Six-year-old double bass player Kullyn Hughes (with his “assistant” Camela) after performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC on Aug. 21. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) hosted its eighth annual PlayIN event last Thursday, allowing 90 local string musicians to perform on stage with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Participants ranged in age from as young as six to as old as eighty.
The youngest musician – Kullyn Hughes from Melrose, New York – had been playing for only two months when he joined in with one of the nation’s most esteemed symphony orchestras.
“It was pretty cool,” Kullyn said. “I mean…whoa!”
Kullyn played a double bass that was taller than he was, with some assistance from an adult. He said he was considering switching to the violin.
On stage, Kullyn and company were led by Assistant Conductor Naomi Woo, who provided some helpful feedback and seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself. Other Philadelphia Orchestra pros participating in the event included First Associate Concertmaster Juliette Kang, bass player Joseph Conyers, and nine other string musicians. Later in the performance, two members of the classically trained string group Time for Three – Nick Kendall and Charles Yang – joined on stage as well.
All of the local musicians who participated in the event were given two free tickets to return later that evening for the “Copland & Bates with Time for Three” concert.
According to SPAC, PlayINs are signature events for The Philadelphia Orchestra and part of the ensemble’s HEAR initiative, a portfolio of programs promoting the role of music in health, education, access, and research. The PlayINs have taken place regularly in Philadelphia since 2012 and in Saratoga since 2017, and are part of an array of programs designed to promote access for people of all ages to experience orchestral music either as listeners or performers.
A rendering of the proposed Mostly Modern Arts Center in the Town of Saratoga. Image provided by Victoria and Robert Paterson
SARATOGA — Since the publication of a story last week about the proposed Mostly Modern Arts Center in the Town of Saratoga, opposition to the project appears to have increased. A Facebook group pushing back against the project grew from 53 members to 92. A similar Change.org petition has also gone from 89 signatures to more than 200.
Victoria and Robert Paterson, the co-founders of the Mostly Modern Festival who are spearheading the project, spoke with Saratoga TODAY about their plans for the center, which they indicated will be smaller, quieter, and less intrusive than opponents may believe.
“We have to help take down the temperature and try to get the facts clear,” Victoria said.
“Almost everything is going to take place indoors and the space is entirely soundproof,” Robert said. “For those rare moments when we have something where we open the front doors towards County Route 68, which is where it faces, those events are going to be mostly classical and all chamber music, and fairly infrequent.”
The Robertsons also said they will attend the Town Board meeting on Sept. 8, when a public hearing about the project is scheduled to take place, according to the town’s Aug. 11 meeting minutes.
“We get that our neighbors get worried because they may not understand everything and they’re still learning,” Robert said. “If there are some facts that seem a little confusing, we want to make sure we get the facts straight.”
A circulated flyer titled “Protect the Peace, Safety, and Rural Charm We Call Home” states that the center would have a 100-car parking lot. Although a variety of documents have mentioned that the center would have 100 spaces total (including grass overflow spaces), there are no plans for one paved parking lot with 100 spaces, the Patersons said.
“There will be 51 total paved parking spaces between the cabins (when those are ever built) and the building,” Robert said. “All those parking spaces will be behind the woods and hidden. There will be grass areas where people can park if there’s overflow. Those are not paved.”
The flyer also states that an outdoor amphitheater for performances is planned. The Patersons said that this outdoor performance space would include a small stage capable of fitting about five performers. A seating area in front of that stage could fit “no more than about 30 or 40 people,” Robert said.
“I don’t want our neighbors to think we’re the next Coachella,” Victoria said.
A project proposal from June mentioned that as many as five cabins could be built on the site. Robert said this number was more of a “maximum potential” and “definitely not what we’re planning right now.” The total number of cabins, which would primarily be used to house visiting musicians and performers, would likely be 2 or 3. These cabins could be as large as 5,000 square feet, but are more likely to be whittled down to 2,000 square feet, the Patersons said.
Any cabins likely wouldn’t be constructed for at least a few years, the Patersons said. And the venue itself, if fully approved, also won’t be built for another two to three years. Although the project proposal lists the venue as being three stories, the third story is a basement that would mostly be used for storage. Overall, the venue would accommodate a total of 150 people maximum, including musicians.
One more thing the Patersons wished to clarify was the project proposal’s inclusion of a statement that they “have been looking for a new home for the [Mostly Modern] festival.” This statement appears to have been included in the proposal in error.
