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Author: Saratoga TODAY

10th Annual Saratoga Challenger Baseball Game Draws Big Crowd

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Players from Saratoga Springs and Colonie run the bases during the 10th annual Challenger Baseball Game, held at the West Side Recreation Park in Saratoga. Photo by Super Source Media.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — More than 150 spectators attended the 10th annual Saratoga Springs Little League Challenger Baseball game at the West Side Recreation Park last Saturday night.

The game had a cheering section of special education teachers, physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapy assistants.

Derrick Legal, President of the Saratoga Little League, said the Challenger Division was the brainchild of Paul Salway, a prior board member. Since the program’s launch a decade ago, more than 40 players and families from across Saratoga County have enrolled every year. The program provides an opportunity for players with differing abilities to play baseball. 

Robert Kelly, District Coordinator for Special Education at the Saratoga Springs City School District, said his goal is to send a team to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the Little League World Series is held. “Our players and families are great and will work hard to accomplish this goal together,” Kelly said.

Kids Fishing Derby Returns

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The annual kids fishing derby is returning to Lake Lonely on June 16. The free event will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. It’s open to kids 14 and under, all of whom must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Worms will be supplied, but kids should bring their own fishing poles and tackle.

The derby includes free hot dogs, chips, and sodas; as well as prizes for fish caught in different categories. The event will take place at 373 Crescent Ave (Eagles Parking Lot) in Saratoga Springs.

Adirondack Experience Open For 2024 Season

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE — Adirondack Experience has opened for the 2024 season, inspiring visitors to learn and connect with all things Adirondack, past and present. In addition to its expansive list of ongoing daily offerings, several new works of art – including Cosmic Portal, a complex sculptural piece that measures 9’ by 6’ – will be on display in Artists & Inspiration in the Wild, which debuted in July 2023. 

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT), a 138-mile route that transverses Adirondack Park. To honor this milestone, the museum will launch its newest special exhibition, Trail Makers: 100 Years of the Northville-Placid Trail and offer daily programming and opportunities to connect hikers, history buffs, and those who simply treasure the region to come together to mark this anniversary in a personal way. 

ADKX will also introduce Tuesday Trail Talks & Tours, a new monthly series to learn about the people who hike, maintain, and work to preserve the Northville-Placid Trail today. 

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. 

ADKX will be open every day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Oct. 14. For information about programs, events and updates, visit www.theadkx.org.   

The Secret Garden: Claire O’Donnell as Mary, Abraham Huestis as Colin, Carolyn Shields as Martha, and Patrick Nyhan as Dickon. Photo by Dawn Oesch.

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The New York State Summer Writers Institute will offer evening readings by an extraordinary line-up of distinguished writers this June and July. Except where noted, the readings, which are free and open to the public, will begin at 8 p.m. and be held on the Skidmore College campus. Note, Tickets are required for Caffe Lena events.

Monday, June 24, 8 p.m.: Cristina Garcia (fiction) & Megan Fernandes (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Tuesday, June 25, 8 p.m.: Margot Livesey (fiction) & Daniel Torday (fiction) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Wednesday, June 26, 8 p.m.: Phillip Lopate (non-fiction) & Elizabeth Benedict (fiction) Reading at Caffe Lena

Thursday, June 27, 8 p.m.: Honor Moore (memoir) & Rosanna Warren (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Friday, June 28, 8 p.m.: NY Times Columnist John McWhorter: Conversation w/ Bob Boyers, Davis Auditorium

Saturday, June 29: Film, Leon Morin, Priest @ 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. Conversation w/Phillip Lopate, Davis Auditorium

Monday, July 1, 8 p.m.: James Hannaham (fiction) & Richard Blanco (poetry) Reading, Davis Auditorium

Tuesday, July 2, 8 p.m.: Francine Prose (fiction) & Campbell McGrath (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Wednesday, July 3, 8 p.m.: Elisa Gonzalez (poetry) & Vinson Cunningham (fiction) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Thursday, July 4, 8 p.m.: Jenny Offill (fiction) & April Bernard (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Friday, July 5, 8 p.m.: Poetry & Jazz: An Evening with Robert Pinsky and Todd Coolman at Caffe Lena

