Author: Jonathon Norcross

BALLSTON SPA — There aren’t many places on earth where you can see a kangaroo, professional wrestling match, beauty pageant, magician, and a waterskiing squirrel all in one day. But you can do it at the 2025 Saratoga County Fair, which returns to Ballston Spa on July 22 and runs until July 27.

This year, the fair will be open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday, then from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday. Parking is free in the fair parking lots, with shuttle buses available for those in lot D. Admission costs $15, but is free for kids 12 and younger. Tickets are still available online at www.saratogacountyfair.org/home.

Amusements of America will be providing the rides, games, and food offerings in the carnival section of the fair every day from noon until 10 p.m. Rides include adult attractions like the Crazy Mouse; Starship 3,000; Pharaoh’s Fury; Free Fall; Sky Fall; Orbiter; and Top Gun. Family-friend rides include two Ferris wheels; the Wacky Worm roller coaster; bumper cars; a carousel; and a Tilt-A-Whirl. As for food, expect everything from deep-fried favorites to local gourmet food trucks.

The fair’s itinerary is packed with activities, shows, exhibitions, and events. For a full list, you can view the fair’s calendar on its website. But we at Saratoga TODAY have prepared this curated schedule of some of the most exciting, unique, and just plain weird things to do at the 2025 fair. We’ve also bolded some special headlining events for each day. No matter what your interests or hobbies, there’s something for everyone, even if it’s just snacking on a funnel cake and riding some rides (though, we recommend having the funnel cake after the rides, not before).

• Tuesday, July 22
• County Draft Horse Show (10 a.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• 4-H Goat Show (1 p.m. in the Small Animal Show Ring)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 12, 4, and 7 p.m.)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 1 and 3 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• Saratoga County Fair Pageant (4 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• 4-H Swine Show (6 p.m.)
• Beatin’ the Odds concert (7 to 10 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Demolition Derby (7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Grandstand)
• Wednesday, July 23
• County Draft Horse Show (9 a.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• 4-H Dairy Cattle Show (10 a.m. at the Stewart’s Dairy Show Ring)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 12, 2, and 4 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• Open Draft Horse Show (1 p.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• 4-H Sheep Show (3 p.m. in the Small Animal Show Ring)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 3, 5, and 8 p.m.)
• Saratoga’s Got Talent (6 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• The Dynasty professional wrestling (7 p.m. at the Grandstand)
• River Country Band concert (7 to 10 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Thursday, July 24
• 4-H Western Horse Show (10 a.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 12, 2, and 4 p.m. in the Talent Building) 4-H Alpaca Show (1 p.m. in the Small Animal Show Ring)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 3, 5, and 8 p.m.)
• Stewart’s Ice Cream Eating Contest (3:30 p.m. in the Townley Building)
• Goat Show (4 p.m. in the Small Animal Show Ring)
• 4-H Beef Show (4 p.m. in the Stewart’s Dairy Show Ring)
• Tractor Pull (6 p.m.)
• Saratoga’s Got Talent (6 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• County Draft Horse Show (7 p.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• Family Bingo (7 p.m. in the Lewis Building)
• Skeeter Creek concert (7 to 10 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)

Friday, July 25

• 4-H English Horse Show (10 a.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• Dairy Cattle Show (10 a.m. at the Stewart’s Dairy Show Ring)
• The Children’s Museum at Saratoga (10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Lewis Building)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 12, 2, and 4 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• The Dambreakers concert (1 to 4 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 3, 5, and 8 p.m.) Taste of Saratoga County (local culinary delights in the Townley Building from 4 to 6 p.m.)
• Draft Horse Obstacle Course and Games (5:30 p.m. at the Adirondack Trust Company Horse Show Ring)
• Saratoga’s Got Talent (6 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• Family Bingo (7 p.m. in the Lewis Building)
• • Electric Rodeo concert (7 to 11 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)

