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Summer Sunday Strolls: “Post Time!” and “Down in the Valley: Exploring the Gut”

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Saratoga Springs— Led by Georgia Horner, “Post Time!” explores the area surrounding the Saratoga Race Course. On Sunday, June 28 at 10:30AM, uncover the stories of the exclusive Reading Rooms, the personalities who shaped racing culture, and the spaces where the sport’s history continues to unfold. From the National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame to the Oklahoma Track and the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion, this tour reveals the traditions, rivalries, and rituals that define Saratoga’s racing scene. This walking tour will give you a fresh perspective on Saratoga’s world of racing—beyond the grandstands and finish lines.

This tour does not enter the Saratoga Race Course, including the Oklahoma Track, or the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame. This tour, which meets at the southeast corner of Nelson and Union Avenues, is sponsored by Olde Bryan Inn.

 On Sunday, July 5 at 10:30AM, Alexandra Morgan leads “Down in the Valley: Exploring the Gut.” This walking tour explores the area behind Broadway known as “The Gut,” which was home to many working-class and Jewish families who made important contributions to the community. Wander the same streets where grocers sold kosher meats beside oyster houses, where bathhouses promised cures for everything from insomnia to indigestion, and where summer boarders came seeking both mineral waters and a welcoming community. Thia tour is also sponsored by Olde Bryan Inn.

The Foundation is grateful for the generous support of the 2026 Summer Series Sponsor, Druthers Brewing Company. All Sunday morning tours begin at 10:30AM, last approximately 90 minutes, and require walking and standing on varied terrain. Tours are limited to thirty participants, and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members.

 For additional information on Sunday Strolls or to purchase tickets, call (518) 587-5030, email Dianne Winter, Development Director, at dwinter@saratogapreservation.org, or visit our website, saratogapreservation.org.

NYC Ballet Musicians & Friends Concert at Saratoga Arts

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


NYC Ballet Musicians & Friends (Luellen Abdoo)

The New York City Ballet Musicians & Friends will be back at the newly renovated Saratoga Arts on July 9th in the Dee Sarno Theater located at 320 Broadway.

In its 26th year, the main feature will be the Shostakovich Piano Quintet with other selections to be announced soon. The performers will be NYC Ballet Concert Master Kurt Nikkanen, joined by Eugene Moye Jr (cello), Luellen Abdoo (violin), Michael Davis, (viola) and pianist Christopher Oldfather. NYC Ballet pianist Elaine Chelton will perform on another composition with Kurt Nikkanen.

Tickets are 10 dollars at the door. Additional donations are always appreciated.

Setting the Stage: Pre-Performance Talks with the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Setting the Stage (Photo Provided by SPAC)

Saratoga Springs— Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced the return of its popular pre-performance talk series with the launch of Setting the Stage, a series of engaging conversations presented in advance of select New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra performances.

 Returning for the first time since 2019, the series has been reimagined for SPAC’s 60th anniversary season and will now take place outdoors on the Charles R. Wood Stage, creating a more open and accessible experience for audiences. Free to ticket holders, the 30-minute conversations begin approximately one hour prior to performances and feature artists, conductors, choreographers, scholars, and cultural voices offering insight into the works and performances audiences will experience later that evening or afternoon.

 “We are thrilled to bring back pre-performance talks after a six-year hiatus,” said Christopher Shiley, President of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “Setting the Stage will reimagine these talks in a way that makes them more accessible to audiences. By moving these conversations outdoors and offering them free to ticket holders, we are creating even greater opportunities for the community to connect directly with the artists and deepen their experience of the performances they are about to see.”

 The full schedule is as follows:

• July 8 @ 6:30 p.m., Jonathan Stafford (artistic director of New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet) moderated by Jay Rogoff.

• July 9 @ 6:30 p.m., Taylor Stanley and Daniel Ulbricht (NYCB principal dancers) moderated by Jay Rogoff.

• July 10 @ 12:45 p.m., Tiler Peck (NYCB principal dancer and choreographer) moderated by Jay Rogoff.

• July 11 @ 6:30 p.m., Wendy Whelan (associate artistic director of NYCB) moderated by Jay Rogoff.

• August 6 @ 6:30 p.m., Morten Solvik (music scholar with Mahler Foundation) lecture style.

• August 7 @ 6:15 p.m., Marin Alsop (principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra) moderated by songwriter, author, and activist Janis Ian.

Co-presented with Caffè Lena

• August 12 @ 6:15 p.m., Daniele Rustioni (principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera House) moderated by WMHT host Rob Brown.

