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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Coheed and Cambria and Mastodon – The Infinite Arc Tour On Path to SPAC in May

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


Coheed and Cambria, Mastodon with special guest Periphery, to stage in Saratoga Springs May 2025.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Coheed and Cambria and Mastodon announced the 20-city Infinite Arc Tour. includes a stop at Saratoga Performing Arts Center May 26, 2025.

Coheed and Cambria are gearing up for their brand-new album The Father of Make Believe,  releasing on March 14, 2025. This year, Mastodon celebrated the 15th anniversary of Crack the Skye with a deluxe box set reissue, marked 20 years of Leviathan with special full album performances, and released a new track “Floods of Triton.”

Tickets: LiveNation.com.  

Live at The Egg in 2025: Soccer Mommy, Shemekia Copeland, Los Lobos 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


Soccer Mommy at The Egg Jan. 31. Photo provided. 

ALBANY — Mixing delicate melodies with bursts of distortion and texture, Sophie Allison has always written candidly about her life, making Soccer Mommy one of indie rock’s most interesting and beloved artists of the last decade.

On Friday, Jan. 31, The Egg presents a show featuring Soccer Mommy with support provided by L’Rain.

Other selected shows upcoming at The Egg in 2025 include: Shemekia Copeland on Saturday, Jan. 18; Los Lobos on March 5, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on May 7. 

The Egg Center for the Performing Arts is located at Empire State Plaza, Albany. Phone: 518-473-1845. For more information and a complete list of upcoming performances, go to: www.theegg.org.   

Opera Saratoga Announces 64th Summer Season

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


Opera Saratoga summer season will take place May 20 – June 29.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Opera Saratoga, which performs for more than 25,000 people annually, will celebrate 64th Summer Season with a series of performances at Universal Preservation Hall in downtown Saratoga Springs and Ferndell Pavilion in the Spa State Park.

“This summer’s festival will transport audiences around the world for two sensational classics which give young singers a chance to shine” General and Artistic Director Mary Birnbaum said, “and two new operas which challenge audience notions of what opera means today. We’ll go on an exhilarating, romantic journey from Saratoga Springs and back again.”

Offenbach, Meilhac & Halévy’s sparkling, witty, and electric “La Vie Parisienne” takes us to the heart of the demi-monde in 1860s Paris where two bachelors play tour guide to a Swedish Baron and Baroness. With four performances at Universal Preservation Hall: June 20, 26 & 28 at 7:30 pm and June 22 at 2 pm.

Offenbach’s romp runs in repertory with Bock, Harnick & Masteroff’s jewel-box musical “She Loves Me.” Famous for tunes like “Vanilla Ice Cream,” “She Loves Me” and “It’s Been Grand Knowing You,” this sweet story focuses on two employees in a Budapest parfumerie who are sworn enemies during the day but unsuspecting lonely hearts penpals at night. With five performances at Universal Preservation Hall: June 21, 25, 27 at 7:30 pm and June 28 & 29 at 2 pm. 

Earlier in the month, the company will produce a site-specific installation version of “In a Grove” composed by Chris Cerrone with libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann. This operatic adaptation of Akutagawa’s classic short story “In a Grove” which inspired the plot of Kurosawa’s renowned film Rashomon, offers a searing investigation into the impossibility and elusiveness of truth. With four performances at the Ferndell Pavilion in Saratoga Spa State Park: May 28 at 5 pm, 7 pm, and May 29 at 5 & 7 pm. Rain date: May 31. 

Finally, the company will present a work-in-progress showing of composer Emma O’Halloran and librettist Naomi O’Connell’s A Mass for Women in Bathrooms. This opera-theater work for three singers, an actress and electronic sound design by Alex Dowling reframes the structure of the Irish Catholic Mass to tell an intimate family story of three sisters and their mother. A story born from personal experience, A Mass for Women in Bathrooms examines themes of infertility, reproductive rights, and dementia, while reclaiming bodily autonomy for women in a historically violent space. This project is funded in part by the Arts Council of Ireland. With two work-in-progress performances at Universal Preservation Hall: June 22 at 7:30 pm and June 27 at 2 pm.

For more information and tickets go to: operasaratoga.org or email info@operasaratoga.org

Surround Concert Series Continues at The Zankel 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


Sophia Subbayya Vastek to the Zankel Music Center, as part of the Surround concert series. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Surround music series – which seats audiences onstage with the artist for an intimate concert experience – invites pianist Sophia Subbayya Vastek to the Zankel Music Center, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26.   

As a second-generation pianist and third-generation musician, Vastek brings a reverence for her collective history alongside a boundless, exploratory spirit. Her intuitive playing style—rooted in tenderness, improvisation, and classical training—has evolved into a dynamic, cinematic sound that shifts effortlessly across musical worlds. 

Her latest LP, In Our Softening (2022), was recorded on a 1902 upright piano, complete with a crack in its soundboard, delivering an ambient-inspired sound that is at once both vulnerable and captivating. 

The Surround concerts are staged at 4 p.m. one Sunday a month in January, February, and March. The series continues with performances by South Carolina singer and producer Niecy Blues on Feb. 9, and indie rock / jazz musician and songwriter Cassandra Jenkins on March 2.  For more information about events at the Zankel, which is located on the campus of Skidmore College, go to: https://www.skidmore.edu/zankel/index.php.  

Country Music Superstar Sara Evans to Perform at Universal Preservation Hall May 17 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Country music superstar Sara Evans will present an evening of music and storytelling at Universal Preservation Hall on May 17.

Evans’ career spans over two decades with more than 10 million albums sold.

Tickets are on sale through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online by visiting atuph.org. Groups of 10 or more can get tickets by calling (518) 382-3884 x 139.

Open Call for Art for 2026 is Now at Courthouse Gallery Exhibitions at Lake George Arts Project 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

LAKE GEORGE — The Lake George Arts Project’s Courthouse Gallery presents six to eight exhibitions annually by national, regional, emerging, and established contemporary visual artists who work in all media.  The mission of our gallery is to provide solo or two-person exhibition opportunities to emerging and professional artists, with preference given to work created within the last two years and to experimental or non-traditional work.  

There is no submission fee.  The deadline for proposals for 2026 is Friday, January 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m..  The jury process will end in April 2025, and artists will be notified of their status by April 30, 2025.

Please visit the Lake George Arts Project’s website www.lakegeorgearts.org, to find the link to the guidelines, or call 518-668-2616 with any questions.

The Courthouse Gallery is located in the side entrance of the Old County Courthouse, on Lower Amherst Street in Lake George, NY. During scheduled exhibitions our in-person office and gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday 12 – 5 pm, Saturday 12 – 4 pm.  

Jeffrey L. Toma

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.


BALLSTON SPA — Jeffrey L. Toma, 63, died on December 23, 2024. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 3 p.m. -5 p.m. on Friday, January 10, at the Burke, 628 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs.  Burial will be held at the family’s convenience.  Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com

Lynne Herrick Black

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

GLENS FALLS — Lynne Herrick Black, formally of Walpole, MA, passed away peacefully with loved ones by her side, on December 11, 2024, at Glens Falls Hospital due to complications of ALS. 

Born in Troy, NY on March 23, 1959, Lynne’s parents were Joan Farnan Campbell and Burton Herrick, Jr. 

Lynne graduated from Stillwater Central School in 1978 and earned a New York State Cosmetology License. She was employed by Fairchilds of Latham and General Electric of Schenectady. 

She was predeceased by her dad and beloved daughter, Chavon Provancher, four grandparents, and her fur companion, Kendra. She is survived by her loving children Stacia and Russell Black of Walpole, MA, her mother Joan Campbell of Salem, her sisters Dawn (Michael Ventre) Herrick of Saratoga Springs, and Shawna Herrick Greene (Kevin) of Greenwich, her brothers James (Denise) Herrick of Greenwich, Christopher Herrick of Albany, half brother Jamie Bret (Dawn) Herrick of Stillwater, four stepsisters and brothers from Stillwater area and five stepbrothers in the Salem area. Lynne is also survived by numerous aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and special friends.

Lynne enjoyed camping, boating, scuba diving, cooking, and spending time at the Saratoga Library. She was an excellent cook. 

Paul Black and Lynne’s family want to thank Sister Donna and direct care staff at Glens Falls Hospital, for their expert care during Lynne’s final weeks. Per Lynne’s request there will be no viewing hours. A celebration of life will take place in early 2025. Donations may be made to an individual’s choice of library or animal shelter. 

Week of January 3 – January 9, 2025

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Calendar.

This week’s events: January 3-9

Friday, January 3

Cloaks and Greatcoats – 18th Century Outerwear

Brookside Museum, 21 Fairground Ave. Ballston Spa | 7 p.m. Join well known historical clothing expert, Henry Cooke, to learn how people kept warm in the 18th century and view original and replica garments. Learn about capes, cloaks and greatcoats in the late 1700s. By looking at original and replica garments, as well as artwork from the era, participants will discover the materials, construction techniques and fashionable styles of outerwear for men and women. The event is free and open to the public, though donations are always welcome. (In case of inclement weather, please check with Brookside Museum). This event has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the 24th Regiment of Foot in North America and is supported by the Campaign for Saratoga 250, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to highlighting the importance of the Saratoga Region during the American Revolution.

Santa’s Playland

Quick Response Restoration, 2077 Route 9, Round Lake | 5 – 11 p.m. Drive through our magical holiday lights display featuring hundreds of dazzling, animated light displays, set to cheerful holiday music, right from the comfort of your car. Open to the public Wednesday – Sunday. The last day for this season will be on Sunday, January 5. Admission is free.

Saturday, January 4

Library Visits the Farmers Market

Wilton Mall, Food Court, 3065 Route 50, Saratoga Springs | 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Visit the library table to check out and return your library materials, get a library card, get e-book and e-audiobook help, and participate in a drop-in activity for families. The mobile library will be at the Winter Farmers Market at Wilton Mall the 1st Saturday of each month! Looking for more — the library will also be at Hop Along Home in Wilton Mall on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  Join us for our Books and Bunnies program which will feature a story, activity, and of course — time with the bunnies!

Sunday, January 5

Winter Birding Walks

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, 80 Scout Rd., Wilton | 8 – 9 a.m. Join us on a morning walk through the Saratoga Sand Plains to see which birds stick around for the winter! Register online at www.wiltonpreserve.org or call the office at 518-450-0321

Monday,
January 6

Galway Preservation Society Meeting and Program

Galway Town Hall, 5910 Sacandaga Road, Galway | 6:45 p.m. This month’s program, “One Hundred Years Ago, the Village of Galway and the Hamlet of East Galway”, presented by Arlene Rhodes featuring photos of people, places and events selected from the 1984 Galway Old Time Story Night.  The meeting will be held at the.  Our programs are always open to the public, free of charge.  If you choose, annual family or household memberships are available for $10 per year.  Please join us for some fun and to learn more about Galway’s history.

NEW! HYBRID: Banned Books Club: 1984 by George Orwell 

Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Rd., Clifton Park | 7 p.m. This book club will dive into the world of banned books to read, learn, and discuss why each title has been challenged or banned. All are welcome, including new participants. Attend this program in person at the library or from home on ZOOM; registration required only for those attending on ZOOM. 518-371-8622. www.cphlibrary.org

Tuesday,
January 7

Winter Arts Workshop Series: Winter Poetry

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, 80 Scout Rd., Wilton | 6 – 8 p.m. Looking to channel your inner artist? Each month will have a different nature themed-art project where staff will help you explore different art mediums while relating it back to the Saratoga Sand Plains. Register online at www.wiltonpreserve.org or call the office at 518-450-0321

Wednesday, January 8

Academy for Lifelong Learning Winter Storyteller Series

Prestwick Chase at Saratoga, 100 Saratoga Boulevard, Saratoga Springs | 12 Noon – 1 p.m. Free and open to the public. No reservations required. Sponsored by Prestwick Chase. Storyteller Christie Keegan presents Just Between You, Me and the Lamppost.  Different storytellers will offer their tales every Wednesday through February 12. If Saratoga Springs city schools are closed due to weather, that presentation will be postponed until February 19. For more information on the Academy for Lifelong Learning or for a complete lineup of storytellers, visit www.allsaratoga.org or contact Academy Executive Director, Jeff Shinaman at jeff@allsaratoga.org or call (518) 290-6988.

Meatloaf Dinner

Saratoga Wilton Elks Lodge, 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs | 4:30 – 6 p.m. Take out only. Call Monday or Tuesday between 10 a.m. – Noon to place an order at 518-584-2585. Menu: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, roll, gravy. Dinner for $15.00 (cash only). 

Green Drinks!

NEW LOCATION: Whitman Brewing Company, 20 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs | 5 – 7 p.m.  A “green gathering” for those who work, volunteer, or have a passion for promoting the environment, conservation, and sustainability.  Food, alcoholic, and non-alcoholic drinks are available for purchase.

Green Drinks – Saratoga Springs is held monthly. While this is a networking event, solicitation is not allowed.