“We have no plans or desire to leave Skidmore at all,” Robert said (Skidmore College’s Arthur Zankel Music Center hosts the annual music festival). “We love hosting our festival there. We can’t possibly host our festival in this structure that we’re building because we need the hall at Skidmore and those facilities… So this venue is definitely not meant for that.”
According to the Town of Saratoga’s Aug. 11 meeting minutes, the next steps for the proposed Mostly Modern Arts Center will be:
• The public hearing on Sept. 8, by which point the town will have a complete application;
• A State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR);
• And then, following the SEQR, a determination if the town will continue with the application.
“We are looking at October or November depending on how quickly we go through these steps,” the minutes said.
CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz receives the Saratoga Senior Center Man of the Year Award at the Fasig-Tipton Pavilion while a very amused Dottie Pepper watches. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jim Nantz, a CBS sportscaster famous for his coverage of The Masters and multiple Super Bowls, was named the Saratoga Senior Center’s Man of the Year during an event co-hosted by hometown hero Dottie Pepper at the Fasig-Tipton Pavilion last Thursday. Nantz was celebrated for his impactful work in Alzheimer’s advocacy.
Pepper is a 1983 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School and member of the Blue Streak Hall of Fame. She won 17 championships on the LPGA Tour before joining CBS’ golf broadcasting team.
In a nearly hour-long chat at Fasig-Tipton, Nantz hit upon a number of topics, including his philanthropic work, his distinguished career, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Here are some highlights from his remarks
Dottie Pepper
“Dottie, you are such a shining star in my life… I just treasure the chance to work with you.”
His signature catchphrase, “Hello, friends”
“I was just trying to send a message to my father who was declining by the day, suffering from Alzheimer’s. When I left his bedside… I just said, ‘Dad, when I’m on the air this weekend, I’m looking at the camera and I’m going to say ‘Hello, friends’ and when I say that, I want you to know I’m thinking of you in that very moment… At the end of the day, I got a call from a colleague at CBS who said, ‘I watched you on the opening say ‘Hello, friends,’ what was the story there?’ I filled him in… He said, that sounded like you. You should do that again tomorrow. So I’ve done it every show since. My dad lost the battle in 2008. I still say it.”
His life and career
“Zelig, this old Woody Allen movie where he drops himself in all these incredible historical moments and scenes, or Forrest Gump, the same kind of thing – I feel like that’s my life… How did I end up on the victory platform, giving away the Lombardi Trophy and calling the Super Bowl? I’ve been broadcasting on nine of them. All I know is that it goes back to passion, obsession. I make a declaration, ‘This is what I’m going to do,’ and gratefully, blessedly, a lot of it, most of it, feels like it’s come true.”
His work as a broadcaster
“I’m into the story of the people. I like to find out what’s in their heart… What is it about them? Why should we root for them? I’m not a scoop guy. I’ll leave the scoops to the guys in the studio. I’m not trying to dig any dirt. I don’t even, I don’t want to know. I want to find the good side of people and cover the game.”
Bills quarterback Josh Allen
“One of the greatest human beings I’ve met… He’s on a very short list of people that I’m just blown away by how they handle themselves around people and the acts of goodness they do… He makes everyone in Buffalo feel special, never turns anyone away.”
Alzheimer’s
“There is such a rush of positive energy and momentum in the fight against Alzheimer’s. It’s remarkable. The last three years have been a rocketship. Things are happening.”
“When I got all-in on the fight for Alzheimer’s, I mean that is going to be the greatest win of all. That’s just the way I’ve lived my life, trying to figure out what it is I want to do, and do everything within my power to make it happen.”
The Saratoga Senior Center
“Thank you for what you do, all of you that support this thing with your time, checking up on people, checking up on your fellow citizens and residents, making sure that their lives are staying on track and they feel important, that they don’t feel the loneliness that far too many seniors in this country feel. It’s wonderful to know that when I think of Saratoga now… I’m going to think about the community and what is happening at the senior center.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A whopping 11 baseball players from Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa were recently named to the 2025 NYSSWA All-State teams, including Saratoga Catholic’s Hunter Fales, who was named the Class C Player of the Year.
Fales was a senior last season who was part of the state championship-winning Saints. He was team captain and played catcher, outfield, and second base. He will attend St. John Fisher University.
Other Saints named to All-State teams included senior Ronan Rowe and pitcher Pierce Byrne (both first team), junior outfielder Kihl Kelly (third team), sophomore catcher and third baseman Brian Selig (fourth team), and senior utility player Ryan Gillis (fifth team).
In Class AAA, three Blue Streak juniors (who were also crowned state champs last season) earned All-State honors: outfielder Alex Landau (first team), catcher Brady Mills (second team), and shortstop Raul Rodriguez (fourth team).
In Class AA, Ballston Spa junior pitcher Jameson Hotaling made the second team, and senior shortstop James Haughton was named to the third team.
For the first time in Saratoga’s history, the Blue Streaks and Saints both won state titles in their respective classes last season. They were honored with a downtown parade and were recognized prior to games at Yankee Stadium.
Photo of the 1978 Saratoga Springs hockey team provided by Rick Cobello.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs High School ice hockey program is looking back, and forward. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the program, which hopes to celebrate the occasion with a new LED sign outside the rinks on Weibel Avenue.
Rick Cobello was a 22-year-old teacher in Saratoga when he was asked if he’d be interested in launching an ice hockey team. The first two years were a bit rocky. In 1973 and ‘74, the newly-formed team could only play a few games because there was no refrigeration in the ice rink, and a warm winter meant no ice.
Luckily, things improved in the program’s first official year, 1975, when refrigeration was added and the ice rink actually became ice. The inexperienced team traveled across the northeast in search of competitors while also attempting to nail down the basics of the sport.
“It was rough in the beginning,” Cobello said. “We had to teach people the game, right from scratch. But we rapidly got better.”
When Saratoga Youth Hockey began, it served as a feeder program for the high school team, adding more players who had already learned hockey 101. But before that, more unique recruiting efforts were required.
“I had a core of kids who were hockey players and I told them, ‘Go out and find your friends who are football players and tell them they can hit people,’” Cobello said. “We had a lot of football players the first couple years. I taught them how to play hockey.”
The team’s first tournament in Rome, New York was a bit of a massacre, with Cobello describing the squad as “utterly humiliated.” But in year two, Saratoga managed to earn a few wins. By year three, remarkably, they were state champions. Then they repeated the title-winning feat again in year four.
Flash forward several decades later, and the puck-slapping Blue Streaks are in need of some help (though, perhaps not as much help as that first tournament in Rome).
A new LED sign is being planned for the Weibel Avenue Ice Rink, home of Saratoga’s hockey team. The sign, which would be installed at the entrance of the rink, would serve as both a tribute to the program’s legacy and a modern communication tool for fans, players, and visitors. It will highlight upcoming games, player achievements, special events, and community announcements.
“This new sign is more than just an upgrade — it’s a symbol of our proud history and a beacon for the future,” Cobello said. “We’re honoring everyone who’s worn the jersey over the past five decades — the players, coaches, parents, and supporters who built this program.”
In order to be ready for a fall unveiling, the sign needs to be ordered this summer. But funds still need to be raised in order to make this plan a reality. Online donations can be made through The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region at www.cfgcr.org. All donations should be directed to “Saratoga Springs Friends of Rec.”
An aerial view of the intersection of County Route 68/Burke Road. Image via Google Maps.
SARATOGA — A new music venue called the Mostly Modern Arts Center is being planned in the Town of Saratoga near the intersection of County Route 68 and Burke Road.
According to a proposal dated June 2025, the project site would encompass 18.5 acres spread across three parcels located southeast of the intersection. The site is bordered by single-family residential properties and vacant wooded land. Included on the site would be a 10,000 square-foot, three-story “music barn” that would host performances, art shows, and community events. A parking lot with 51 paved spaces would be created adjacent to the venue, along with additional overflow parking of 39 grass spaces along the entrance road.
Two existing single-family homes on the project site will be renovated and used as residences for the project owners and/or as accommodations for guests, musicians, and artists visiting the center. As many as five cabins would also be built, with each one varying in size between 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. Each cabin would be accompanied by parking spaces for up to two cars, bringing the total number of parking spaces to around 100. 7 or 8 acres of wooded or open fields would be preserved for walking trails and sculpture exhibits. Primary access to the center would be on Burke Road, with secondary access on County Road 68.
The proposal was prepared for Robert and Victoria Paterson, co-founders of the Mostly Modern Festival that’s hosted at Skidmore College’s Arthur Zankel Music Center. The Patersons have been looking for a new home for the festival, as well as a venue for small concerts, community events, and art exhibits. Their representatives on the project include the Phinney Design Group and the Environmental Design Partnership.
