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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Dan Navarro at Caffe Lena Nov. 18

Dan Navarro will host a pair of singer-songwriter workshops and
stage a show in Saratoga Springs. Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dan Navarro will stage a show at Caffe Lena on Nov. 18. 

Navarro’s career started as a songwriter – most often with Eric Lowen, for artists as diverse as Pat Benatar, The Bangles, and Jackson Browne, to Dave Edmunds and The Temptations.

His first true studio-recorded album, “Shed My Skin,” was released in 2019, and his latest release “Horizon Line,” was issued in August.

In addition to the staged performance on Nov. 18, Navarro will host Singer-Songwriter workshops on Nov. 17 (at 1 p.m.) and Nov. 18 (at 4 p.m.). 

For more information and tickets, call 518-583-0022, or go to: www.caffelena.org.

Schenectady Symphony Orchestra Kicks-Off Season at UPH Sunday  

Schenectady Symphony Orchestra and Skidmore College cast and orchestra rehearse for Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw.” Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Schenectady Symphony Orchestra is kicking off the 2022-2023 season by returning to Universal Preservation Hall for another collaboration with Skidmore College 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23. 

Be pleasantly puzzled and tastefully terrified by Benjamin Britten’s Gothic ghost story opera, The Turn of the Screw, described as one of the most dramatically appealing English operas. This marks the third operatic collaboration between SSO and Skidmore College. 

This semi-staged production tells the woeful tale of the children of Bly Manor in 1898 England as depicted in the novel of the same title by Henry James. Follow the Governess as she struggles with the supernatural and her own sanity. Considered Britten’s operatic masterpiece, singers include Sylvia Stoner as the Governess, Casey Gray as Peter Quint, Anneliese Von Goerken-Zinser as Mrs. Grose, Stefanie Sudduth as Miss Jessel, and with Skidmore students Jessica Byers-Flora, Lucrezia Zichichi-Miles, and Johnny Mulcahy singing the Prologue. 

Tickets are available at the Box Office at Proctors, in person or via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online at universalpreservationhall.org. Groups of 10 or more can get tickets by calling 518-382-3884, ext. 139.

A Celebration of Hmong Culture Through The Arts – Events Welcome Public, Educators & Their Students

ALBANY — The UAlbany Performing Arts Center and New York State Writers Institute are collaborating to present A Celebration of Hmong Culture Through the Arts, a multi-discipline project celebrating Hmong culture and history which revolves around Kao Kalia Yang’s memoir, The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir. The project spans the disciplines of literature, theatre, film and art and includes a display, a documentary screening and a stage performance. 

The schedule of events, all taking place at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the uptown University at Albany campus, is as follows:

• A display of Paj ntaub (also known as Hmong story cloths or flower cloths) is available for viewing on Monday, Oct. 24 through Friday, Nov. 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily on weekdays. Admission is free. No reservations are required.

• A screening of the documentary Being Hmong Means Being Free will take place at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. No reservations are required.

•Performances of The Latehomecomer. Directed by Elise Thoron, this theatre work starts as author Kao Kalia Yang is born in the Ban Vinai Refugee camp in Thailand and eventually arrives in the United States. The book and stage presentation follow her journey from a quiet, reticent student struggling to speak English while facing racial discrimination to a self-empowered young woman claiming her voice to tell the untold story of her people. They tell a universal story of immigration through the specific lens of this ancient culture inextricably bound to the history of the war in Vietnam.

There will be a public performance at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m., preceded by a pre-show talk beginning at 7 p.m. A second performance will take place on Friday, Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. exclusively for high school student groups. 

Advance tickets for the public performance are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. Tickets purchased on the day of the show (pending availability) are $20 for the general public and $15 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. Individual tickets can be purchased on the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s site at www.albany.edu/pac.

Admission to the morning matinee is free for high school student groups. Reservations are required. Educators wishing to bring groups can contact the UAlbany Performing Arts Center office at 518-442-3995 or PAC@albany.edu. Home school students and parents are also welcome.

