Skip to main content

Author: Saratoga TODAY

Saratoga Arts to Host Art In The Park in September; Grant Information Program This Week

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts will bring back Art in the Park on Sept. 25. The event will take place in Congress Park. 

Volunteers are needed to help facilitate the fun, art-filled event, and organizers say many positions and timeslots are available, to fit any schedule. Reach out to Katharine Hayes (khayes@saratoga-arts.org) for more details and to sign up. 

On Sept. 2, Saratoga Arts will host in-person grant information sessions at 320 Broadway. Schedule: 3 p.m. – Arts Education. 4 p.m. – Community Arts. 

5 p.m. – Individual Artists. 

For more information, go to www.Saratoga-arts.org. 

The Egg and UAlbany Performing Arts Centers Announce Diverse Dance Series

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

ALBANY — For the sixth year, the performing arts centers at The Egg and the University at Albany will present Dance in Albany, a joint dance series featuring nine performances for the 2021-22 season.  The lineup mixes several companies from the 2019-20 season who were postponed by the pandemic as well as many others new to the series schedule. 

Six of the performances will take place at The Egg at the Empire State Plaza with the remaining three at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the uptown University at Albany campus. The series features styles that range from flamenco to hip-hop to Indian dance along with plenty of modern and ballet with more than half of the performances featuring live music. Many on the schedule are companies who are commemorating or have just recently celebrated major anniversaries.

Dance enthusiasts have the opportunity to purchase a package with a ticket to each performance for $130, a savings of over 40% off the individual prices.  Subscriptions that include six and four performances are also available at a savings of 25% and 10%, respectively. Subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased through The Egg Box Office in person at the Empire State Plaza location, by telephone at 518-473-1845 or online at www.theegg.org. 

Details of the performances are as follows: Flamenco Vivo at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center – Oct 2, $10-$20; Rennie Harris Puremovement at The Egg- Oct.22, $28; Pilobolus at The Egg – Nov. 12, $36; David Dorfman Dance at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center – Jan. 28, 2022, $10-$20; New York Theatre Ballet with Bridgman | Packer Dance at The Egg – Feb. 25, $25; Mark Morris Dance Group at The Egg – March 11, $36; Ashwini Ramaswamy’s Let the Crows Come at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center – March 27, $10-$20; Garth Fagan Dance at The Egg – April 22, $28; Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company at The Egg – May 14, $25.

Moe. and Twiddle to Headline Adirondack Independence Music Festival Labor Day Weekend

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

LAKE GEORGE — The Adirondack Independent Music Festival returning for its 6th year from Friday, Sept.  3 thru Sunday, Sept. 5. The festival was off year off due to the pandemic

This year’s event will feature headliners moe., who will perform 2 sets each night on Saturday and Sunday, and Twiddle (2 sets on Friday), as well as a special tribute to Prince and David Bowie featuring members of Pink Talking Fish, Snarky Puppy, Kung Fu and more.  Also performing this year will be Roots of Creation, Kung Fu, Lucid, Bella’s Bartok, Eggy, Neighbor, Dogs in a Pile, Annie in the Water, Baked Shrimp and Hartley’s Encore.

The festival takes places at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George. 

In addition to the music, the festival will feature a variety of food and craft vendors, as well as a great view of the Lake George fireworks on Saturday evening.

Music at the festival commons is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Friday and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and will go until 11 p.m. each night. All ages are welcome to attend and children 12 and under are free.

General Admission weekend and single day festival tickets are on sale at www.adkmusicfest.com.  There is also a special VIP option available, which includes admission to all three days of the festival, a meal each night, free snacks, half-priced adult beverages, $2 water/soft drinks, a private viewing area (with private bar) and access to private bathrooms.  Gates at the Festival Commons will open at 1 p.m. on Friday and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

For tickets and more information, visit the festival website at www.adkmusicfest.com.

Hud Armstrong Publishes New Book, and You May Recognize Some Longtime Saratogians as its Characters

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Several years in the making about decades gone by in Saratoga, longtime Saratoga Springs bartender, artist and cartoonist Hud Armstrong has published a new book featuring hundreds of his cartoons that appeared from 1991 to 2006 in Poor Richard’s Journal.

Hud’s cartoons compilation follows Booker D. and the N.G.s (New Guys) as they navigate life in a rapidly changing upstate New York town known for its “health, history and horses.” Many of the characters are based on friends and coworkers he has known for decades, and offer their observations on everything from current events to sports, upstate weather, Saratoga’s rich history and its love-hate relationship with the crowds who flock here every racing season.