Monday, July 8, 8 p.m.: Joyce Carol Oates (fiction) & Henri Cole (poetry) Reading, Gannett Auditorium

Tuesday, July 9, 8 p.m.: Mary Gaitskill (fiction) & Amy Hempel (fiction) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Wednesday, July 10, 8 p.m.: Jerald Walker (non-fiction) & Sandra Lim (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Thursday, July 11, 8 p.m.: Rick Moody (fiction) & Adam Braver (fiction) Reading at Caffe Lena

Friday, July 12, 8 p.m.: Louise Gluck Memorial: Henri Cole, Kathryn Davis, Peg Boyers, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Saturday, July 13: Film, Death In Venice @ 6:30 p.m., discussion 9 p.m. TBA, Davis Auditorium

Monday, July 15, 8 p.m.: Thomas Chatterton Williams (memoir) & Peg Boyers (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall

Tuesday, July 16, 8 p.m.: Paul Harding (fiction) & Karan Mahajan (fiction) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Wednesday, July 17, 8 p.m.: William Kennedy (fiction) & Chase Twichell (poetry) Reading, Dining Hall (upstairs)

Thursday, July 18, 8 p.m.: Caryl Phillips (fiction) & Binnie Kirshenbaum (fiction) Reading at Caffe Lena

Friday, July 19, 8 p.m.: Panel on the 2024 November Election: Poet Tom Healy and Historians Jennifer Delton & Beau Breslin, Gannett Auditorium 

Led by directors Robert Boyers and Adam Braver, the New York State Summer Writers Institute has been offering students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers since 1987. The program is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute created by Albany native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. 

Home Made Theater Presents The Secret Garden

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For two weekends, starting on Friday, June 7, Home Made Theater will present the musical, The Secret Garden, music by Lucy Simon, book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman. The Secret Garden is based on the classic 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald. The estate’s many wonders include a magical garden which beckons Mary with haunting melodies and spirits from her past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden’s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

The Director and Scenic Designer of The Secret Garden is Home Made Theater’s Executive and Artistic Director, Eric Rudy. The Musical Director is Richard Cherry, and the Choreographer is Heather D’Arcy. The artistic team also includes Lighting Designer Matt Kopens, Sound Designer Tom Moeller, Costume Designer Sharon Greene, Properties Designer Maura Pickett and Production Stage Manager Christine MacLellan.

The cast of The Secret Garden will feature several performers familiar to the Home Made Theater audience, including Travis Brunell, Maleri Davis, Marilyn Detmer, Doug Gladstone, Jack Holick, Claire O’Donnell, Lesley O’Donnell, Eric Rudy, Sonya Sidhu-Izzo, and Olivia Wilkerson. 

There will also be a number of new faces in the cast. These include Nate Beynon, Georgianna Bull, Heather-Liz Copps, Abraham Huestis, Katie Huestis, Michael Lotano, Patrick Nyhan, Sarah Paulsen, Carolyn Shields, Noah Unser, and Sophie Waling. The child roles have all been double-cast, and those actors will alternate performances. 

The performance on Saturday, June 15 at 2 p.m. will be a special “sensory friendly” performance. This performance will be designed to make theater accessible to patrons who may be prone to sensory overstimulation, including those on the autism spectrum.

Performances the first weekend are Friday, June 7 at 7 p.m., Saturday June 8 at 2 p.m. and at 7, and Sunday June 9 at 2 p.m.

The second weekend will begin with a performance on Thursday, June 13 at 7. The rest of the weekend will include performances on Friday, June 14 at 7, Saturday, June 15 at 2 and at 7, and Sunday, June 16 at 2 p.m. 

All performances are at the Pitney Meadows Community Farm at 223 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Tickets are $35 and are available on Home Made Theater’s website, www.homemadetheater.org, or by calling 518-587-4427 during the box office hours of Monday through Friday, noon to 4:00 p.m.