• August 13 @ 6:30 p.m., Naomi Woo (Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Conductor) moderated by WMHT host Rob Brown.

• August 20 @ 6:30 p.m., Joseph Conyers (Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bass) moderated by SPAC CEO Elizabeth Sobol.

Perfectly Guided: Mother Shares 23-Year Journey of Advocacy, Miracles and Resilience

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

Ben at Skidmore Graduation 
(Donna Giffune)

Donna Giffune
(Donna Giffune)

Local resident Donna Giffune is a physical therapist, a registered nurse, and a teacher. But these are just hats she wears, her vocation is supporting and advocating for her son, Ben. Perfectly Guided…How Saving Ben Turned into Saving Me is a memoir by a loving mother 23 years in the making.

Giffune first attended Russel Sage College in 1983 where she studied to become a physical therapist. Three years after Giffune graduated, she welcomed Ben into the world.

Early in Ben’s life, Giffune noticed abnormalities in Ben’s development. But when she brought her concerns up to her family physician, he told her: “You are a concerned mother who happens to be a physical therapist.”

She went to Albany Medical Center where she met a doctor who said to her three words she will never forget: “I believe you.” On September 11th, 1992, Ben had a CT scan on his brain which revealed a large tumor.

Doctors were able to completely remove the tumor; which left Ben with permanent learning disabilities. “I wasn’t fazed by it, I evolved through him,” said Giffune.

Ben’s surgery at Albany Medical Center left his mother with a $150,000-dollar medical bill. Her insurance would not cover it, but Giffune never paid a dime on her son’s life-saving surgery. 

Her sister worked as a stewardess at US Airlines in Albany, “She must have mentioned it at work,” said Giffune. “When I called Albany Medical Center a few weeks later, the balance was paid off. I never saw the bill. To this day I don’t know who paid for Ben’s medical bills.” 

Giffune went back to college to earn her teaching degree in 2007. She introduced brain-based learning to her son, a technique that emphasizes problem solving. “Ben’s my teacher and I’m the student,” said Giffune.

Inspired by his mother, Ben decided he wanted to earn a college degree of his own. 

Through a partnership with Saratoga Bridges and Skidmore College, Ben was able to attend a modified class load to achieve a certificate of learning. He walked the stage at Skidmore College graduation in 2010.

As fate would have it, Ben would not be through the woods of his health complications. In 2016, Ben suffered a stroke, from which he was able to make a full recovery. After, Giffune felt inspired to attend nursing school to better understand her son’s health.

Today Ben is working at a local Market 32, a job he has held for 19 years and lives in an apartment with 3 other roommates. 

“I was perfectly guided all the way,” said Giffune. “You come out the other side with gratitude.”

Perfectly Guided… How Saving Ben Turned into Saving Me is available for purchase at Northshire Bookstore and on Amazon. Two copies are also available at the Saratoga Public Library. 

The 57th Saratoga Flag Day Parade

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

United States Navy (Aidan Clark)
Saratoga Springs CSD Band (Aidan Clark)
Uncle Sam(Aidan Clark)
Llamas from Dakota Ridge Farm (Aidan Clark)

People of all ages gathered down Broadway despite the heat for Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge Annual Flag Day Parade on Saturday, June 13. The parade featured coalitions of local organizations parading from North Broadway to Congress Park.

There was an extra scent of patriotism in the air in celebration of America’s semi-quincentennial anniversary. Floats, buses and outfits were decked out for the special year, although Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the American Flag in 1777. More importantly it was a day celebrating local community. 

Local high school ensembles were marching down Broadway performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Uncle Sam was seen downtown, along with sailors from the Navy, and even llamas were in attendance.

Back in January there were concerns that there would not be funding for this year’s parade. Local officials came together with Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge to make the tradition happen, marking the 57th annual Flag Day parade in Saratoga. 

Pearl and the Oysters to Perform at Saratoga Arts

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Pearl and the Oysters (Dive Upstate)

Parisian indie-pop group Pearl and the Oysters are coming to Saratoga Arts on July 23. They will be joined by projectionist Derick Noetzel, who will bring a vibrant and immersive atmosphere to Saratoga Arts’ black box theater. 

Prior to the show, Pint Sized will host a pop-up bar serving beer, wine and spirits in the gallery which will preview Saratoga Arts new 10 X 10 exhibit. Additionally, Familiar Creature will be setting up a raw bar serving, you guessed it, oysters, as well as ham sandwiches on house made focaccia. This component of the event is free and open to the public and kicks off at 4 p.m.