Saturday, July 26

• 4-H Rabbit Show (9 a.m. at the Small Animal Show Ring)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 12, 4, and 6 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• The Bennett Brothers concert (12 to 3 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• 4-H Poultry Show (2 p.m. in the Small Animal Show Ring)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 3, 5, and 8 p.m.)
• Taste of Saratoga County (local culinary delights in the Townley Building from 4 to 6 p.m.)
• 4 Wheel Drive Truck Pull (7 p.m.)
• 4-H Young Farmers Olympics (7 p.m. in the Stewart’s Dairy Show Ring)
• Family Bingo (7 p.m. in the Lewis Building)
• Big Sky Country concert (7 to 11 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Sunday, July 27
• 4-H Master Showman (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• 4-H shooting sports booths (archery, air rifle, and laser from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Drive a robot at the 4-H Center (10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Niagara Down Under (kangaroos and more from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)
• Magician Alyx Hilshey (performances at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• Dialed Action Sports BMX bicycle stunt show (at The Point/Gardiner Walk at 12, 4, and 7 p.m.)
• Country line dancing lessons (from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Cosplay costuming construction (12 to 3 p.m. in the Lewis Building)
• 4-H Dog Show (1 p.m. in the Stewart’s Dairy Show Ring)
• Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel (shows at 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. at the Grandstand Meadow Stage 2 Area)
• Saratoga’s Got Talent: Best of Fair (4 p.m. in the Talent Building)
• The Down Home Boys concert (4 to 8 p.m. at the Jeff Townsend Live Music Pavilion)
• Demolition Derby (6:30 p.m. at the Grandstand)

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Five tractor-trailers hauled lavish sets, hundreds of intricate costumes, and more than 1,000 gleaming ballet shoes into the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Monday morning in preparation for the New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) 59th annual residency in the Spa City, which began on July 9 and concludes on Saturday, July 12. 

Also arriving at Saratoga for the residency (though not in tractor-trailers) were more than 90 dancers, as well as dozens of members of the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

This year’s performances include the full-length story ballet “Coppélia,” which held its world premiere at SPAC in 1974; Jerome Robbins’ spirited “In G Major,” an audience favorite set to Giuseppe Verdi melodies; George Balanchine’s “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”; and Justin Peck’s newest work “Mystic Familiar,” which will have its SPAC premiere. 

“Nowhere else in the world outside of New York City does the full company of dancers and musicians present a robust week of repertoire, every single year,” said Elizabeth Sobol, president and CEO of SPAC, in a statement. “SPAC is unique and incredibly fortunate to be able to bring these world-class artists to our community.”

Called “story ballet done to perfection” by The New York Times, George Balanchine’s “Coppélia” will feature scenery and costumes by Rouben Ter-Artunian, as well as lighting by Mark Stanley. Included in the cast will be around 30 local children, who began auditioning for their roles in early March.

“Mystic Familiar” is set to an original score by composer Dan Deacon, who also provided the score for Peck’s 2017 ballet “The Times Are Racing” and Francis Ford Coppola’s 2011 film “Twixt.” The set design will feature a backdrop by the Los Angeles-based visual artist Eamon Ore-Giron, whose work was featured in the 2024 Whitney Biennial.

Here is the full NYCB performance schedule at SPAC:

Coppélia

July 9 @ 7:30 p.m.

July 10 @ 7:30 p.m.

July 11 @ 7:30 p.m.

July 12 @ 2 p.m.

“Mystic Familiar” + “In G Major” + “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”

July 11 @ 2 p.m.

July 12 @ 7:30 p.m.

For tickets or more information, visit spac.org.

SPAC Offering Free Dance Workshops

Last week, SPAC and the NYCB announced that they would offer a series of free dance workshops for children, teens, and adults of all abilities on July 10 and 12. 

Held at the SPAC School of the Arts, the workshops are led by NYCB dancers and the choreography is inspired by “Coppélia.” Additional access workshops will feature modifications so that participants of all abilities feel welcome.