The book, “Booker D. and the N.G.s: A Chronicle of Saratoga,” was published by Northshire Bookstore’s Shire Press. Copies of the book are on sale at Northshire’s store at 424 Broadway or can be ordered via the store’s website: www.northshire.com/book/9781605715728 

At UPH: Dinosaurs in Motion Changes Hours of Operation

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dinosaurs in Motion: Where Art and Science Meet at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs has changed their hours of operation. 

Universal Preservation Hall will now be open from 10 a.m. with the last admittance at 4 p.m. every day except for Wednesday. 

Starting Thursday, Sept. 9, UPH will keep the hours at 10 a.m., with the last admittance at 4 p.m. but will only be open Thursday-Sunday.

Dinosaurs in Motion engages and educates visitors of all ages by using 14 fully interactive, recycled life-size metal dinosaur sculptures inspired by actual fossils. Go to: www.universalpreservationhall.org. 

Tickets For World Premiere Of “The Right Girl” On Sale at Proctors

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

SCHENECTADY — Tickets for the world premiere of the entirely original new musical based on true stories, “The Right Girl,” are on sale. “The Right Girl” will run Oct. 13 through Nov. 10 at Proctors. 

Featuring music by 12-time Academy Award nominee and Grammy®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren, lyrics by Warren, Louisette Geiss and Howard Kagan, and a book by Geiss and Kagan, “The Right Girl” is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman.

Proctors is located in Schenectady. Tickets are $45-55. For more information, call 518-346-6204, or visit online at www.proctors.org. 

Varosy Studio Sale and Auction to Benefit Local Non-Profit Organizations

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

GREENWICH — Varosy Studios will host a sale, exhibition and silent auction at the gallery, located at 1522 North Road in Greenwich.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be directed to cultural programming at local non-profit organizations. 

The sale will take place 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, and noon – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept.  5. The silent auction will be held on Saturday only, closing at 3 p.m.

For more information or to view available work, visit www.varosystudios.us

August 27 – September 2, 2021

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Calendar.

Friday, August 27

Congress Park Walking Tours
Saratoga Springs visitor Center | 297 Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 10:30 a.m. – Noon
Learn about the fascinating history of “The Queen of Spas” with a leisurely walk thru Congress Park. Our experienced guides will tell you the stories of How Saratoga became the “Queen of Spas” in the 19th Century.  The tragic story behind the Trask Family and the Spirit of Life statue. The history of the Saratoga City Museum and it’s notorious reputation as the highest rolling gambling casino in the US. How the city rallied to restore the historic Spit and Spat statues. Tours are given Tuesday – Saturday through October. 

Ghost Tours of the Canfield Casino
Saratoga Springs History Museum | 1 East Congress St., Saratoga Springs
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. |Is the Canfield Casino haunted? Take a tour with guides who tell their personal experiences of the paranormal in the Canfield Casino. The Canfield Casino was featured on SYFY Network’s show Ghost Hunters and on the Travel Channel’s America’s Most Terrifying Places.  Reservations not required, but tours are limited to 20 people. Adults $15, Kids $9, under 6 free. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through August.

Family Fun Fridays
Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton St., Ballston Spa
2 – 4 p.m. | The events are free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. Take a playful trip back in time to the 18th century every Friday afternoon of the summer break. Children, along with their parents, are invited to join reenactors Erin and Henry in playing with reproductions of centuries-old toys and games. Also, Brookside Museum will be open on those days, 1-5 p.m. there are four brand new exhibits, including the innovative “Social Life of Hats” display and the exhibition on Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family. Please visit the website www.brooksidemuseum.org for news and announcements. 

Jim Allen’s Chicken BBQ 
South Glens Falls United Methodist Church | 15 Maplewood Parkway, South Glens Falls
4:30-6 p.m. | This dinner will be a drive-thru/pick-up dinner. Drive-thru dinner. We will not be serving sit down meals inside. Dinners will be bagged and delivered to your car. We will be serving ½ Chicken, baked potatoes, roll, coleslaw and homemade cookies.  We will be taking pre-orders by calling 518-793-1152. Dinners will be $12. We are also offering delivery service. 

Overdose Awareness Vigil 
Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church | 24 Circular St., Saratoga Springs | 5:30 p.m.
We invite all members of the community to join us to support and acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends who have lost a loved one to an overdose. Free Narcan training starts at 5:30 at the Church. Everyone trained will receive a Narcan kit. Help us save a life. Candlelight Vigil begins at 7p.m. at the Spirit of Life Statue, Congress Park (just off Broadway) Candles and overdose awareness ribbons will be available.

