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Author: Saratoga TODAY

The 22nd Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge Raises $35,000 to Benefit Saratoga Bridges

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Saturday, October 15, the 22nd Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge was held in the Saratoga Springs Spa State Park. With close to 1,000 participants who ran, walked or rolled, $35,000 was raised for Saratoga Bridges’ non-funded or underfunded programs and services. The 5k and 10K races resulted with 5K winners, Ramon Dominguez from Saratoga Springs and Elizabeth Predmore from Ballston Lake. The 10K winners were, Ethan Carey from Queensbury and Dana Bush from Saratoga Springs. First, second and third place prizes were given out by age group. 

The event featured NET Chip Timing from Albany Running Exchange, homemade refreshments made from  individuals at Saratoga Bridges and donated food and beverages from Hixny, Uncommon Grounds, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Hannaford, DeVoe’s Rainbow Orchard, Healthy Living and Fresh Market. The event also hosted a costume contest and favorite pumpkin contest decorated by members of Saratoga Bridges during their day and residential programs. Many “Bridges Buddies” participated in the 5K upon completing the agency’s Walking and Wheeling Program. This initiative was developed by their wellness committee to pair staff and individuals in a 4-week training program leading up to The Great Pumpkin Challenge. Plus, over 120 people volunteered from BOCES’ Criminal Justice students, Goldman Sachs’ Community TeamWorks, Saratoga Spa Catholic and Saratoga Bridges staff, board members and friends. With sponsors, event organizers, volunteers, local food shops that donated and over 1,000 participants, this event highlighted a true community effort. Those that walked, ran, rolled or just helped the event run smoothly to raise funds, reflected Saratoga Bridges’ mission to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities in order for them to pursue their life goals through knowledge, collaboration and experience.

For people who missed out on participating in the 22nd Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge, they can still do so virtually by Friday, November 4 at www.saratogabridges.org.  For $30, they will get the long-sleeve moisture wicking shirt and can use the official course – www.saratogabridges.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GPC-2022-Updated-Map-for-Web.pdf through the Saratoga Spa State Park or at location of their choice. 

Countdown to the Breeders’ Cup

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will host its “Countdown to the Breeders’ Cup” preview program Saturday, Oct. 29 at noon in the Hall of Fame. Racing experts Jeff Carle and Michael Veitch will provide analysis and predictions for each Breeders’ Cup race. The program is free to attend for museum members and is included with paid admission for non-members. 

Carle was the leading apprentice jockey at the Belmont Park spring and fall meets in 1989, as well as that year’s Saratoga meet. He won 290 races during his career and had purse earnings of more than $5.3 million. After his riding career ended because of injuries, Carle turned to training. He operated a public stable for 10 years and won several stakes races. Carle has appeared on a variety of Capital OTB programs and produced a variety of news and featured stories for the network. Aside from hosting programs, he has also served as a public handicapper for the Schenectady Daily Gazette. 

Veitch covered horse racing for The Saratogian and its racing supplement, The Pink Sheet, from 1979 through 2017. He serves as chairman of the Museum’s Hall of Fame Historic Review Committee and is a member of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. A former host of “Down the Stretch” on Capital OTB, Veitch’s writing has appeared in a variety of media outlets, including Daily Racing Form. He is the author of four books on Saratoga racing history: Foundations of Fame: Nineteenth Century Racing in Saratoga Springs, Summit of Champions: Thoroughbred Racing in Saratoga Springs 1901-1955, Legacy of Excellence: Thoroughbred Racing in Saratoga Springs 1956-2008, and The Travers: 150 Years of Saratoga’s Greatest Race (co-authored with Brien Bouyea).

The program will also include drawings for prize packages such as wine baskets and Museum memberships. Brien Bouyea, the Museum’s communications officer, will serve as the event moderator. The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will take place Nov. 4 and 5 at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky. For more information about the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, including upcoming events, please visit www.racingmuseum.org or call 518-584-0400. 

Morris Cup Judo Event Has Successful Return

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Photos provided.

BURNT HILLS — Over 500 competitors attended the 19th Annual Morris Cup Judo Championships held at the Burnt Hills High School on Sunday, October 9. The last Morris Cup was held pre- COVID in 2019. The event featured players from all over the East Coast as well as a large contingent from Montreal as Judo Canada sent a bus load of athletes itching to compete since many haven’t had the opportunity to do so due to COVID restrictions.  

“It was fantastic to get back on track after such a long break” Tournament Director and 4x Olympian, Jason Morris said. “Our local Judo community really needed this.”

 The 20th edition of the Morris Cup has been slated for Sunday, October 8, 2023. Burnt Hills High School Senior, Kyle Tran (17) was a triple medalist taking gold in the 60kg Brown Belt Division, bronze in the 60kg Cadet Category (15-17yrs) and a bronze in the Cadet 66kg Division. Melissa Myers (27) took gold in 70kg Elite Women’s then moved up and won silver in 78kg. Burnt Hills Grad and 2x Olympian, Nick Delpopolo (33) moved up from his normal 73kg to take silver in a very strong 81kg field. Burnt Hills 7th Graders, Dani and Randi Morris (12) were both double medalists winning silvers 11-12yrs +52kg and 11-12yrs 52kg weight class respectively. They both then moved up in age to take bronzes in 13-14yrs 58kg & 52kg respectively. Kell Berliner (28) bumped up a weight class from his usual 81kg to take a silver in the elite mens 90kg category. This was one of the biggest Morris Cups in its history. “Hopefully #20 is our best,” said Jason Morris.

Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association Fall Fest

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.


Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Pumpkin rolling, face painting, and trick-or-treating will be featured among the happenings at this year’s fall festival, taking place Noon – 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association announced.