According to the proposal, “the proposed project has been designed to maximize the distance from the music and art venue to the existing dwellings while also maintaining existing wooded buffers… The proposed music venue is designed to hold small concerts in a building that is designed to dissipate and absorb sounds. The small outside venue area is designed [for] more small and intimate performances and will be positioned to prevent the projection of sounds to neighboring residences.”
Despite such assurances regarding noise pollution, some locals are resisting the proposed project. As of Aug. 18, a petition on Change.org opposing the music venue had garnered 89 signatures, and a Facebook group called “Keeping Burke Road Peaceful” had 53 members.
“While we applaud the development of the arts and economic development, this commercial project does not belong in our quiet neighborhood,” stated the Facebook group’s “about” section.
A flyer shared with Saratoga TODAY said the project would bring “loud music and noise pollution,” “large crowds into our quiet, rural neighborhood,” “increased traffic,” and “a constant flow of strangers close to our homes and children.” The flyer also encouraged attendance at a public meeting scheduled for Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Yacht rockers, parrotheads, and a whole lot of boomers stormed SPAC on Monday night for a double-header of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band and the legendary Doobie Brothers, featuring the one-of-a-kind Michael McDonald.
The Reefer Band—Buffett’s backing group that has continued touring after the “Margaritaville” singer’s death in 2023—delivered exactly what was expected of them. With images of cheeseburger palm trees and dancing spring breakers behind them, they cranked out Buffett’s signature tunes in the same style as their former band leader. “License to Chill,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” were all part of the predictable repertoire.
One of the Reefer singers seemed to incorrectly identify SPAC’s host city as “Sarasota Springs,” though, in a sense, this was not entirely inaccurate given the band brought a taste of Florida to Upstate New York.
The headlining Doobie Brothers then took the stage, playing a setlist that spanned from classic 70s hits to cuts off their new, well-reviewed 2025 album “Walk this Road.” Towards the end of their set, the group strung together a series of tracks that blended seamlessly into one another. The presence of both yacht rock god/keyboardist McDonald and sax player Marc Russo was more than welcome, offering a richness of sound that culminated in a seemingly improvised piano and sax solo during the encore. This jam led into a rousing edition of “Takin’ It to the Streets,” proving the Doobies still got it after 55 years in business.
Some of their latest offerings, such as “Walk this Road,” “Angels & Mercy,” and “Call Me” were surprisingly good, defying the cliche that aging rock bands can’t put out decent new material. “Listen to the Music” was the fitting final encore song that sent the nearly-full amphitheater crowd to the exits.
The SPAC show closed out the summer leg of the Doobies/Coral Reefer tour. They’ll be takin’ it to the streets once again on Sept. 4 for a show in St. Louis.
An assortment of Bear’s Cup bagels. Photo via the bakery.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Bear’s Cup Bakehouse—an artisanal bakery and coffee shop known for its New York-style bagels, fresh-baked bread, and pastries—may soon be opening a new location on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs.
According to the Albany Business Review, Bear’s Cup would take over 543 Broadway, the former home of Jacobsen Oriental Rugs, which relocated to 145 Ballston Ave.
The bakery is based out of Bolton Landing, a hamlet that borders Lake George and is across from the Sagamore Resort. The company’s bagels were once featured on the “Rachel Ray Show.”
In a video posted to their Instagram account, Bear’s Cup indicated that their Saratoga location could open as soon as this fall.
MALTA — The former home of Dunning Street Station in Malta is set to become a new eatery named Harvest Grain Pizza, according to a banner hung outside the location on Route 9.
Dunning Street permanently closed in June after a series of temporary closures. It was sold shortly thereafter.
Harvest Grain Pizza currently has a location open in Clifton Park, where a variety of pies are offered, including whole wheat, square pan, Sicilian deep dish, gluten free, a white “Saratoga” pizza, Hawaiian, veggie lovers, and many more.
Saboor Sekandari of Harvest Grain told Saratoga TODAY that an opening date for the new Malta outpost has not yet been confirmed, but the pizzeria could open sometime between mid-September and early October.
The diner on Route 9 has a long history of prior owners stretching back to the early 1950s, when it first opened as the Malta Ridge Diner. In the 1970s, it was a filming location for “My Old Man,” a made-for-TV drama about a horse trainer that was based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway.
The Fodero Dining Car Company manufactured many of the stainless steel, art deco-inspired diners scattered throughout the country, including the famous Empire Diner on 10th Avenue in Manhattan.