Saturday, August 28

Congress Park Walking Tours
Saratoga Springs visitor’s Center | 297 Broadway, Saratoga Springs | 10:30 a.m. – Noon
Learn about the fascinating history of “The Queen of Spas” with a leisurely walk thru Congress Park. Our experienced guides will tell you the stories of:  How Saratoga became the “Queen of Spas” in the 19th Century. The tragic story behind the Trask Family and the Spirit of Life statue. The history of the Saratoga City Museum and it’s notorious reputation as the highest rolling gambling casino in the US.  How the city rallied to restore the historic Spit and Spat statues. Tours are given Tue-Sat from June-October. Cost is $20.

Saratoga Balloon & BBQ Festival
Saratoga County Fairgrounds
162 Prospect St., Ballston Spa | Don’t miss the annual Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. This family-friendly event celebrates the best of the Capital Region with food, live entertainment, shopping, kids’ activities, and balloons ! Adult 16+: $12., Children 3 – 15: $5., Children 2 and under: FREE. The event goes through Sunday. Find the schedule and more at www.BalloonAndBBQ.com, and email any questions to info@balloonandbbq.com.

Sunday, August 29

2021 Annual Classic Car and Truck Meet
Lakeside Farms Cider Mill| 336 Schauber Rd., Ballston Lake | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The show is limited to stock appearing vehicles prior to 1975. Car registration fee is $5 on the day of the show. Spectator parking and admission is free. No pets please. Rain or Shine. Hosted by the Adirondack A’s Model A Ford Club.

Summer Stroll: Women of Greenridge 
Greenridge Cemetery, Lincoln Ave., Sackett Gates, Saratoga Springs
10:30 a.m. – Noon | Join leader Gloria May to learn about the women in Greenridge Cemetery. This tour includes the prominent and influential as well as the ordinary women whose life stories tell the history of Saratoga Springs. Tours will be limited to thirty and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members. Members who have received complimentary Stroll passes will have those honored for their value of $10 and will be required to pay the difference of $5. Visit our website at saratogapreservation.org or call 518-587-5030 to purchase tickets in advance!

Monday, August 30

The Camp Saratoga 5K Trail Series 
Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, Parking Lot #1, Wilton | 6:15 p.m.
Monday evenings in August.  Registration is $5 day-of or $20 for all five races. This is a low-key, all-outdoors event topped off by light refreshments and unusual raffle prizes.  Please bring your own water. Proceeds benefit the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park.  Current CDC and NYS guidelines will be followed. For more information, call Laura Clark at 518-581-1278 or email laura@saratogastryders.org or visit www.saratogastryders.org.

Tuesday, August 31

Summer Concert Series in the Park
Congress Park – War Memorial, 268 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
7 – 8:30 p.m. | Gather your friends and family, bring your blankets and chairs, find a spot on the lawn, and enjoy some of our area’s favorite performers. The rain location is the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center. This week’s featured artist is Garland Nelson. 

Wednesday, September 1

Chicken Parmigiana Dinner 
Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge, 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
For curbside pickup only. Call Monday or Tuesday Between 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. to place an order. 518-584-2585. Menu: Chicken Parmigiana, penne pasta, tossed salad, garlic toast. Dinner for 2 is $25 cash only. 

Thursday, September 2

Korean War Veterans Association Monthly Meeting
190 Excelsior Ave., Saratoga Springs | 1:30 p.m.
Veterans who served anywhere during the Korean War, in Korea at any time, spouses, widows, relatives and friends are all invited to attend.  For further information or an application to join, the organization, please contact Commander Paul O’Keefe at 518-603-4186.  New members are always welcome.   Annual dues are $10 for veterans and $5 for all others.

August 27 – September 2, 2021

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Local Briefs.

Diabetes Support Group Online
Zoom Presentation, Noon Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County will host an informal support group via Zoom for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The program will meet the first Friday of each month. Individuals can join by contacting Diane Whitten at 518-885-8995, or dwhitten@cornell.edu. There is no fee for the support group. Topics will vary and may be based on the interest of the group.

Time to Sing – Saratoga Voices
Saratoga Voices, formerly known as the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society, invites all singers to join them for their first performance of the 2021-22 season. The opening concert is Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, to be performed on November 19, 7:30 p.m. at the newly renovated Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. To take advantage of the hall’s unique theater in the round, the performance will have an interesting twist – a semi-staged concert version of this well-known choral masterpiece. Rehearsals are held Tuesday nights, 7 p.m., at the O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills and start September 7. Singers are asked to complete a vocal placement interview beforehand and must be vaccinated. Go to the saratogavoices.org website and click on the “Participate” menu for more details and to sign up for a vocal placement interview. Further questions email info@saratogavoices.org or call 518-416-4060.

