Skip to main content

Saratoga Springs History Museum to Host Celebration of Local Art and History

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

The Saratoga Springs History Museum invites residents, history enthusiasts, and visitors to come together for a special evening celebrating the people, art, and stories that have shaped Saratoga Springs.

On Wednesday, October 21, at 7 p.m., the Museum will host its Annual Meeting of the Historical Society, followed by a special presentation titled A Portrait of Nelson Cook: A Saratoga Springs Artist, presented by Museum Executive Director James Parillo.

The event is free and open to the entire community, with donations welcome.

Held inside the historic Canfield Casino, the evening offers an opportunity for residents to connect with their city’s past while learning more about the work of the Saratoga Springs History Museum and its ongoing mission to preserve and share local history.

Long before photography became widespread, portrait artists played an important role in preserving the likenesses of individuals and families. Among those working in 19th-century Saratoga Springs was Nelson Cook, a prolific and talented portrait artist whose paintings provide a remarkable glimpse into the city’s past.

Cook’s subjects included prominent Saratogians such as Rockwell Putnam, son of Gideon Putnam, along with members of the Van Deusen and Walworth families. His artistic legacy extends well beyond Saratoga Springs. Today, Cook’s works can be found in museums and private collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Saratoga Springs History Museum itself preserves more than 20 works by Nelson Cook, representing an important part of its collection. During the presentation, Executive Director James Parillo will explore Cook’s life, artistic career, personal struggles, and enduring legacy, sharing a selection of works from the Museum’s collection and the stories behind the people he painted.

Beyond the presentation, the evening is an opportunity to recognize the importance of local history and the institutions dedicated to preserving it. Through its collections, exhibitions, educational programs, and community events, the Saratoga Springs History Museum works to keep the stories of Saratoga Springs accessible to present and future generations.

While admission is free, donations are welcome and appreciated. Contributions help support the Museum’s ongoing preservation, educational, and community programming efforts.

SPAC Amphitheater Improvements Begin at Saratoga Spa State Park

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

A 2-million-dollar investment into utility systems and safety improvement of Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) was announced by The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). 

The project will replace three gas-fired water heaters with high-efficiency electric water heaters, upgrade components of the backstage electrical system, and install a new elevator. Additionally, the area covered by the backstage fire protection system will be expanded.

“As SPAC’s 60th anniversary year continues, it is particularly meaningful to be investing in the future of this extraordinary campus with the support of Governor Hochul and our Parks partners,” said Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 

The Amphitheater upgrades are funded through OPRHP’s capital budget. The project is expected to be completed by spring 2027.  

Saratoga County Looks Ahead to 250th Anniversary of America’s Turning Point

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured.

Revolutionary War Reenactors Commemorate Saratoga Siege Weekend Outside of County Offices in Ballston Spa (Aidan Clark)

As the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebrations are concluding, Saratoga County is looking ahead to 2027 for a year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga. 

“This year’s been full of all sorts of ceremonies and fireworks displays across the nation as we honored the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” said Saratoga County Historian, Lauren Roberts. “But here in Saratoga, we like to say that the declaration was just the beginning. It would be another seven years of war before the Treaty of Paris was signed, and until the words on that document became a reality.”

As part of the lead up to 2027, legislation introduced by representative Eliese Stefanik to rename Saratoga National Historical Park to Saratoga National Battlefield Park has passed both chambers of Congress and is awaiting President Trump’s signature. 

This name change, proponents argue, better articulates the events which took place in autumn of 1777, and later became memorialized as the turning point of the American Revolution. 

“British General John Burgoyne’s objective was Albany, and he advanced all the way down from Canada and came so close, he could taste it,” said Roberts. “But what stood between his arm and his objective was Bemis Heights, an army of continental soldiers and militia that were fighting for something more than sixpence a day.”

To commemorate the quarter-millennia anniversary of the first surrender of a British army in history, Saratoga County is preparing for an influx of national and international visitors.

In 1927, for the 150th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga, over 100,000 people gathered on the battlefield, perhaps the largest gathering in New York State until Woodstock. 

In 2027, in anticipation of increase in tourism, Saratoga 250 organizers are planning a larger and expanded Saratoga Siege Festival in 2027 which will include:

• Battle of Freeman’s Farm 250th Anniversary at Saratoga National Historical Park, September 18 & 19, 2027

• Battles of Saratoga 250th Commemoration; a two-day Battle Reenactment & Living History Event, October 9 & 10, 2027

• Turning Point Parade and Surrender Day Ceremony celebrating the 250th anniversary of General Burgoyne’s surrender to General Gates, October 17, 2027.

The expanded 2027 celebrations will provide opportunities to draw even greater attention to the historic communities, sites and stories associated with the Battles of Saratoga while strengthening the region’s position as a destination for history, heritage and cultural tourism.

For more information, visit www.saratoga250.com.

Haunting Poetry Reading at the Whitman

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

On Wednesday, October 28, the metaphors will getcha if you don’t watch out! At Saratoga’s Walt and Whitman Brewing Company, a dozen area poets will celebrate Halloween and the Days of the Dead with their original scary and haunting poetry. The event starts at 7 p.m., in the Downstairs Lounge at the Whitman, located in the old Saratogian building at 20 Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs.

Hosted by Saratoga’s poet laureate, Jay Rogoff, the evening will showcase poems of the spooky and macabre from such local published luminaries as Joe Bruchac, Jackie Craven, Andy Fogle, David Graham, Hajar Husseini, Susan Jefts, Marilyn McCabe, Mary Sanders Shartle, Natalya Sukhonos, Barbara Ungar, and Dan Wilcox. Poets and the public are invited to come in costume, although not required to.

“A great poem can raise the hairs on your neck,” Rogoff said, “and we hope to share some poetry to raise the hairs on your head. We’re also hoping that Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson might be roused to make an ectoplasmic appearance as our ghost guests.”

The reading is part of the Laureate Poetry Series and is free and open to the public. To accompany the witches’ brew of poetry, Whitman Brewing will have its own quality brews for sale, in addition to a range of non-alcoholic offerings and a pub menu for dining.

For further information, contact Jay Rogoff at jrogoff@skidmore.edu.

Dancing Grain to Host the Great Scarecrow Walk

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Gansevoort— Dancing Grain Farm Brewery is partnering with the Schuylerville Future Farmers of America (FFA) for The Great Scarecrow Walk on Sunday, November 1. Guests will build scarecrows, watch the Bills take on the Ravens, then walk the brewery’s sunflower field at dusk. Proceeds will support agricultural education through the Schuylerville FFA.

Harvest season gets plenty of attention in the beer world – Oktoberfests, pumpkin ales, steins – but rarely a mention of the barley, hops and farmers that make beer possible. For an industry so dependent on agriculture, Dancing Grain believes that deserves a conversation.

In just ten years, the U.S. lost roughly 35 million acres of farmland and more than 200,000 farms. With the average American farmer now 58 years old, the question is simple: who comes next?

That question is personal for Dancing Grain. The brewery exists because its founder, Rachel McDermott, left a corporate career to come home and help build a future for her family’s farm. Partnering with Schuylerville FFA turns that serious question into a fun day on the farm and puts money behind the students who will answer it.

FFA students will build and install scarecrow frames throughout the sunflower field, then help guests bring them to life. The $40 Scarecrow Package includes:

• A Dancing Grain-grown pumpkin

• A bale of Dancing Grain-grown straw

• A scarecrow frame waiting in the field

• Admission for four to walk the field at dusk

$10 from every package goes directly to Schuylerville FFA.

Each pumpkin gets two lives. Guests pick it up before Halloween, carve it for their porch, then bring it back Nov. 1 to become their scarecrow’s glowing head.

Guests who would rather not build can walk the field for $5, with 100% of admission benefiting Schuylerville FFA.

Schedule: Sunday, November 1.

• 11 a.m.–3 p.m. — Scarecrow building

• 1 p.m. — Bills vs. Ravens in the taproom

• 4 p.m. — The Great Scarecrow Walk

Hot apple cider, cider donuts, farm beer, and fall cocktails will be available all day. Costumes are encouraged. Bring a flashlight — things get a little spooky after sunset.

FFA raffle and 50/50 tickets will be sold throughout the Bills game and into the evening. Dancing Grain is still accepting raffle prize donations from local businesses; contact info@dancinggrain.com.

Scarecrow packages and walk tickets are available at www.dancinggrain.com.

Nancy Sutin Honored for Lifetime Contributions to Capital Region

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Nancy Sutin (Courtesy of Tom Stock)

Longtime Saratoga Springs resident, Nancy Sutin, has been inducted into the Albany City School District’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her successful professional career and extensive community service.

The Class of 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place Oct. 3.

Born and raised in Albany and a 1968 Albany High School graduate, Sutin “has followed a proud family legacy of high achievement throughout her life, building an exceptional professional career in the law while also committing herself to serving her community,” the Albany City School District said in announcing the honor.

Her father, Nate Sutin, was inducted as a member of the district’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2009.

Nancy Sutin co-founded the four-piece folk band Focus, which played in Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs. 

She graduated magna cum laude from the University at Albany in 1972 and earned a master’s from Brandeis University in 1976. During those years, she devoted time to various Jewish organizations and shared her lifelong love for swimming as a summer camp director in Maine. She graduated in 1984 from Albany Law School, where she was recognized with the prestigious Lillian Friedman Award for Excellence in Family Law. 

“Over the next nearly four decades, Nancy built a distinguished private family law practice, serving communities throughout the Capital Region. Her legal expertise and reputation for integrity led to her 2017 appointment as a state liaison between family attorneys and the state administrator in her judicial district,” the Hall of Fame website page notes.

“Beyond her professional practice, Nancy has been a tireless champion for non-profit organizations. From 2002-08, she served as board president of the Saratoga Independent School. During her tenure, she demonstrated exceptional stewardship by spearheading a capital campaign that secured $1 million in funding for the development of its Route 29 campus,” the district’s Hall of Fame website page continued. 

In addition, Sutin has devoted 16 years to Soroptimist International of Saratoga County. While president, she spearheaded the “Project Hope and Power” initiative, empowering victims of domestic violence to obtain their legal and financial independence. She is currently co-chair of the organization’s Secret Gardens Tour, its major fund-raiser.

Sutin served two terms as board president of Home Made Theater in Saratoga Springs, providing steady stewardship through significant periods of organizational transition. She also served on the board of the former Planned Parenthood of Northeastern New York.

“Through her legal career, visionary non-profit leadership and an unwavering commitment to the greater good, she has left an indelible mark on the Capital Region,” the district posted on its Hall of Fame website page. 

Saratoga Fall Festival Returns to Caroline Street

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

The Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Alliance announced the 2026 Fall Festival, a beloved local tradition marking its 25th anniversary this year.

The festival will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 in downtown Saratoga Springs, primarily on Caroline Street, with various attractions spread out along Broadway.

This year’s event will feature trick-or-treating throughout downtown, the popular Pumpkin Roll on Caroline Street, a Saratoga-themed Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt, face painting, live entertainment and more.

Starting at noon, participating businesses will be candy-ready for trick-or-treaters as kids and parents are invited to dress up in costume and explore downtown Saratoga Springs.

At the same time, volunteers from The Dance Lab and the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club will help orchestrate the Pumpkin Roll on Caroline Street. Pumpkins, generously donated by Sunnyside Gardens, will be handed out at the top of Caroline Street, with hay bales donated by Vincek Farm set up to guide the pumpkins down the hill.

Families can pick up maps of downtown for trick-or-treating, as well as a list of riddles and clues for the Saratoga Themed Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt, at the Visitors Center.

SCHEDULE FOR FALL FESTIVAL – Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026

* Schedules are subject to change

12 – 3 p.m. — Downtown Saratoga Springs

· Trick-or-Treating at participating businesses throughout downtown

· Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt on Broadway and surrounding areas

· At the top of Caroline Street and Broadway, participants are welcome to grab a pumpkin from one of our volunteers from The Dance Lab. At the bottom of Caroline and Maple, participants can pick up their gift certificates from Ben & Jerry’s and Strike Zone from a Saratoga Springs Rotary Club volunteer.

· Live Entertainment, Road Soda Pop 12-3pm – Salt & Char patio

· Traveling Entertainment: Sparkles the Juggler

· Face Painting at G. Willikers and the Saratoga Springs City Center

· Magic Matt (Magician) at Menges & Curtis

· Maple Valley Farms (maple cotton candy and other maple items) – Spa City Motor Lodge

· Saratoga Springs Police Department: Explore a police car on display in front of Lifestyles of Saratoga

· Witch Walk SOSA: Concluding the festival with a spirited dance on Caroline Street to end the festival at 2:50 p.m. Donations to the Witch Walk will go directly to our local animal shelters!

Saratoga Voices Choir Prepares for Upcoming Concert: “One Land, Many Voices”

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured.

Saratoga Voices Rehearsing for their Upcoming Concert, “One Land, Many Voices” at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School (Aidan Clark)

For the past month, choristers of Saratoga Voices have convened in the music room of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School on Wednesday nights for rehearsal.

Their next concert, “One Land, Many Voices,” will be held at the Universal Preservation Hall on Sunday, October 25, at 3 p.m. Artistic Director, Noah Palmer, has formed a diverse program of music representative of our nation’s unique history.

“We were looking for repertoire that would cover the beautiful tapestry of styles, historical periods and cultural areas representing the different peoples that are part of the American musical tapestry,” said Palmer.

For the past four years Palmer has been leading the choir in a new direction as the artistic director of Saratoga Voices. As he was beginning his tenure, the choir voted to change their name from The Burnt Hills Oratorio Society; Palmer cites a multitude of reasons for the name change.