Poetry Reading

Caffe Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs | 7 p.m.  Caffè Lena will present a poetry reading by Susan Oringel. An open mic poetry reading will follow. Doors open for sign-ups at 6:30 p.m. The host for the event will be Carol Graser and the cost is $5 general, free for students. The featured reading will also be livestreamed. You can find a link for the livestream at caffelena.org, 518-583-0022.

Pickin’s    

The Milton Community Center, 310 Northline Rd. Ballston Spa | 6:30 – 9 p.m. Open to the public, free admission and ample free parking. Doors open 6 p.m. All acoustic musicians who enjoy playing country/western, folk, gospel & bluegrass are welcome to participate. If you don’t play, become part of the audience and enjoy the music. Bring a snack to share. Beverages provided. Call 518-885-4229 with questions.

Thursday, January 9

Homeschool Hang: Mars Helicopter

Saratoga Springs Public Library, Dutcher Community Room, 49 Henry St., Saratoga Springs | 2 – 3 p.m. Homeschooling families with kids in grades K-6, come learn about Mars’s helicopter, the Ingenuity, then make your own paper model. Please register each child who will be participating. www.sspl.org

Hooked on Nature

Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, 80 Scout Rd., Wilton | 6 – 7:30 p.m. Do you love crafting? Do you love being outdoors? Why not put them together! This biweekly fiber arts meetup is a great chance to bring your WIPs and meet some new like-minded friends! Materials will not be provided, but an educator with crochet experience will be available to help. To register, visit www.wiltonwildlifepreserve.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Hannaford Reusable Bags Program To Benefit Gateway House of Peace

By making a $2.50 community bag purchase, shoppers give a $1.00 back to a local nonprofit selected monthly by store leadership at the Rowland Street Hannaford. For the month of January, Gateway House of Peace, located at 479 Rowland Street has been selected. GHOP is an organization that provides 24-hour care to individuals who have been diagnosed to have three months or less to live and can no longer stay safely in their home. GHOP receives no public funding or insurance reimbursements and relies on community support and fundraising.

Southern Saratoga County Art Exhibits

SSAS will be hosting Art Exhibits throughout the area. The Clifton Park Senior Community Center Gallery,  6 Clifton Common Blvd., will show a “Gentlemen’s Art Exhibit” featuring artists and members of SSAS, Brian Skanes, David Mayack, Frank Coletta, John Morrette and William Daisak during the months of January and February, 2025. Mechanicville Library,  190 N. Main Street, will show the artwork of SSAS member and artist, Jane Morrison, during  the month of January, 2025.   Stop in and view these amazing artists. For further information about SSAS, visit: southernsaratogaartist.com

MLK Saratoga’s Annual Dr. King Celebration Weekend

The weekend kicks off Friday, January 17. This year’s theme is inspired by a 1967 speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave in Atlanta, GA. titled “Where Do We Go from Here?” Friday night Kickoff Party – a free evening of food, music and performances, hosted by Emcee Bakari Grady-Willis. There will be workshops, children’s programming, a Sunday Gospel service, exploring Restorative Justice, film screening and a special tribute to Odetta by Gina Coleman and Misty Blues at Caffè Lena, volunteer projects, and Monday afternoon’s Community Celebration, featuring a keynote address by author and Skidmore professor Dr. Tammy Owens, with inspirational music by Soulist Garland Nelson. Something for everyone.  Visit mlksaratoga.org for event details and updates.

Winter Concert Series: String Theory Trio

The String Theory Trio is a newly formed ensemble comprised of three friends, Brian Mooney, Dana Probeyahn-Smith, and Kathryn Tomlin who recently began exploring the repertoire that exists for two violins and a cello. They will be performing in the Long Room at The Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, on Saturday, January 18 at 3 p.m. The concert is open to the public and free, though donations are always appreciated, either online or at the event.

Waldorf Students View Medieval and Renaissance Exhibits

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Education.


Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs students view a replica of Westminster Hall’s hammer-beam ceiling at Saint Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls. Photo provided.

GLENS FALLS — Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs middle school students recently visited The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls to view medieval and Renaissance art displayed at the “Growing up in a Renaissance Palazzo” exhibition.

Students observed medieval paintings and books, and even a drawing of the “Mona Lisa.” Then, students walked to nearby Saint Mary’s Academy to see the Great Hall, the ceiling of which is a replica of the medieval hammer-beam ceiling at Westminster Hall in London.