27th Annual Town of Greenfield, Town-Wide Garage & Craft Sale
There will be numerous sales located throughout the Town of Greenfield (including Greenfield Center, Porter Corners, and Middle Grove) on September 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Rain or Shine. Tons of stuff to browse and buy. Free maps of all the garage sales will be available beginning September 10 at the Stewart’s Shop in Greenfield and Middle Grove, the Post Office’s at Middle Grove, Porter Corners and Greenfield Center, the Town Hall in Greenfield, the Greenfield Center Baptist Church, and the Greenfield Lions Information/Silent Auction Tent.   

Sheep Shearing Clinic
Saratoga County 4-H is offering a Sheep Shearing Clinic this fall to youth ages 10 and older. The event will take place at the 4-H Training Center on Middleline Road in Ballston Spa on September 16 at 5 p.m. This clinic will exhibit the art of sheep shearing and preparing wool breeds for show. Participants will be provided a hands-on learning experience from professional shearer Siri Swanson. Siri Swanson is a Shepherd and Shearer of Yankee Rock Farm. Swanson has abundance of background knowledge in the sheep industry and has been shearing for the last 5 years. Siri along with shearing partner, Colin Siegmund, strive to maintain animal comfort and top-quality clipping. Space is limited and expected to fill quickly. Payment of $5/family is required at entry or prior to the clinic. The event is free of charge for 4-H members and their families. Please contact the 4-H office for additional information or to register at 518-885-8995 or email our Livestock Educator at rjl287@cornell.edu.

1st Annual Charity Golf Scramble 
The Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs 1st Annual Charity Golf Scramble, sponsored by Saratoga Financial Services and The Adirondack Trust Company, is September 17 at McGregor Links Golf Club in Saratoga. Entry fee of $100 per person ($400 per team) includes 18 holes, cart, lunch, raffle prizes, 50/50 and a chance at hole-in-one-prizes. Registration is at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Entry forms are available through email at saratogarotarygolf@gmail.com or contact Nathan Towne at 802-734-5154. Return completed forms with payment information via email, or with checks made payable to Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs to Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs, P.O. Box 1307, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

Swing for Music 2021 Golf Outing
During the pandemic we suspended our school program where children learn the connection between story and sound and create their own music to play and sing. Please help us continue offering the school program and this wonderful live music by supporting our golf fundraiser. It will take place on September 17 – Shotgun start at 3:30 p.m. at Airway Meadows Golf Club, located at 262 Brownville Rd., Gansevoort. If you’re not a golfer, you may want to sponsor a hole for $75 or offer a prize for players. To register visit www.eventbrite.com/e/golf-outing-2021-tickets-156261693933 For questions, contact  info.saratoga chamberplayers@gmail.com. 

Milton Democrats Host Family Picnic Day
The Town of Milton Democratic Committee is pleased to announce an afternoon of good, ole fashioned family fun.  On Saturday, September 18, Noon – 3 p.m., at Burgess Kimball Memorial Park (358 Rowland Street) in beautiful Ballston Spa, all are welcome to gather in neighborly camaraderie for games, grilled food, ice pops, music, and good humor.  Local office holders and leaders, including Milton Town Supervisor Benny Zlotnick, will be there to meet voters, talk about what’s going on in local government, and, of course, have some fun.  The weather should be delightful, and the Burgess Kimball Memorial Park features an expansive playground for kids.  Everyone is welcome, and the event is free.  Any questions or inquiries should be directed to Martha Iacolucci, Chairperson, Town of Milton Democrats: miltondemocratsny@gmail.com; 518-885-8196.

48th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival
The 48th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival takes place Thursday to Sunday, September 23 to 26, in multiple locations. As always, the event is 100% free for the community. Festival Merchandise, one of the event’s biggest fundraisers, will be for sale at select events, with a smaller selection than in previous years. This year, the Balloon Festival cannot allow vendors, children’s activities, or the Open Door breakfast. Pilots can’t take paid passengers this year. At the airport, you can attend a drive-through moonglow to observe 40 tethered balloons on display, lit up from within. There will also be a brand-new event at East Field with a live band, 8-10 balloons, and possibly a fireworks display. The Adirondack Balloon Festival’s launches are subject to weather conditions. Contact the Adirondack Balloon Festival, a registered 501(c)3, to sponsor this free event for the community and make a tax-deductible contribution to keep the festival going. For more information, visit www.adirondackballoonfest.org or follow @adirondackballoonfest on Facebook for breaking updates.