“Groundwork: Labor In A Burgeoning Community” Opens At The Chapman Museum 

GLENS FALLS — The economy of the Glens Falls region is deeply rooted in its natural resources and the hard work of early settlers. The Chapman Museum casts a light on the generations that built the region in “Groundwork, Labor in a Burgeoning Community,” which recently opened. 

The exhibition, which will be unveiled in the Museum’s newly renovated Carriage House Gallery, runs through Jan. 15, 2023.

“Early settlers were eager to capitalize on the power generated by the mighty Hudson River and the region’s substantial assets,” said Nicole Herwig, director of The Chapman, in a statement. “This area became one of the wealthiest in the state, but what went unseen were the lives of the hard-working people whose labor generated those riches.”

Early Glens Falls icon Abraham Wing settled a homestead on the Hudson River in 1762, the first in a long history of entrepreneurs to break ground in area industry. Wing built the first of many sawmills to emerge from Glens Falls and north into the Adirondacks. Forty-foot falls on the Hudson River allowed laborers to move logs downstream from the Adirondacks to Glens Falls. The region’s fertile farmland, mineral deposits and waterways rounded out opportunities for settlers.

For more information about The Chapman Museum, and a full calendar of upcoming events and exhibitions, visit: www.ChapmanMuseum.org.

“A Little Bit of Everything” on Display at Public Library

“Hope,” acrylic, by Barbara King.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — An art show featuring the work of Barbara King will be on exhibit at the Saratoga Springs Public Library from Nov. 1- Dec. 1. 

The exhibit is titled: A Little Bit of Everything.

King started her interest in art as a child studying at the Fleisher Memorial in Philadelphia. Her primary interest is drawing figures and faces. 

The Saratoga Springs Public Library is located at 49 Henri St., in Saratoga Springs. 

Historians, History Buffs Tell Saratoga County Stories

Kingsley and Lakehill Roads, early 20th century. Photo provided.

BALLSTON SPA —Stories of famous and not-so-famous Saratoga County residents to tales of corruption, heroism, and fun entertainment venues will be released as a second volume of stories published by the Saratoga County History Center, covering various topics related to the history of Saratoga County.

“Saratoga County Stories,” a compilation of 66 articles by 33 authors originally published weekly by the Saratoga County History Roundtable, draws on the knowledge and experiences of local historians and history buffs, some of whom have only recently taken up the pen to share their stories. 

The book includes articles from the Revolutionary War period up to the development of GlobalFoundries.

The book will be released and available for sale at two book launch events where guests can talk with the authors and obtain signed copies of the book. The initial event will be at Brookside Museum, 21 Fairground Avenue, Ballston Spa, on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 2-4 pm.  A second event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 2-4 pm at Grooms Tavern in Clifton Park.

More Saratoga County Stories is the third book published by SCHC in the past year.  SCHC’s other titles are Saratoga County Stories and Stephen Williams’ Off the Northway. For more information, go to: www.brooksidemuseum.org.

Plays at Play at Tang Museum This Week: Three Playwrights Respond to Art & Empathy


Installation view, Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy, on view at the Tang Museum through Dec. 18. Photo by Shawn LaChapelle.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College announces the premiere performances on Thursday, Oct. 27, of newly commissioned works-in-progress by acclaimed playwrights Lanxing Fu, Julia May Jonas, and Andrew Rincón in response to the Tang exhibition Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy.

The three new works will be performed at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, in the Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy exhibition at the Tang. Skidmore College students from the Theater Department will perform under the direction of Skidmore faculty members Artist-in-Residence Teisha Duncan, Visiting Assistant Professor Ji Won Jeon, and Lecturer of Dance Hettie Barnhill. 

Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy presents photography, painting, textile, and moving image from the Tang collection to explore ways art can support empathic feeling. 

The performances are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. Masks are optional, and mask-wearing is supported. For more information, contact that Tang Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080 or tang@skidmore.edu, or visit tang.skidmore.edu. 

October 21 – 27, 2022

Friday, October 21

Monthly Fundraiser Dinner

Principessa Elena Society
11-13 Oak St., Saratoga Springs | 5 – 7 p.m.

Benefits Saratoga Children’s Museum. Menu: Pasta, meatballs, sausage, and peppers all with sauce, tossed salad, Italian bread and butter. Cost $15 per dinner or 2 for $25. Open to the public. Curb side pickup only. All proceeds to be donated to Saratoga Children’s Museum. 

Annual Dinner

Great Escape Lodge, 89 Six Flags Dr., Queensbury

6 p.m. | The Adirondack Mountain Club Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter will be having its annual dinner, featuring a presentation by Saratoga Springs naturalist Jackie Donnelly titled “Mother Nature’s Waterside Garden: Wildflowers of the Upper Hudson.” Please visit www.adk-gfs.org to register.

Disney’s The Descendants: A musical

615 Maple Ave., Suite 3, Saratoga Springs | 7 p.m. Also showing on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 

Sunday at 1 p.m. Limited Tickets only available at the door, arrive 30 min early.

Carnegie Hall Ensemble Connect Residency at Skidmore

Skidmore College, Arthur Zankel Music Center

815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 7 p.m.

A group of the finest young professional classical musicians based out of Carnegie Hall, celebrats its 16th year at Skidmore. For full details, visit
www.skidmore.edu/zankel/index.php

Saratoga Book Festival Opening Night

Saratoga Music Hall
474 Broadway, Ste 12, Saratoga Springs | 7 p.m.

Start your festival experience with the Pulitzer Prize winning poet Peter Balakian in conversation with WMAC’s Joe Donahue .  Join us at this year’s Main Festival Day and Literary Marketplace on October 22 for more than 20 programs and events throughout the day in five venues in downtown Saratoga. Sessions start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the Info Desk opens at the Saratoga City Center at 9 am. Festival Sunday, October 23 festivities include SBF’s first-ever “Kidnote” with Lauren Tarshis, author of the bestselling I Survived series and the presentation of the Friends of the Saratoga Springs Public Library’s Literary Champions Awards. Both events will be held at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. For details visit saratogabookfestival.org.

Saturday, October 22

American Legion Monthly Meeting

34 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs | 10 a.m. Adirondack Post 70. 

Fall Open House

Saratoga Senior Center
5 Williams St., Saratoga Springs | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Open to the public. People are invited to come by, learn what the Center has to offer, grab a snack, mingle with friends, and meet some new ones. Admission is free. The event will include Live Music from Jeff Walton and Skidmore’s Yamtown Jazz Ensemble, Hot Dogs, Stewart’s Make Your Own Sundaes, a member Art Show, Healing Touch sessions, Tarot Card Readings, Tech Assistance, our Food Bank, Healthy Food & Nutrition with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Membership Specials and more! The open house is sponsored by Highmark Northeastern New York and Home of the Good Shephard. saratogaseniorcenter.org

Fall Stop & Shop Vendor and Craft Show  

Wilton/General Schuyler Rescue Squad
901 Route 29, Schuylerville | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Raffles and concession with many vendors will be there.  For further information and an application to rent a table, contact Jennie McReynolds at 518-338-2709 or by e-mail jlt100211@yahoo.com. 

Off the Northway

Galway Public Library, 2112 East Street, Galway

11 a.m. | Local journalist Stephen Williams will talk about Off the Northway, a collection of his popular columns from the Daily Gazette where he was an award-winning reporter for more than 40 years, much of it writing about Saratoga County. Williams brings unique insights to his accounts of recent local history, including the story behind the $15 billion Global Foundries semiconductor factory coming to Malta, quirky older local history, and how Saratoga County has been changed by construction of the Adirondack Northway. Please register at 518-882-6385.

Adoption Clinic Open House and Pizza Party 

3002 Route 50, Saratoga Springs | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

H.O.P.E (Homes for Orphaned Pets Exist) and Saratoga County Animal Shelter will be on-site with adoptable fur-babies – mark your calendar and come find your furever friend! Be sure to bring your appetite as Stumpy’s “Pizza for Purpose” Pizzeria will be in the house serving their delicious slices! Subaru is committed to helping all animals — including those in shelters — stay safe and healthy. For every adoption at this event, Subaru/Saratoga Subaru will be donating $100 to organizations that impact the lives of pets. Through our Love Promise and Subaru Loves Pets initiatives, we can make a difference together. Here is the link to our Facebook Event Page: fb.me/e/3RU6SybV9

PopUP – “Books for a Better World” 

112 Spring Street parking lot, Saratoga Springs. | Noon – 2 p.m.

Youth2– Youth Helping Youth (www.youthsquared.org) will host a Community Care PopUP-“Books for a Better World”. COVID safe drop off. We are looking to collect teen and children’s books surrounding themes of diversity, positive racial relations, peace/conflict resolution, community building, women’s rights, LGBTQIA + rights, environmental action and banned or challenged books. Although, any children/teen books with positive messages are appreciated.

