Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The 3rd Annual Witch Walk & Dance, a community event blending fun, philanthropy, and Halloween spirit, returns to Saratoga Springs on Saturday, Oct. 19. Hosted by Witch Walk SOSA (Southern Saratoga), the event will raise crucial funds to support local animal rescue efforts while offering participants a magical day filled with entertainment, costumes, and more.

Participants are encouraged to wear their best witch costumes and join the enchanting walk and dances through downtown Saratoga Springs. 

The festivities begin at 37 High Rock Ave., Lower Level Parking Garage, and culminate in a lively celebration featuring local vendors, live performances, and Halloween-themed activities.

Event Highlights Include: Witch Dancers, Witches Market, Local Drink Specials at participating local establishments, Basket Raffle, and Entertainment. The troupe will be dancing around town from 2 to 9 p.m., teaching the dance along the way for others to join in.

Ticket Information: Wristband/Donation: $30 per person. Wristbands can also be purchased in advance via Venmo or Cash, or on the day of the event at the registration booth. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite. All proceeds directly support Witch Walk SOSA’s mission to raise funds for animal organizations in the Saratoga Springs area. For more information, go to: https://www.discoversaratoga.org/witch-walk-sosa/ or contact Phaedra aka Wylda “Head Witch” at witchwalksosa@gmail.com or 518-882-9286.

BALLSTON SPA — George Ward, folklorist, singer and “Canal Balladeer,” will present a program of canal songs and stories at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct.  25.  

Ward performs both historical songs and his own compositions, reflecting 200 years of New York State’s canals and their people. His performance will include songs he has performed at folk festivals, in concert halls and coffeehouses, canalside, and on tour boats for 50 years. 

“Every song has a story and tells a story. I’ll tell some of those too,” said Ward in a statement. “Having purposefully tried to honor the legacy of where I have lived for fifty years – in particular the Mohawk Valley and its part in the two-century epic of the Erie Canal – I still find it worth telling that story in song.” 

 The event is sponsored by the Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum and is presented on the eve of the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. 

Registration is available at the History Center’s website https://brooksidemuseum.org/. Donations received during registration will be used for SCHC program development.

Brookside Museum is located at 21 Fairground Ave. in Ballston Spa.  

BALLSTON SPA —Downtown Ballston will host the 22nd Annual “The Way We Were” Car Show, which has been postponed from Oct. 13 to Sunday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Organized by the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA), the fall event will once again transform Front Street into a showcase of classic cars, attracting enthusiasts from near and far.

Each year, the car show brings in over 400 classic cars, food and merchandise vendors, a kids’ zone with a bounce house and fun activities, live music, and a trophy presentation to close out the day.

Day-of registration for show cars will be available for $25 cash, offering participants the opportunity to join the show on the morning of the event. The event is free for spectators. For more information visit www.ballston.org

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A ceremony honoring the Veteran of the Year for 2024 will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct 22, at the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge #161 at 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs. The event is free and open to the public. Face masks are optional.

The annual award is co-sponsored by the Friends of the New York State Military Museum and the Capital District of New York Chapter of the Association of the United States Army. Presidents of the two co-sponsor organizations will present the award. 

The Veteran of the Year 2024 is Col. (Ret.) Chester R. Edwards, NY Guard, a Vietnam Mobile Riverine Force Veteran. 

Edwards served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 – 1972.  His service included combat duty in Vietnam as an Assault Support Patrol Boat Coxswain with the Mobile Riverine Force (1968 to 1969). His other assignments were on a Submarine Tender and an Ocean-Going Tugboat. Chet earned a GED, while in Vietnam, having left school at 17 to join the military.  During his 6 years of US Navy service, he received numerous awards. 

After returning to civilian life, Edwards spent more than 35 years as a corporate financial executive and financial consultant at several companies in the tri-state area. He lives in Port Chester with his wife of 52 years, Mary, and is the proud father of two daughters and the grandfather to two granddaughters.

MIDDLE GROVE —Nipper Knolls Equine Center, Inc. will host its seventh annual golf tournament on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Kingswood National Golf Course. Check in begins at 8 a.m. with the tee off at 9 a.m. All proceeds will benefit Nipper Knolls Equine Center, Inc.

This fundraiser is a four-player scramble format. Participants have the chance to win a Ford vehicle  courtesy of Nemer Ford’s hole-in-one contest. There will be additional fun competitions including a putting contest, closest to the line, most accurate drive, closest to the pin, and longest drive. The event will also feature a silent auction, 50/50 and more. All participating veterans will be honored with a special gift courtesy of Telescope Casual Furniture.

The registration fee is $90 per player ($360 per team) and includes the 18 holes of golf with a cart, hot dog on the turn, and a buffet dinner at the awards ceremony. Friends and family members of golfers are welcome to attend and participate in the silent auction and can enjoy the dinner for $15 per person. Teams and individuals can register online by visiting www.nipperknolls.com under “Fundraising and Events” or by contacting Roxanne at 518-763-1976 or roxanne_peck@yahoo.com or nkequinecenter@gmail.com

Kingsbury National Golf Course is located at 111 County Route 41, Hudson Falls. 

Saratoga Springs, NY— The annual Corks & Cuisine Wine & Food Tasting event will take place 1 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20 at Forno Bistro, 541 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. Admission is a suggested donation of $40 per person.

All proceeds from the event will benefit The Richard Bambara Memorial Fund, which supports Uro-Oncology resident education and research at Albany Medical Center 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 

The event will showcase a carefully curated selection of wines and spirits, including a variety of craft beers, and bites from Forno Bistro, Chianti Ristorante, and Boca Bistro.

Pre-register for the event online at shop.dzrestaurants.com. For more information, call 518-583-1142.

SARATOGA SPRINGS— The City of Saratoga Springs, in partnership with the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, will present a free in-person program, “Historic Fabric, Modern Needs: Insights from Cincinnati’s Willkommen Infill Projects” with Emily S. Ahouse and Chad Burke at the “Skip” Scirocco Music Hall, 474 Broadway 3rd Floor, Saratoga Springs. 

The program will take place 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. 

Emily S. Ahouse is the Zoning Administrator and Deputy Director of the Department of City Planning and Engagement for the City of Cincinnati where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the City’s Zoning Division and Historic Conservation Office. Chad Burke, AIA, LEED AP is a principal and the Mixed-Use market director at GBBN. 

The presentation will focus on three infill projects that are part of the larger Willkommen development in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. It will explore how sometimes conflicting elements—historic and zoning guidelines, affordability policies, and contemporary design—can be balanced to mend the fabric of a historic neighborhood. To register for the program visit, www.saratogapreservation.org or call 518- 587-5030.