Starting at noon, participating businesses will be candy-ready, as kids are welcome to dress-upin costumes and start trick-or-treating throughout downtown. At the same time, the Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs will start orchestrating the Pumpkin Roll down Caroline Street. Sunnyside Gardens donated 100 pumpkins for volunteers to hand out to kids at the top of Caroline Street. 

At the end of the “roll” kids will win either a Free Cone Coupon from Ben and Jerry’s or a Free Game of Bowling from Saratoga Strike Zone.

Live entertainment and Kettle Corn will be located at the Spa City Motor Lodge. Additional entertainment, face painting and balloon twisters will be located on lower Caroline Street by the intersection of Pavillion Place and D’Andreas’s Pizza, and along Maple Avenue near Walt & Whitman Brewing Co. and Cafe.

Starting at 3:30 p.m. families will begin lining up at Hamlet and Ghost for the SideWalk Parade. They’ll go up Caroline Street, turn left on Broadway and continue down to Congress Park. 

Pop-up “read alouds” will happen throughout the day in front of the Saratoga Springs Public Library. Children will also get the opportunity to meet storybook characters and participate in workshops.

New this year, the Saratoga DBA will be showing a classic Halloween movie at the City Center Parking Garage from 6 – 8 p.m. Enter at 38 High Rock Ave., ground floor of the parking garage.

As part of the Fall Festival, folks are welcome to join in on the Great Saratoga Pumpkin Hunt and search a variety of downtown shops for pumpkins decorated with scenes of historic Saratoga landmarks, painted by local artist Cathi Anne Cameron. If you find all 10 pumpkins (which will be visible from the outdoors) and identify the stores where you find them, you could win a prize.  The two-week scavenger hunt will begin Saturday, Oct. 15 and end Monday, Oct. 30. The winner will be announced on Halloween. Participation forms are available in downtown shops and businesses, as well as online at saratogaspringsdowntown.com. Forms must be dropped off by 5 p.m., Oct. 30 at either Impressions or Menges and Curtis to be entered to win one of two Downtown Saratoga Springs Gift Baskets valued at $200 each. Winners will be notified Nov. 1.

This year’s costume contest will be on “social media.” While you’re in downtown, take a photo of yourself in costume and share it with the hashtag: #DBAFallFest2022. The winner of the costume contest will also be announced on Halloween.

For additional information and a full list of events, visit saratogaspringsdowntown.com

Blue Streaks Boys Sectional Champs

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Photos provided.

MECHANICVILLE — On Thursday, October 13, the Class A Section II Boys Varsity Golf Championships were held at Fairways of Halfmoon Golf Course. On a day where the conditions were tough, and scoring was at a premium, the Saratoga Blue Streaks found a way to claim a section title. 

All year, the Blue Streaks played well. The team only dropped one match, their first match of the season, to Shaker 238 to 236, and that was without their #1 player, Kellen Dean. On Thursday, it was more of the same for Saratoga; four Blue Streaks broke 80. Leading the way was sophomore Carter Sica who logged a 2-under-par 70 to earn medalist honors for the tournament. Behind him was Kellen Dean (74), Charlie Greiner (76) and Henry Parobeck (79) to wrap up Saratoga’s scores. As a team, that’s an 11 over 299, which made for a comfortable victory. In second was Guilderland (319), in third was Niskayuna (335), and fourth was Shaker (337). Ballston Spa (340), Shenendehowa (342), CBA (348) and Albany Academy (352) rounded out the field. “We have a great team-dynamic,” said Blue Streaks head coach Jake Zanetti. “All of the boys are so capable of shooting low scores that they are always competing against one another; whether they’re chipping or putting, playing a round, or playing fantasy football, they all want to win!”

After Thursday’s team event, the top 24 players were able to participate in the weekend’s Class ABCD Playoffs back at Fairways of Halfmoon and the winning ways continued for Saratoga. The playoffs were two rounds of qualifying for next spring’s NYSPHSAA Championship, played in June at Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira. Saratoga qualified 4 golfers for 9 available spots. “I’m not sure if that many qualifiers from one team has ever happened before,” said Saratoga’s Zanetti. “Our NYSPHSAA Championship qualifiers are Henry Parobeck, Carter Sica, Charlie Greiner and Kellen Dean. We are very excited to be bringing a foursome to states. This was such a fun trip last year with other great Section II players and coaches, and to bring almost half the state team from one school is going to be a blast for practice rounds in preparation, hotels and meals out. The whole experience will be great,” Zanetti told Saratoga TODAY. 

For Zanetti, a wrestling coach but also an avid golfer, he humbly attributes much of the team’s success to the golf scene in Saratoga, whether it’d be the local pros in the town that many of the boys work with or the Blue Streaks golfing alumni that often connect with the team in the off-season. With only one senior on the squad, Saratoga’s success on the green may continue for some years to come. “We’re excited for spring and for next season and continuing to grow the program. Taking over this team has been a pleasure and a privilege that I don’t take for granted,” said Zanetti. 

Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet First Nutcracker Tea: Nov. 20 in Congress Park

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet. Photo by Susan Blackburn Photography. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet stages a Nutcracker Tea at 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at Canfield Casino. 

Tickets range from $45 to $150 and are available this weekend at eventbrite.com. All profits to be used to cover the costs of SSYB Nutcracker production. 

Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that is committed to providing quality professional dance training to pre-professional students throughout the Greater Saratoga region. SSYB does not charge its dancers audition, performance or costumes fees. The full Nutcracker production will be presented at the Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany on Dec. 17 at 1 and 7 p.m. and Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. More than 100 local dancers will perform. 

Canfield Casino is located in Congress Park. For more information contact: info@saratogaspringsyouthballet.org

Dan Navarro at Caffe Lena Nov. 18

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

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  

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

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

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

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 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

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.