Turkey Dinner

Trinity United Methodist Church, 155 Ballard Rd, Gansevoort | 4 – 6 p.m.

Take-out only Turkey Dinner. Price is $13 each or $25 for 2. Dinner by pre-order only.  To place an order, please call 518-683-8195 between 10AM and 4PM Monday-Friday. On 10/22, please arrive at Trinity UMC, remain in your car, and have exact payment.  A Trinity UMC volunteer will take your payment and bring your dinners. Thank you.

Roast Beef Dinner 

South Glens Falls United Methodist Church, 15 Maplewood Parkway, S. Glens Falls | 4:30 – 6 p.m. | This dinner will be a sit-down meal in the dining room. Menu: French onion soup, Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable and homemade desserts, $12 adults. Pre-orders are needed for pickup and delivery. 518-793-1152

Sunday, October 23

Breakfast Buffet 

ITAM Post #35, 247 Grand Avenue, Saratoga Springs | 8 – 11 a.m. Cost is $10 for adults, $9 for Seniors, $12 for takeout orders. Children under 5 are free.

A Bridal Affair

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

191 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Network Saratoga presents A Bridle Affair Wedding Event. There will be a select group of vendors collected in this one-of-a-kind location to offer the services and advice you need to plan all the details of your wedding day. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to see the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s newly renovated Hall of Fame Gallery event space. Come and enjoy food tastings, fabulous grand prizes, giveaways, and fun! Admission is complimentary. Engaged couples can register for the event online at abridleaffairsaratoga.com. For more information call 518-365-3459.

Monthly Indoor Craft and Garage Sale

Saratoga-Wilton Elks Club, Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The popular Elks Ladies Auxiliary Indoor Craft and Garage Sale. Admission is free. Over 40 vendors, great parking, crafts galore, and lunch. Household items, hand-made items, clothing, fabrics, food treats, body lotions, and just about anything you can imagine. New vendors signing-up every month. A fun activity the entire family enjoys.  All proceeds go to local charities. 8’ table and chairs $15; Call Debbie at 518-885-6506 or email dozolins@nycap.rr.com for information or to sign up for a table(s).

Monday, October 24

Reimagining Jewish Life in the Middle East and North Africa, 1800-Present

Davis Auditorium, Palamountain Hall, Skidmore College
815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 7 p.m.

A lecture by Lior Sternfeld delivered as part of the Jacob Perlow Series. Lior Sternfeld is an associate professor of history and Jewish Studies. He is a social historian of the modern Middle East with particular interests in the histories of the Jewish people and other minorities of the region. Free and open to the public. Reception to follow. Attendees must adhere to Skidmore’s current COVID-19 safety guidelines. All visitors to campus are required to be fully vaccinated, including booster. 

Tuesday, October 25

Havurah Vatik: Between Heaven and Earth

Congregation Shaara Tfille,84 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Torah scribe and artist, Rabbi Linda Motzkin, will share with Havurah Vatik members a PowerPoint view of her calligraphic artwork in advance of her upcoming exhibition at the Spring Street Gallery, opening Sunday, November 13. A catered lunch follows the program. RSVP at 584-8730, ext. 4. 

Social Security Information Program 

Galway Public Library, 2112 East St., Galway | 6 – 7 p.m.

For ages 55-70. Guest speaker John Kalil, a Social Security Claiming Strategist and President of Retirement Solutions, LLC, helps attendees learn how to maximize their Social Security benefits prior to collecting them. Topics include how to know the best time to start benefits, working while collecting, spouses collecting, and more. Due to COVID restrictions, seating is limited for this community service event, and advance registration is required. To RSVP, please contact the library at 518-882-6385.

After the Fire Monthly Meeting

Eagle Matt Lee Firehouse, Washington St., Ballston Spa | 7 p.m.

After the Fire is a non-profit organization that helps Saratoga County Residents who have suffered a loss due to fire. Families are provided with gift cards, a night’s stay at a participating hotel/motel, Red Cross referral, informational material, emotional support. etc. Meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in learning more, or becoming a member, may attend a meeting, visit www.afterthefire.org, or leave a message at 518-435-4571.

Wednesday, October 26

Chicken Parmigiana Dinner

Saratoga Wilton Elks, 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: Chicken Parmigiana, Penne Pasta, Tossed Salad, Garlic Toast Dinner for 2 / $30. (cash only).  

Galway Photography Club 

Galway Public Library Community Room, 2112 East Street, Galway

6 p.m. | Our speaker this month is photographer Warren Greene. Warren’s photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Birds and Blooms, Adirondack Life, and The Conservationist. Please join us for this unique opportunity to hear Warren speak about his experiences as a photographer and view images from his portfolio. For more information contact: Dave Waite at davewaitefinearts@gmail.com

Stop the Bleed Course

Malta Community Center, 1 Bayberry Rd., Malta | 6 – 8 p.m.

The Town of Malta CERT is presenting the first “Stop the Bleed” course.  The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office is joining the Town to present this life-saving training class. Take the course and become empowered to make a life-or-death difference when a bleeding emergency occurs.  This hands-on, free course will be offered to Malta residents. Maximum class size is 12 participants. To register, visit the Community Center’s website at maltany.myrec.com. To be on a waiting list for the next course, email CW@crkl.com and note “Stop the Bleed” in the subject line.

Thursday, October 27

Owl Prowls

Wilton Wildlife Preserve, 80 Scout Rd. Wilton | 6 – 7 p.m.

Join us for a nighttime hike to look and listen for owls. Learn about their amazing adaptions that make the fantastic nighttime predators. Following the program, take home an owl pellet to dissect and discover the diet of an owl and identify bones of its prey. Group sizes are limited. This program is intended for ages 5 and up. To register call the library at 518-584-7860 ext 303. This program is also held on October 28.

HHH Episode 13, October 2022

In this episode of the podcast, in health we discuss bones, skeletons and osteoporosis; in history we speak of fall being the “shoulder season” of Saratoga springs, and in horses, the wrapup of Saratoga’s, summer horse racing meet, and the anticipated world renowned breeders cup challenge.

Building for the Future: “Women in Trades”Shed Build Success at the 2022 Showcase of Homes

Photo courtesy of Curtis Lumber.

SARATOGA — On October 8, female students in 9th and 10th grade from six different high schools gathered at the 2022 Saratoga Builders Association’s Home Showcase to show off their building skills. The girls built 4’ x 8’ lean-to-sheds, which were then auctioned off with the proceeds donated to two charities and the Workforce Development Coalition. 

The construction trades present great opportunities today for all students, including those who may not have considered pursuing a construction-related career, like women. The building teams at the event were led by area females in the building industry with the support of local construction professionals. The participating schools included: Corinth, Greenwich, Mechanicville, Northville, Schuylerville and Stillwater. 

The 2022 Saratoga Showcase of Homes is continuing this weekend, October 15 and 16. Now celebrating its 26th year, this annual community event has contributed over $1.4 million dollars to local charities. Proceeds from the Saratoga Showcase of Homes benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County (www.rtsaratoga.org) and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties (www.glensfallshabitat.org). For more details on the 2022 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event, please visit www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com, or check them out on Facebook.

The Saratoga Builders Association, Inc. (SBA) is a specialized professional trade association representing an industry basic to the wellbeing and economy of the people of Saratoga County. Its membership includes residential and commercial builders, developers, remodelers, building material suppliers, sub-contractors, financial institutions, architects, engineers, realtors, attorneys and other industry professionals. SBA is committed to the continued growth, prosperity and quality of life in Saratoga County. For more information, visit saratogabuilders.org.