“A Duo Of Undeniable Talent” – Black Feathers to Perform at Caffe Lena June 21

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Americana, Folk, and Acoustic Indie Rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in the musical world of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, collectively known as The Black Feathers. 

The duo, who have collaborated on several projects for more than a decade are traveling across the Big Pond and staging a show at Caffe Lena Friday, June 21. 

Check out the band’s sonic textures and visual performance at: https://theblackfeathers.com/videos. For more information and tickets to the local show, go to: caffelena.org. 

June 7 – 13, 2024

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Calendar.

Friday, June 7

StudioBlue Cool Jazz Vibes

786 Charlton Road, Charlton | 7 – 9 p.m. Special music performance by StudioBlue, an 8-piece ensemble consisting of seasoned musicians performing Mid-Century West Coast Swing and Cool Era Jazz. Part of Main Street Studio’s “Charlton Makes!” showcase. $10.00 suggested donation. info@mainstreetcharlton.com

Saturday, June 8

Annual Plant Sale

Dockstader Recreation Fields, 5078 Sacandaga Road, Galway | 9 a.m. – Noon. The Glenville Hills Garden Club of Saratoga County will have over 90 varieties of perennial plants as well as herbs, flowering shrubs, ground covers, vines, and bulbs for sale. Proceeds will fund the garden club projects, including community beautification and the sponsorship of students at environmental camps.   

Perennial Plants Plus Sale

48 Chapman St. Ballston Spa | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Please join the Ballston Spa House & Garden Club for our annual perennial plant plus sale. All sorts of plants, annuals, perennials and garden themed items available at reasonable prices. *Cash only please. Ballston Spa House & Garden Club is a not-for-profit dedicated to the love of gardening, the protection and conservation of natural resources and the civic beautification of the Village of Ballston Spa.

Annual Daketown School #8 Open House

24 Old Daketown Road, Middle Grove | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Hosted by the Town of Greenfield Historical Society. Admission is Free. Stop in to see the Circa 1878 one room schoolhouse. Try writing your alphabet on the original blackboards which were installed in 1915. This school was used until June 1956.

Donations are welcome to help us Keep Greenfield’s History Alive for our future generations.

Belmont Stakes Watch Party

Saratoga-Wilton Elks #161, 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs | 4 – 8 p.m. Tickets are $30/pp in advance and $40per person at the door, and include a Belmont Stakes themed buffet including deviled eggs, sausage stuffed mushrooms, pigs-in-a-blanket, fruit and veggie trays with dips, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, a variety of deli sandwiches, baked beans, Saratoga salad (greens, apples, dried fruits, and nuts), Italian pasta salad, carrot cake, mini cheesecakes, chocolate bundt cake, and gluten free chocolate bundt cake. The event will include raffles and racing-themed games, and we’ll watch the action on multiple large-screens.

Sunday, June 9

Collage Workshop

Spring Street Gallery, 110 Springs St., Saratoga Springs | 2 – 4 p.m. Create abstract artworks while exploring the art of collage. Using repurposed materials, fine art papers, and magazine clippings, participants will be led and guided on developing layering techniques. Tickets are $25. Reserve seats: https://springstreetgallerysaratoga.org/events/

Opera Saratoga Gala

Canfield Casino, Saratoga Springs | 6 – 9 p.m. This will be an event like none we’ve had in recent years! We will return to the Canfield Casino to celebrate our Season of Winners, including the hit Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, and Mozart’s delightful Così fan tutte. This will be the perfect way to cap off the Belmont Weekend! This year’s fundraiser will feature an evening of casino games, great music, food and auction items, all to benefit the incredible programs offered by Opera Saratoga. Dress is Black-Tie Optional and ticket prices range from $215 to $1,000. Check out operasaratoga.com/gala2024 for details.