New York City Ballet Workshop Schedule:

July 10 @ 5:15 p.m.: NYCB Ballet Essentials Workshop, Access Workshop for Teens and Adults

July 12 @ 10 a.m.: Children’s Access Workshop

July 12 @ 12 p.m.: Children’s Workshop, In Motion Workshop

For more details on the workshops, visit spac.org.

Update: Due to a flood at the Northshire Bookstore, the event featuring author Molly Beer will now take place at Pitney Meadows Community Farm at 223 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs. The date and time of the event (Tuesday, July 8 at 6pm) remain the same.

SCHUYLERVILLE — In her 58 years of existence, Angelica Schuyler had one of her childhood homes in present-day Schuylerville incinerated by retreating British troops; maintained correspondence with American luminaries like Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson; eloped with a British-born businessman with a shady past; befriended Benjamin Franklin in Paris; attended the first inauguration of George Washington; was the namesake of a town in western New York; birthed eight children; and served as the inspiration for a Tony Award-winning performance in a hit Broadway musical. 

Yet, despite such an accomplished and remarkable life, Angelica Schuyler has always been depicted as a supporting character in the stories of other people’s lives: her father, General Philip Schuyler; her brother-in-law Alexander Hamilton; and her husband, John Barker Church. A new biography, “Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution” by Molly Beer, aims to cast this pivotal figure in a new light, one in which power is not just defined by battle victories and terms in elected office.

“[Historically], we think about power as being located in the men and women are connecting them, but now we talk more about soft power and social networks and connections and being locuses of power. Historically, she occupies this locus of power,” Beer told Saratoga TODAY. “A rubric for greatness is completely male specific, but when we talk about what power looks like now, she checks a lot of those boxes.”

Angelica’s power often lay in her extraordinary social and diplomatic skills, which allowed her to form connections with everyone from passionate patriots to loyal monarchists, from Americans to Brits to the French. Beer believes these talents may have arisen from Angelica’s outsider status as a Dutch New Yorker.

“From early childhood, she is seen as a foreigner,” Beer said. “She’s always navigating the Dutch-British divide and I think people who are used to crossing cultural lines get good at it.” 

All of this isn’t to suggest that Angelica was without flaws. Although historians and gossip-mongers have long speculated that her relationship with Hamilton may have been more than friendly, the true blemish on the eldest Schuyler sister’s legacy was her use of enslaved people, a sin from which Beer doesn’t shy away. Beer never found any evidence of Angelica speaking about the issue of slavery directly, and it’s hard to piece together what Angelica’s thoughts may have been. On the one hand, she was a client of the famous hairdresser Pierre Toussaint, a formerly enslaved Haitian-American. On the other hand, enslaved people worked at the Schuyler family farm that still stands in the Village of Schuylerville (then called Saratoga). This farm reminds visitors of early America’s inability to rid of itself of a practice that the French (with whom Angelica spent much time) found abhorrent.

Despite these grim reminders of past crimes, historic sites can also serve as inspiration. Beer grew up in Angelica, New York, the town named after the eldest Schuyler sister, and her school bus drove past Belvidere, a mansion built for Angelica and her husband, every day.

“I always knew that this is where this historic woman who had to do with the forming of the country had lived,” Beer said. “The effect for me was that even if you’re from this place and even if you’re a girl, you can matter in the world. If you read books and you study hard and you’re brave, you can go do stuff. For me, that was important. One of the reasons I wrote the book was because I thought that would be useful for other girls to know.”

Beer will discuss all things Angelica Schuyler at the Northshire Bookstore on Broadway in Saratoga Springs on Tuesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.northshire.com/event/northshire-saratoga-molly-beer-angelica-love-and-country-time-revolution.

The Schuyler Estate, where Angelica spent parts of her childhood, is open to visitors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/sara/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm.