SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new business, called the Shakti Room, is slated to open on Broadway in July. 

Operated by Jeanette Fultz, Shakti Room will be located in the Arcade building at 376 Broadway and feature classes, workshops, parties and therapeutic services to inspire, awaken and revitalize health and bliss.

Weekly classes are scheduled to start July 6. For more information about class and workshop scheduled, go to: shaktiroom.com. 

SARATOGA — Saratoga National Historical Park will reopen access to the Battlefield Tour Road on July 1. Vehicles may drive the road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 

The National Park Service (NPS) announced it is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities and is using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. 

In addition, the following spaces continue to be available: all grounds are open sunrise to sunset for walking and the tour road is open sunrise to sunset for pedestrians and bicyclists.  Water is not available in the park.

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave
No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities. 

The following facilities remain closed at this time: General Philip Schuyler House; Saratoga Monument; Neilson House; The Visitor Center. 

Details and updates on Saratoga National Historical Park operations will continue to be posted on the website: www.nps.gov/sara and on facebook.com/saratoganhp. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Sustainable Saratoga has cancelled traditional in-person fundraising activities due to COVID-19. To help during these unusual times, Sustainable Saratoga has organized a Virtual Wine Tasting – a fun, informative, fundraiser to support its programs.

This event will feature the award-winning wines of the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, located in New York’s Finger Lakes wine region. The winery has donated a portion of the wines for this event, and all proceeds from the event go directly to helping fund the sustainability efforts of Sustainable Saratoga. 

The Virtual Wine Tasting takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. Barbara Frank, Consulting Winemaker and Regional Sales Manager of the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, will lead a virtual tasting experience of some of the Dr. Konstantin Frank wines and talk about the winery, including some of their sustainability efforts. Wine & Spirits Magazine named the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery one of the top 100 Wineries in the World in 2019. 

Choose between 2 wine packages:  For a $75 donation, receive two bottles of wine (Dry Riesling and Cabernet Franc) & some goodies; For a $125 donation, receive four bottles of wine (Gruner Veltliner, Dry Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc) & some goodies.  All wine packages come in a reusable canvas bag and will be accompanied by a dark chocolate bar from Barkeater Chocolates in North Creek, and a Sustainable Saratoga window cling.

Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources, through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area. 

Quantities are limited, reservations wine packages at: sustainable-saratoga-virtual-wine-tasting.eventbrite.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The amphitheater is quiet with a passive unease. Neither bluster nor discord rise from these seats, and a disturbing tranquility hovers atop the stage. These first days of summer in the summer of COVID, the grounds are vacant of any human. The earth takes deep breaths and exhales a hissing of summer lawns. 

“On March 16, our whole staff of 25 began working from home and have not been back to the office,” says Elizabeth Sobol, president and CEO of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “Our magnificent amphitheater – normally a frenetic hive of activity – is now shuttered. Who or what you might ask is SPAC in a summer that seems to have gone silent? And who are we in a world of hurt that longs for healing?”

Deep behind the scenes, however, plans are underway that point to renewal. This place of creativity is getting creative. “Untethered,” Sobol calls it. 

“Un-tethered. We are no longer tethered to this beast that is SPAC in the summer. It’s forcing us to be open and creative and kind of invent stuff on the spot and figure out what we can do,” Sobol says. 

“We’ve been thinking about ways we can help the community of musicians, the community of wellness practitioners. That’s where we really started focusing our energy: How can we use the SPAC grounds and the new spaces to allow the community to do the things here that they really need to do and where there’s not any other place to do it?”

SPAC has been working on staging in-person gathering on its grounds this summer, which is slated to potentially include wellness activities in partnership with COESA, art classes, small-scale musical events, cinematic performance screenings and other types of gatherings, all in adherence with guidelines from the state, and all on the sprawling SPAC lawns.   

“We’re putting together detailed procedures and protocols which include socially distanced parking, contact-less registration and ticketing.”  Spots to be inhabited by humans will be separated and marked off in chalk, attendance will be limited, and one single-use sanitized bathroom will be open. 

 The organization is also set to unveil The Pines at SPAC – a new construction project which should be completed by the second week of July. The 4,000 square foot indoor/outdoor, year-round education and community events space features a pavilion and a terrace where some small gathering events may take place. 

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“The challenge for us: When the acronym ‘SPAC’ is uttered people imagine thousands and thousands of people and the ‘COVID Shudder’ goes through them; what we’re trying to do is: don’t think of us as SPAC – the home of Live Nation and presenter of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra in the amphitheater. Think of us as a home in the park and all the acreage of open space that we have where people can gather safely. And we have this incredible team who has created this fantastic protocol,” says Sobol, who arrived at SPAC in the fall of 2016. 

