As summer comes to an end and Saratoga Springs prepares for the Halloween season, the Saratoga Springs History Museum is bringing back one of its most popular autumn traditions: the Halloween Ghost Tours of the Canfield Casino, taking place Thursday, October 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. 

Held for one night only, the Halloween Ghost Tours invite visitors to experience a very different side of the historic Canfield Casino. Tours will depart every 20 minutes throughout the evening, leading guests through the Casino while sharing stories of its history, reported hauntings, paranormal investigations, and unexplained occurrences associated with the building.

The Canfield Casino has developed a national reputation for its reported paranormal activity. The historic building was featured on SYFY’s Ghost Hunters and was named the 4th Most Terrifying Place in America by the Travel Channel. Over the years, Museum staff, visitors, paranormal investigators, and others have shared accounts of unexplained sounds, unusual sensations, and mysterious activity within the building.

During the Halloween Ghost Tours, visitors will hear some of those accounts while also discovering the real history behind the people, rooms, and artifacts connected to the Casino and the Saratoga Springs History Museum.

Rather than a traditional haunted-house attraction, the evening combines local history with the stories and experiences that have contributed to the Casino’s haunted reputation. Guests will explore historic spaces while learning about generations of Saratogians whose lives — and sometimes tragedies — remain represented through the Museum’s collections.

Among the many stories preserved within the Museum are those of the Walworth family, one of the most prominent families in 19th-century Saratoga Springs. Their history is filled with remarkable accomplishments alongside family conflict, scandal, tragedy, murder, and loss. Today, rooms that once served as bedrooms for members of the Canfield Casino gambling club house exhibits dedicated to the Walworth family and their personal collections.

Throughout the building, objects and stories like these provide a tangible connection to Saratoga’s past. During the Halloween Ghost Tours, however, visitors will encounter that history after dark — when an unexplained sound from another room or a sudden chill in a quiet corridor can take on an entirely different meaning. The event has become a Halloween tradition for visitors interested in local history, ghost stories, and the paranormal, offering an opportunity to experience one of Saratoga Springs’ most recognizable historic landmarks in an unusual setting.

With the Museum’s Ghost Trolley Tours already sold out, those hoping to attend the Halloween Ghost Tours are encouraged to purchase tickets early. Space is limited for each departure, and the event has historically sold quickly.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at: https://www.saratogahistory.org/events/halloween-ghost-tour-of-the-canfield-casino.

On Tuesday, October 6, Oteil Burbridge, and LaMP will be performing together for the first time at the Universal Preservation Hall in support of Make-A-Wish. Burbridge, a celebrated bassist with the Allman Brothers Band and Dead & Company along with Vermont-based trio LaMP, featuring Russ Lawton, Ray Paczkowski, and Scott Metzger promise a rare musical partnership, blending world-class artistry with spontaneous collaboration.

“I’m so excited to share the stage with Russ, Ray, and Scott on this upcoming run for such a great organization,” said Oteil Burbridge. “I’ve participated in Make-A-Wish since the Allman Brothers days, but it has been a long time. This is a rare opportunity to join LaMP and see what flavor of musical brew we can conjure up. Don’t miss this one if you’re within striking distance.”

All proceeds from the tour benefit Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York. Operating from Wishing Spaces in Shelburne, Vermont and Saratoga Springs, New York, the chapter has granted nearly 3,500 wishes since 1986.

Make-A-Wish President and CEO of Vermont & Northeast New York, Jamie Hathaway, says the money raised from the concert will go directly towards granting wishes to children aged 2.5 to 18 years old, “in the hopes that a wish can inspire hope, strength and joy in the healing process. And to bring agency to children who often feel they don’t have control of a lot of things in their lives,” said Hathaway. 

A common misconception of Make-A-Wish is that they only grant wishes to terminally ill patients. However, anyone can refer a child in critical condition at wish.org/refer.

“What I often say to people is don’t worry about whether or not a child qualifies. That’s our job to figure it out. What’s very important to know is we serve children with critical conditions and there are a number of conditions that qualify,” Hathaway said. 

Tickets for the concert start at 90 dollars and can be purchased at wishbenefit.org.

The annual Malta Community Day returns this year on Saturday, September 12th, at Shenantaha Creek park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. features live entertainment, hands-on activities, local vendors, and fun for all ages.

Events at this free event will include:

• Bounce House

• Radical Run Obstacle Course

• Caricature Entertainment

• Reptile Adventure with hands-on experiences

• Craft Area where kids can create their own projects

• Fire Trucks on display for everyone to explore

• Business and Non-Profit Booths

• A Variety of Food Vendors

 Special Highlights:

• Face Painting: Due to its popularity, this year we’ll have two face painters to help shorten wait times.

• Pony Rides: Returning for the first time in several years, pony rides will once again be available for children.

• Jani Poppins Bubbles: Don’t miss the fun bubble presentation from 1:00–2:00 PM.

• Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides: Enjoy a special ride for all ages, courtesy of J and D Percherons.

Golf fans may remember Dottie Pepper’s dominant outing at the 1999 Nabisco Dinah Shore tournament where she shot a record 19-under par to win her second major title. Followers of the sport may recognize Pepper from her extensive commentating career on the Golf Channel and CBS.

Some may not know that the Saratoga native was the first ever walking reporter allowed at the Masters in 2020. 

Now Pepper says she has received a tap on the shoulder. 

Through a culmination of efforts, Pepper, along with Peggy McQuade has organized two unique contemporary Christian concerts in her hometown of Saratoga. 

This calling, Pepper said, she really started listening to during the pandemic.

“I would not have considered myself much of an active Christian until probably more toward a decade ago. But this whole Christian music thing for me kind of blew up [my faith],” Pepper reflected. During “the Covid Summer we were the first major sport to go back on television. I essentially drove across the county, and I was by myself and this music kept me rooted and positive.”

Two years ago, Pepper hosted a concert in her backyard featuring Josh Baldwin, a Christian singer-songwriter. 

Since that informal gig, Pepper, Baldwin, and David Leonard, an artist in the same genre as Baldwin, have been trying to coordinate schedules to bring their music to the Spa City.

This year those efforts come to fruition; on September 19 Baldwin and David Leonard are coming to the Universal Preservation Hall for “Voices to God.” 

Additionally, on September 11, the inaugural “Worship in the Pines” is coming to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. This all-day festival of contemporary Christian artists is one Pepper hopes becomes an annual event like Jazz or Outlaw Fest. 

“I think there’s an element that music becomes a more powerful messenger than the spoken word,” Pepper said. “It’s more about getting the music and the message out of a particular building and out among the masses. That is what we’re trying to do here, especially to bring this music to Saratoga.”

For more information on the lineup for “Worship in the Pines” or to buy tickets go to, worshipinthepines.com. To purchase tickets to “Voices to God” go to, atuph.org.

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce will present the 2026 Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest on Saturday, Sept. 26 in downtown Saratoga Springs. This free and fun-for-all-ages event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs City Center parking garage.  

Over the past decade, this family-friendly festival has become a Saratoga County staple, marking the kickoff to the fall season as well as the local and regional agricultural community. Attendees will have the opportunity to marvel at giant pumpkins – some over 1,000 or possibly even 2,000 pounds – and watch the official weigh-off.

Growers from near and far, including all over New York state and the Northeast, bring the biggest pumpkins from their harvest and compete for the Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest title. Prizes are awarded to contestants with the heaviest pumpkin grown in Saratoga County and heaviest pumpkin overall, along with additional categories and prizes.

The festival will include fall favorite activities as well as food and beverage vendors on site and is conveniently located near the Saratoga Farmers’ Market at High Rock Park. 

“We’re excited to bring the Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest back for another year,” said Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “In addition to the thrilling weigh-off competition, this event offers a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of fall and showcase the region’s agricultural character. Seeing these massive pumpkins up close is truly something you must experience for yourself. We look forward to welcoming returning guests and new visitors alike to enjoy the excitement, fun and community spirit that make this Saratoga tradition so special.”

More information about Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest is available online at https://www.saratoga.org/live/giant-pumpkin-fest/.

Greg Montgomery will be at Impressions of Saratoga for the annual signing of his 2026 Travers poster “Giving Thanks,” Sunday, August 30, 11 to 1 p.m. The poster features Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers winning horse, Sovereignty and jockey Junior. 

Jockey Junior Alvarado is known for pointing skyward in the runout after his races in gratitude. He thanks his maker for another safe circuit of the track and for his wins. Sometimes just arriving at the finish line is a big win in his dangerous profession. 

Greg Montgomery has been producing a Travers poster since 1986. He is a worldly artist, who has traveled to each continent (except Antarctica) and has worked in a variety of mediums such as journalism, publishing, and design. While Montgomery was born in Washington D.C., he studied painting and lithography in New Mexico, afterwards in Albany he studied serigraphy. Montgomery uses bold imagery and colors, while also balancing his images with white space, making his posters iconic, authentic and eye-catching.  

On Wednesday, Aug 26, the Saratoga Regional YMCA celebrated its 160th anniversary with a community gathering and the dedication of a time capsule enclosed with memories from members set to be opened on its 200th anniversary. 

The capsule contains photographs, historical information, and reflections that capture the Saratoga Regional YMCA in 2026, documenting the programs, people, accomplishments, and values that define the organization today. The time capsule will be placed in one of the columns in the Saratoga Regional YMCA on 290 West Ave. 

One YMCA member, Dora Lee Stanley, said the YMCA saved her life.

Stanley took swimming lessons at the YMCA for the first time in her life at 70 years old. In her first lesson the instructor taught her a valuable lesson in the water: don’t panic.

She would be put to the test during a safari in South Africa. On the safari she was on a boat taking pictures of crocodiles and water buffalo when she fell overboard.

“Luckily the crocodiles weren’t very hungry,” Smith said in between laughter. “The people on the boat said that when I fell the heard of buffalo took off.”

But smith remembered what she learned at the YMCA: Don’t Panic!

Her swim lessons allowed her to float long enough for the boat to turn around to rescue her.

“These stories remind us that the YMCA is not simply a building or a collection of programs,” said Allison D’Antonio, Saratoga Regional YMCA CEO. “It’s a community. A place where a single decision, a single class, or a single conversation can shape the course of a person’s life in ways they never expected. That’s the true legacy of the Saratoga Regional YMCA.”

On Thursday, Aug 20, local brass musicians performed on Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s (SPAC) amphitheater stage with musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra as part of their annual PlayIn series. 

The PlayIn series is native to Philadelphia and was transplanted to Saratoga nine years ago after Dennis Moench, the vice president of education at SPAC caught wind of the event. 

“I approached them and said, ‘could you bring this to SPAC?’ So, we started doing it and it was such a nice success, we just kept doing it year after year. It’s kind of baked into their residency now,” Moench told Saratoga TODAY.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a three-week residency at SPAC every year and is tied for the most tenured residency at SPAC with the New York City Ballet. 

It’s “just an opportunity you don’t see too often. Especially in an area near you where travel isn’t really an issue at all. The fact that they’re available and willing to do these types of opportunities for creative communities is awesome,” said Andrew Gorman, a local trombone player.