Summer Lunch Program for Children
This summer during the months of July and August the First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa will sponsor a Summer Lunch Program for children living in and around the village.  Nutritious lunches will be made daily and distributed in seven locations.  Volunteers are needed to assemble and distribute the lunches.  Anyone who is interested in volunteering in some way in making a financial contribution, or in obtaining an application or a menu can contact the church at 518-885-8361 or at bspabaptist202@gmail.com or bspabaptist.org.  Please help to impact the children of Ballston Spa in a positive way.

Tour Belgium and Holland with Saratoga Arts 
In April, just as spring begins, leave your daily routine behind and join Saratoga Arts in an art and history-filled visit to Belgium and Holland April 20-29, 2022. We will stay in Brussels and Amsterdam with excursions to nearby treasures and plan to taste as many gourmet chocolates as ten days permit. We will waffle or way through Belgium, learn about the history and magic of the medieval Belgian tapestries, travel to Bruges, Delft and Amsterdam for romantic waterways, revel in the beauty of the Dutch Masters and Van Gogh, and admire the colorful blooms of the seven million bulb flowers of the Keukenhof Gardens. Give yourself a chance to escape just for a while among the cultural and historical experiences of this small group tour. To receive a detailed itinerary, contact: goedventures@gmail.com.   

“We don’t need a recipe, we are Italian”

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Food.

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

Today is my mother-in-law’s 89th birthday. We have been blessed to have her in our lives for so many years. This coming week would have also have been my mother’s birthday. Both my mother and mother-in-law come from the Depression era with their Italian heritage being Sicilian and Neapolitan.  For both mothers, the meal and the preparation of the meal was the most important part of the day. Italians hold food and cooking and ingredients and mealtime in high regard. They value a good meal and even more when it is in good company. Over the years, the quest to learn the family recipes has resulted in a form of translation into recipes. Even to this day when my wife attempts to teach our daughter the family recipe for her sauce (gravy), it becomes difficult since it was really the taste that was handed down over the generations. The most common response when learning the family recipes from her mother and grandmother was “this is how you make…” There was nothing written down. Italian dishes are tweaked and improvised all the time. But it’s about learning the cuisine like you learn the grammar of a language – there are forms and structures you need to master. There are underlying frameworks of how ingredients are thought of and how they come together and also cooking techniques, styles of presentation and the order and structure of a meal which all combined form the Italian cuisine language. If you don’t know any of this, then of course you run the risk of making things that any Italian will find a little off. This doesn’t necessarily mean these creations are bad – it just means that they won’t seem Italian anymore, even if they’re not unpleasant or even are very good. People from within a certain food culture (or who know it like a native) can just “tell” when something tastes like it was made by someone who understands the palette of that cuisine.

Throughout the generations, having the right pots and tools are as important as putting together the meal.  There are important essential tools you need for making the foods from our various cultures. What difference could a pan make to the final result? Well, a risotto made in a paella pan would never have the soft gluey quality of a good risotto. A saute’ pan or a good sauce pan is important. The saute’, because of its depth and curved sides, is better for braising meat or vegetables than a frying pan. The straight sides on a sauté pan do a better job of locking in moisture, making it ideal for braising chicken thighs or sausages until they are juicy and tender. 

Pasta should be cooked in a cylindrical pot so the water returns to the boil more quickly once you have added the pasta, preventing the shapes from sticking together. Important essential tools to have include; having a Dutch oven the thick cast-iron walls also retain heat for a long time, making it the perfect serving vessel for bringing your food right to the table. Your soup or pasta will stay warm while people help themselves from the big pot. The “spider” is a small strainer basket that makes it easy to pluck pasta and gnocchi out of the pasta pot and dump it right into your simmering pan of sauce. Just the right amount of pasta water carries over, plus you don’t have to schlep a big pot of boiling water to the sink to drain. These are just a “few” of the cool tools you can use to help you with your work. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, to get the tools you need to make your special meal. We have the pots and pans, and many other accouterments’ you need to make that meal. Every family has a favorite recipe. Ask family members to teach you the traditional recipes that have endured over the generations. Even with lost traditions, there is always something new to learn with food. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care,
John & Paula

REARDON StrawberryCreamSwissRoll