There are of course financial ramifications. SPAC is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with an annual operating budget of about $10 million. While capital funds for infrastructure projects have come via Parks and the State, there is no similarly sourced financial support for operating the organization. 

To normally meet that $10 million operating budget, about $5 million in revenue is generated from ticket sales, rent paid by promoter Live Nation which stages the summer pop concerts, and some other miscellaneous sources.  The other $5 million must largely be raised through SPAC memberships, charitable donations and corporate underwriting.

“The only thing that will sustain us and allow us to operate in 2021 is if we have people  support now, because you can’t shut SPAC down until the end of the year and think you’re going to have a summer next year. The work we do, the programming itself takes a year to do a season at SPAC. We just don’t know what next year is going to look like. Are we still going to be in social distancing mode – in which case we’ll only be able to (for example) sell 1,200 seats in our 5,200-seat amphitheater? Will the ballet be able to perform? Will they be able to put an orchestra in the pit? There are just so many questions,” Sobol says. 

“And there is our education program – we went from 5,000 to more than 50,000 kids a year throughout the Capital Region. That’s a huge impact we’ve had on the community and the children and creating that next generation of kids who care about the arts. That’s critical work we’re doing 24/7, 365 days-a-year. If we don’t have the support that all goes away and the programming for next year goes away.” That program worked with more than 120 local schools and non-profit organizations to present more than 400 unique classes, events, performances, and presentations in 2019 alone. 

The Capital Region is scheduled for Phase 4 of its reopening plan on July 1. SPAC is anticipated to announce its summer events shortly thereafter.

“To those who may ask why art is important during times like these, when even basic survival may be in question, remember this: art is not entertainment. Art is not a beautiful pastime. Art is a profound and essential expression of the human soul.”

This weekend, in lieu of the staging of the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, a virtual jazz festival will take place on June 26, 27 and 28, featuring both national and local artists, produced in partnership with Caffe Lena. SPAC has also created a virtual Learning Library featuring artists on its website. For more information, go to: SPAC.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Caffe Lena and MLK Saratoga present a livestream program featuring theatrical performances by Archie, D. Colin, Tim Martin, Aaron Moore, Julian Tushabe and Siobhan Shea. 

The program is a collaborative production of Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York, Creative Action Unlimited and Soul Session Edu-tainment, and will be hosted by local resident Soulist Garland Nelson.

On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. The observance of June 19 – Juneteenth – is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

The local event takes place 7 – 9 p.m. Friday, June 19 and will be livestreamed via Caffelena.org. Donations will be shared with performing artists. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The experiences of low-income local immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic will be explored in a live stream panel discussion at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30. 

Panelists include Alberto Matos, Assistant Chaplain with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy at Saratoga Racecourse, and Joan Odess, Immigrant Services Manager for Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC). The moderator will be Terry Diggory, co-coordinator of the Saratoga Immigration Coalition, the event sponsor. The event is hosted by Caffe Lena as part of their community outreach effort. 

“The goal of the program is to inform the broader community about a particular group of community members who have been specially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Diggory said in a statement. Some are “essential workers” who face greater risk of exposure to the virus. Some have lost jobs in businesses (such as restaurants and hotels) that have been closed under pandemic restrictions. As immigrants, some do not qualify for government assistance programs that have been created in response to the pandemic. 

As service providers working directly with local immigrants, Matos and Odess have first-hand knowledge about these situations and the range of assistance that is available. The Saratoga Immigration Coalition is providing direct assistance through an emergency fund supported by donations to a GoFundMe campaign.

Community members are invited to send questions to the panel in advance by email: saratogaimmigration@gmail.com. During the program, questions can also be submitted in a live “chat” feature. 

Viewers may access the program through the events calendar on the Caffe Lena website (caffelena.org) or directly through the Caffe Lena YouTube channel. Access is free although donations are invited. Half of the proceeds will support the work of Caffe Lena and half will go to the Saratoga Immigration Coalition emergency fund in support of local immigrants.

MENANDS — The Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) has replaced its traditional gala with a virtual event. The Benson’s Pet Centers “Hope Grows Here” Gala for Animals will be streamed live on the Society’s Facebook page at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. 

The community is invited to participate at no charge. The event will be emceed by MHHS CEO Ashley Jeffrey Bouck and award-winning actor and entertainer Greg Aidala. WTEN’s Steve Caporizzo, host of Pet Connection, will be sharing several of the Society’s most inspiring success stories.

Those who wish to add dining to their virtual gala experience can order handcrafted, curbside pick-up meals for two from catering partner, Nicole’s Restaurant. Two three-course meal packages are available, one vegan, along with a choice of two specialty cocktails. Meals may be picked up on June 20, between 2:30 and 4:30 pm from either Nicole’s at 556 Delaware Avenue in Albany, or the National Museum of Dance at 99 S. Broadway in Saratoga Springs, which was the originally planned site for the gala. Complete details about the event can be found here: mohawkhumane.org/gala-animals-2020.

