessary. All proceeds will go to support community events and village beautification. A percentage of the proceeds from the breakfast will go to support the youth programs at St. Mary’s Parish. We will also be collecting non-perishable items for the local food pantries. More information can be found at www.ballston.org.
‘A Night of Inclusion’
“A Night of Inclusion” at Saratoga Springs High School is designed to bring community members into the school, see many of the amazing things students, faculty and staff do on a daily basis, and raise awareness and funds for the Best Buddies Club, an organization created to encourage one-to-one peer relationships between general education students and students with disabilities. The event is scheduled for Dec. 18, 5:30-7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. There will be many different displays from a variety of classes, clubs, teams and committees, as well as refreshments and silent auction items donated by local businesses.
Annual Members’ Art Show
The ever-popular, year-end show is a great opportunity for established and emerging member artists to display their best works in a professional exhibition at The Arts Center Gallery and celebrate their many talents with fellow artists and the community. The show goes from now to Dec. 31. Annually, with over 150 artists exhibiting artworks ranging from painting, drawing and printmaking to sculpture, functional fine art and photography, the annual Members’ Show promises to be a real treat. For more information call (518) 584-4132.
Volkswalk: Saratoga Springs
Join the Empire State Capital Volkssporters for Fun, Fitness and Friendship on Saturday, Dec. 13, starting at 10 – 11 a.m. Registration will be 30 minutes before start time. The start point will be on the third level of the parking garage at 30 Woodlawn Ave. in Saratoga Springs. A volkswalk is a leisurely walk (typically 10k or 6.2 miles. A 3-mile route is also offered). More information is available at www.ava.org and www.walkescv.org.
Authors at Northshire to Celebrate Newest Books
Two mystery/suspense authors are coming to Saratoga Springs in December to celebrate their newest books. Writers Charles Salzberg (“Swann’s Lake of Despair”) and Jenny Milchman (“Ruin Falls”) will be at Northshire Bookstore (424 Broadway in Saratoga Springs) Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. “Ruin Falls” by Jenny Milchman is actually set right in your backyard. In the book, two children are kidnapped during a family vacation after leaving their home in the Adirondack Mountains, and it’s up to their mother to save them. “Swann’s Lake of Despair” by Charles Salzberg is a crime fiction story that follows an offbeat detective who finds mystery hiding behind every door. Charles is a New York journalist, author and writing instructor.
Christmas Cookie Walk
Friends and Members of the church will bake fancy homemade Christmas Cookies to be sold by the pound at the Christmas Cookie Walk at the Malta Presbyterian Church, 118 Dunning Street in Malta at 10 a.m. The Cookies are displayed on tables and our customers are given a bakery box and disposable glove to walk around the tables and choose cookies they want to buy. The boxes are weighed and sold by the pound. Let us do your Christmas cookie baking this year!
Holiday Sale
In conjunction with Schuylerville’s village-wide celebration of St. Nicolaas, Old Saratoga Reformed Church, Pearl and Burgoyne Streets in Schuylerville will be having a Holiday Sale on Dec. 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. New and gently-used Christmas items will be available, including decorations and collectables. There will also be a raffle, a bake sale and much more at bargain prices. For more information call the church office at (518) 695-3479, 9 a.m. to noon Monday – Friday.
Christmas Music Festival
A Community Christmas Music Festival will be held on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Greater Schuylerville Ecumenical Association, and part of the community St. Nicolaas Celebration weekend, will be held at the Old Saratoga Reformed Church at the corner of Pearl and Burgoyne Streets in Schuylerville. The church is handicapped accessible. Featured will be area choirs and a combined choir under the direction of Christopher Tucker, other local musicians, an orchestra and audience carol singing. A free will offering will be taken, benefitting the Caring and Sharing Program of Schuylerville Central School, which provides gifts and other items for children in need in the district. Refreshments will follow the concert. All are welcome. For more information call (518) 695-3479.
Christmas Cookie and Candy Sale
A Christmas Cookie and Candy Sale will be Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Charlton Freehold Presbyterian Church, located at 768 Charlton Road. Call the church at (518) 399-4831 for additional information.