“First of all, The Burnt Hills Oratorio Society is a quite long and burdensome name that is difficult to pronounce and remember,” said Palmer. Another reason “is that Saratoga is our home and that’s the big urban center we want to be connected to.”

But besides the logistical rationale, the change represents a wider scope for the choir. 

“Choral music in American has exploded in an amazing way in the last few decades, and a lot of what’s being written is secular music,” said Palmer. “So, part of the idea is expanding our identity beyond just the major large scale religious or sacred music.” 

However, the change does not represent a complete departure from traditional Christian Hymns, rather a choice to encompass contemporary choral compositions.

Take for example, “Ambe” by Andrew Balfour, who is of Cree descent which is sung in his native tongue.

The song requires the choir to work through technical aspects of singing in a foreign language through speaking the words phonetically and deciphering where to put emphasis.  

Palmer described the melody of “Ambe” as if you were constantly tripping over yourself, and as expected there were a few missteps. 

However, mistakes can yield gold, and with assistance from a lead piano maintaining the melody and rhythm, the group was able to find it. 

As a passive bystander in the rehearsal, it was clear why the choristers decided to forgo their free time to become a part of the whole.

When each voice of a different range and capacity finds its place in harmony, it is truly angelic.

The baritones lay the melody like a steam train fighting inertia to gain momentum. 

The altos and tenors, like yin and yang, meld together to fill space between the firing pistons. 

Finally, the sopranos complete the harmony, creating a swelling ethereal strain.

Then the bass drops away, releasing the tension, like a feather falling without a breeze. 

Evidently, this feeling is contagious.

Two years ago, Saratoga Voices began requiring an audition to join their choir. Peculiarly for the uninitiated, since requiring an audition, the choir saw an increase in membership. However, Palmer says it reinforces their credibility.

“Singers want to see a certain level of standard, and there’s a lot of choirs in this area to choose from,” said Palmer. “One of the things that especially younger singers want to see is they want to know that there’s a certain level of quality that the choir is going to bring and that they’re personally expected to bring.”

The choir will hold auditions for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday, October 14. Tickets to the “One Land, Many Voices” concert are $40.25 or $28.75 for seniors. For more information on joining Saratoga voices or to purchase tickets for their upcoming concert, go to saratogavoices.org.

Art for Good to Benefit Community

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Art is a powerful thing. It can lift your spirits and offer a new perspective.  It is with the community in mind that the Saratoga Springs Arts District Inc. (SSADI) presents Art for Good, a fundraiser to support local nonprofits while enhancing people’s lives through lovingly donated works of art. 

The event will take place on October 25 at the Elks Lodge, 69 Beekman Street, Saratoga Springs, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. In addition, there will be entertainment and free art lessons at Living Resources across the Street at 70 Beekman Street.

This project has been spearheaded by ceramic artists Nancy Niefield and Rebecca Cigal and was quickly embraced by fellow artists.   

Contributed art works by talented local artists will be sold for whatever people offer. Find a treasure, pay what you will. Proceeds will be given to the Franklin Community Center, the Frederick Allen Elks Lodge and SSADI. 

For more information, visit SaratogaArtDistrict.com. 

Pints for Preservation Pub Crawl 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is hosting its 14th annual Pints for Preservation Pub Crawl on Saturday, October 17. This event starts at 3 p.m. at Druthers Brewing Company, 381 Broadway, with stops at bars throughout downtown Saratoga Springs. All proceeds from this event support the Foundation’s mission to promote the preservation and enhancement of the architectural, cultural, and landscape heritage of Saratoga Springs.

The Pub Crawl begins at Druthers Brewing Company at 3 p.m., then crawls to Bailey’s Cafe, Gaffney’s Saratoga, The Grotto Tiki Lounge, and ends at Whitman Brewing Company. Pub Crawl participants will enjoy drink specials throughout the day, as well as light fare at Whitman Brewing Company. 

Participants can take part in an Architectural Scavenger Hunt to win a “Major Award.” Raffle tickets will also be available to win several prizes from local businesses. The crawl will culminate with an after party at Whitman Brewing Company where winners will be announced. 

Tickets are $35 for an individual, $60 for two people, and $120 for a group of four. All participants will receive a complimentary Pub Crawl t-shirt and pint glass with the purchase of tickets, while supplies last. The online registration deadline is Friday, October 16 at 9 p.m. Participants may also register on the day of the Pub Crawl at Druthers starting at 2:30 p.m. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit, www.saratogapreservation.org, or call (518) 587-5030.