The Society’s work is essential and throughout the COVID-19 pause it has continued to care for hundreds of animals and placed over 260 pets in new homes.
The Society has also coordinated two large-scale pet food distributions of over 79,000 lbs. to pet owners and other humane organizations. Its Pet Food Pantry is always available for anyone needing assistance.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Casino Hotel announced last week that harness racing will resume on Thursday, June 18, – but no spectators are allowed at the track due to state guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans can wager remotely on the races through Saratoga Casino Hotel’s online wagering platform, SaratogaBets.com, or on any other New York State approved online waging platform. 

Following the directive outlined by the New York State Gaming Commission and the New York State Department of Health, Saratoga Casino Hotel developed new policies and procedures to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak and ensure the safety of employees, horsemen, and horses.

Races will run two days a week, every Thursday and Sunday with a noon post time. The casino remains closed and is awaiting further guidance from the state regarding a reopen date for the entire property. 

• The Adirondack Balloon Festival, slated to take flight Sept. 17-20, has been grounded. The group plans to return Sept. 23-26, 2021. 

• The Washington County Fair, which was to take place Aug. 24-30 has been cancelled. Next year’s fair is planned for Aug. 23-29, 2021. 

•The Lake George Arts Project Summer Music Series and Jazz at the Lake have both been cancelled. The Summer Concert Series was scheduled for Wednesday nights in July and August and Jazz at the Lake was scheduled for September 19-20, both in Shepard Park in Lake George. A “Jazz at the Lake Reimagined program” – a series of hybrid events that combine performances and discussion with the artists is being coordinated. An announcement is anticipated regarding dates and times. 

Schuylerville Public Library will be reopening in phases and the Curbside Service Phase will begin on Monday, June 22. 

Library card holders may place requests for books, movies, and any other materials online at pac.sals.edu or by calling the Library at 518-695-6641.  Operating hours and curbside pickup windows will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 2-7 p.m. 

Library staff will arrange curbside pickup appointments with patrons once their items are ready and make contactless deliveries to vehicles. No members of the public will be allowed in the building. 

The Schuylerville Public Library is a school district library, established in 2013 to serve the towns and villages of Easton, Fort Edward, Greenwich, Northumberland, Saratoga, Schuylerville, Stillwater, Victory and Wilton. Visit www.schuylervillelibrary.sals.edu for more information. 

Saratoga Springs Public Library plans to begin contactless pickup on June 22; the schedule for that service will be 10 a.m. -6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Ike Pulver, Library Director:  We anticipate that we will be able to allow staff back into the building by midweek next week to start that process.  At the moment, there are approximately 3,000 items in the library waiting to be checked in and shelved or shipped back to their owning libraries, and about 26,000 items checked out of our library alone. Throughout the SALS and MVLS regions, there are about 271,000 items out. If they all come flooding back in at the same time, we will be overwhelmed, so we ask that you hold on to them for a bit longer. All due dates and overdue fines are still suspended.

When we are able to begin contactless pickup, it will be by appointment only, and it is very unlikely that it will be a same day service, given the complexity of our required safety protocols, the size of our building, and the number of requests. Much more information about how that process will work will be coming soon. When we are ready to begin that service, there will be some new rules in place, including social distancing, a requirement to wear a face covering, and a “no-lingering” rule in order to be able to serve as many people as possible as safely as possible. Staff will be routinely cleaning and disinfecting and will be required to maintain their distance from one another.

For more information on Saratoga Springs Public Library curbside services please visit www.loc8nearme.com/new-york/saratoga-springs/saratoga-springs-public-library/5614245.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Absolutely Live Entertainment, in partnership with Caffè Lena announce “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions,” presented in lieu of the 2020 Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, previously cancelled by SPAC due to health and safety concerns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Headlined by national artists Jon Batiste, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, and Pedrito Martinez, Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions will also feature acclaimed local musicians Chuck Lamb & Jorge Gomez, Garland Nelson’s “Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble” and the Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio. 

The series of streamed concerts – which start at 8 p.m. on June 26, 27 and 28, will feature produced videos from the national artists alongside performances from Lena’s stage from local ensembles. The festival will be free to experience and hosted through Caffè Lena’s “Stay Home Sessions” YouTube platform. 

For safety and social distancing purposes, Caffè Lena will remain closed to everyone except essential personnel and musicians. Content will be pre-recorded adhering to CDC guidelines. 

Freihofer’s Jazz Fest
Stay Home Sessions Line-Up:

Friday, June 26: 
Pedrito Martinez; Chuck Lamb & Jorge Gomez 

Saturday, June 27: 
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn; Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio

Sunday, June 28: 
Jon Batiste; Garland Nelson’s “Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble”

For more information about the festival, visit SPAC.org