Monday, June 10

Intro to Managing Your Privacy

Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Rd., Clifton Park | 3:30 p.m. In this introductory lecture, we’ll review how ads target us online, how to limit tracking, where to find browser settings and extensions to better control how our information is shared. We’ll also discuss some of the key features of password managers and why they’re a safe and secure option. Registration required. 518-371-8622. www.cphlibrary.org

Tuesday, June 11

Workshop: Weatherization, Affordability, & Energy Literacy Workshop and Heat Pumps 101

Saratoga Town Hall, 12 Spring St., Schuylerville |  6 – 8:30 p.m. Free. All welcome.  Opportunity for homeowners, renters and landlords to learn: steps to improve the weatherization of a residence or building: how to reduce energy consumption and costs; affordability resources; heat pump technology and use.  In collaboration with the Town of Saratoga Clean Energy Committee, presenters include Capital Region Clean Energy Hub and LifeWorks-Community Action Energy.  Heat Pump technician and energy assessor on site.  Spanish translation available.  Snacks provided.  Energy saving home items kit/gifts for pre-registered.  Info/Pre-reg:  toscleanenergy@gmail.com or EventBrite-Weatherization, Heat Pumps, & Energy Literacy.

Wednesday, June 12

Meatloaf Dinner Take Out

Saratoga – Wilton Elks Club, 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, 518-584-2585. Menu: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, roll, gravy. Cost is $15 per dinner. Cash only.

Green Drinks! 

The Parting Glass, 40-42 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.

Thursday, June 13

Car Seat Check

New Country Toyota of Clifton Park, 202 NY-146, Mechanicville | 4 – 8 p.m.  90% of car seats are installed incorrectly. We will have Nationally Certified Technicians and Instructors to educate you on the correct installation of your car seat and how to fit your child correctly in the seat. Appointments are required. No drop-ins. Call Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga 518-885-8995.

2024 Horsemen’s Social

Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, 683 RT-29, Saratoga Springs | 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Hosted by Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, the Horsemen’s Social was created for local equine enthusiasts and professionals to network and collaborate with our efforts within our equine community. This evening’s events will include networking, a delicious BBQ, drinks, music and horses! Tickets are $60. Tickets include one food and one drink ticket. Visit, https://thsaratoga.org/events/

“Strawberry Fields Forever” – The Beatles

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Food.

Hellomy Foodie Friends!   

There is something delicious and nostalgic about strawberries. 

When I just see them, my mom flashes into my memory.  Growing up, I lived by a farm that grew strawberries. The last weeks of the month of May would bring the start to some beautifully ripe and delicious strawberries.  My mom used to love taking all of us strawberry picking. Maybe it was her grand plan to tire out her three rambunctious boys or she just loved how happy it made us to accompany her on the strawberry picking adventure. We would race to fill our baskets and run them back to mom.  My two sisters were diligent in looking for the biggest, reddest strawberries. However, my brothers and I preferred to create a “bug competition” looking for the most bugs and different bugs we could find. The other issue was when we did pick the strawberries, it was difficult not to take a bite out them. My mom would often find our buckets filled with little bites taken from several of the strawberries. I have to admit the best part of the day was eating the strawberries.

During our strawberry excursions, my brothers and I, John, Danny and Billy, always competed in everything we did so we would split up to find our own patch. On one of our strawberry picking adventures my brother Danny who was usually the one who got into mischief, was kneeling on the ground talking to a very cute animal. Since we were about the ages of five or six, we had no fear of animals yet.  I said “Danny, is that a cat? He then responded “yes, I think so and he’s wearing a mask!” He was saying “here kitty would you like a strawberry?”  You know what happened next, the “kitty” took the strawberry and bit Danny’s finger. We were then off on another adventure to the emergency room where Danny saw a very big needle. That is also when the doctor told all three boys what a raccoon was and how much they enjoyed strawberries as well. We still talk about that day whenever we get together. 

Being involved with creating a garden or visiting one is a wonderful way to encourage eating fresh garden harvests. Although my mother and grandmother did not have strawberry fields, they did have beautiful vegetable gardens. One of my favorite memories is when my mother would ask us to gather rocks for her garden. Picking out the largest and coolest rock kept the us three, highly energized boys busy for hours.  Another favorite memory was plucking the fruits of my mother and grandmothers gardens. Snacking on the garden vegetables was another challenge for us to avoid. We would play hide and seek in the garden while nibbling on some of the garden treasures. My brothers and I would try to hide and flatten our bodies close to the ground as soon as we heard either my mother or grandmother asking us what we were up to.

Getting children involved with gardening and harvesting fruits is a great way to create memories. Being involved with creating a garden or visiting one is a wonderful way to encourage eating fresh garden harvests. With picking strawberries, we get to celebrate having fresh strawberries and whipped cream. This is one of my favorite desserts and snacks. There are so many ways to use strawberries; you can eat them for breakfast and add granola for some texture, drizzle chocolate on them, or make strawberry cream pie or shortcake 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, we carry tools to help you with your strawberry creations. One item is the strawberry huller. A strawberry huller is a small kitchen tool used to remove leaves and the hull from the top of a strawberry. Lots of dishes call for it. The huller, which resembles a mini set of tongs with tips or you can get the one with teethlike edges, allows you to push the tips into the top of a strawberry (around the stem), grip, twist, pull, and you’re done. The advantage to using a huller is that you lose much less fruit than if you just cut the ends off of your berries. Yes, you could use a knife. However, the huller is much safer. Another item to have is a paring knife to help you slice up your strawberries. This spring, step into the strawberry fields with friends and family or stop by the farmers market to pick up some strawberries.  While you are creating your favorite strawberry dish, maybe even put on the Beatles and listen to “Strawberry Fields Forever” (oh! I am showing my age). Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

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The Market Needs Your Vote

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Food.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market started in 1978 with a small group of farmers opening the first area market in a parking lot. They appear to be the first farmers’ market in Saratoga and the surrounding Capital Region. The market has gone on to serve the community for over 46 years and is in constant motion, growing and changing.

They have become a 501(c)3, as well as a small business incubator and area host that provides an opportunity to bring locally grown and produced goods to the area. They now host indoor and outdoor markets, striving to serve their membership and the community year-round.

The market is at an exciting growth point and is striving to add to its growing list of free programs for the community. This includes educational events, a kids club, weekly entertainment, festivals, cooking demos, the SNAP/EBT program, and expanding SNAP benefits at satellite markets in Clifton Park and Milton.

Growth and expansion require funding, and the market is excited to announce that the American Farmland Trust is offering a $5,000 prize to the farmers’ market of the people’s choice. The market wants to get the word out to the public and ask for your vote.

It’s easy and takes a few minutes. Please consider visiting markets.farmland.org. Look on the site for America’s Farmers’ Market Celebration and click ‘vote now’ to cast your vote.

Please vote for the first option listing the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Every vote counts, and we hope to be the People’s Choice for 2024, striving to continue to serve the community in new ways.

Visit our markets throughout the year:

• Saturday outdoor market at High Rock Park, Saratoga Springs (May through October, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

• Wednesday outdoor market at High Rock Park, Saratoga Springs (May through October, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

• Monday outdoor satellite market at Shenendehowa Methodist Church, Clifton Park (June through Mid-October, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

• Thursday outdoor satellite market at Burgess-Kimball Memorial Park, Milton (July 11 through the end of August, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

• Saturday indoor markets at Wilton Mall, Saratoga (November through April, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) 

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh. 

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Students Can Create a Theme Park at Roller Coaster Camp

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Education.

Photo via Saratoga Arts.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts is hosting a Roller Coaster Camp, presented by The Innovation Center at Saratoga, for students ages 12 to 15. Working in small teams, students will learn the science behind roller coasters and then use Roblox to create their dream coaster as part of a theme park.

The camp runs from July 8 to 12. Registration includes four days of in-class exploration using physics, math, and computers; the incorporation of artistic components as students learn to theme their coasters and parks; and one all-expenses-paid day (including food and camp t-shirt) at The Great Escape.

For more information, visit www.saratoga-arts.org/event-5694488.