Doors open for the concert at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at pearloysterssaratoga.eventbrite.com.

Film Screening at Saratoga Public Library

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Connie Hochman is holding a screening of her new film, “In Balanchine’s Classroom,” in the Dutcher community room at the Saratoga Public Library on Wednesday, July 1 at 6 p.m. George Balanchine was one of the most influential ballet choreographers of the 20th century. His “Midsummer Night’s Dream” was performed during NYC Ballet’s SPAC debut in 1966. 

Hochman was a professional ballet dancer with the Philadelphia Ballet where she performed many of Balanchine’s masterworks. In 2007, Connie began a series of in-depth interviews with former Balanchine dancers to explore the phenomenon of Balanchine’s classroom. Their remembrances of his unorthodox methods and transformative teaching form the basis of “In Balanchine’s Classroom.”

The event is free, but registration is required, visit:  https://sspl.libcal.com/event/16208219?f=h to sign up. 

Skidmore College Announces 2026 Stewart’s Signature Series Event Lineup 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Hannah Lillith Assadi (Skidmore College)
Billy Childs (Skidmore College)

The 2026 Stewart’s Signature Series released its list of summer events open to the public this June and July. The summer series, organized yearly by Skidmore College’s Office of Special Programs and supported through a grant from Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family, celebrates community through music, readings, and discussion by acclaimed artists and scholars. 

“Saratoga Springs is blessed with a wide array of live, interactive entertainment. We are proud to support the Stewart’s Signature Series, which brings exceptional performers and educators to our community while reinforcing Skidmore’s role as a cultural hub for all,” said Susan Law Dake, president of Stewart’s Foundation and member of Skidmore’s Board of Trustees. 

The first event on Monday, June 29, at 8 p.m. in the Davis auditorium features writers Hannah Assadi and Honor Moore. Assadi’s most recent novel, “Paradiso 17,” inspired by the life of her late Palestinian father, received a glowing review from The New York Times. Moore’s latest book, “A Termination,” a lyric memoir about her decision to have an abortion, was named one of the Best Books of 2025 by Publishers Weekly. 

Kenny Garrett and Sounds from the Ancestors join the summer series Tuesday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Arthur Zankel Music Center. National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Kenny Garrett has a 30-year career that includes hallmark stints with Miles Davis, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

“Consciousness, Neurology, and Literature” with Rick Moody and Sean Pauzauskie is Saturday, July 11, 11:00 AM, in the Davis Auditorium. This is a dialogue between Rick Moody and neurologist and fiction writer Sean Pauzauskie about the most recent medical understanding of where and if consciousness is located in the brain, and differing ideas of thinking.

Billy Childs, a Grammy Award-winning composer and pianist along with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Ari Hoenig will perform Tuesday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Joanna Scott and Jay Rogoff will host a discussion on Tuesday, July 14, at 8:00 p.m. in the Davis Auditorium. Scott is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Rogoff is the poet laureate of Saratoga Springs.

For more information and to register for events, visit: skidmore.edu/summer/events/ 

The Final Belmont on Broadway

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

Belmont on Broadway Photo by Aidan Clark

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Wednesday, June 3, Saratoga Springs hosted Fitz and the Tantrums as the headliner to the final Belmont on Broadway Concert. A multi- platinum selling indie-pop group boasting over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The band performed their hits like “Out of My League” and “Hand Clap” while also mixing in songs from their new album “Man on The Moon.”

Vertical Horizon, an alternative

rock band, got the festivities rocking at 7 p.m. playing hits like “Everything You Want” and “You’re a God.”

The Belmont on Broadway festival started three years ago coinciding with the Belmont StakesmovingtoSaratogaRace Couse while Belmont Park was under construction. The event was first headlined by the Blues Travelers in 2024, and then Gin Blossoms in 2025.

This year’s event was the biggest attendance to date according to those on Facebook. The audience stretched as far as the eye can see down Broadway.

What started as an event to drum up excitement for the Belmont Stakes ended as an event locals don’t want to let go. Commenters on Facebook are asking for the concerts to continue after the Belmont Stakes goes back downstate. “I would love to see something like this continue beyond Saratoga hosting the Belmont,” said one Facebook account.

“Angels Among Us: The Healing Power of Racehorses” New Film by Local Director

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

James Stewart With Butters. Photo provided by Brendan Kennedy

SARATOGA SPRINGS —
Local director John Wager and Executive producer Jay Hanley are gearing up to premier their new film, “Angels Among Us: The Healing Power of Racehorses” at film festivals. The film dives into how racehorses can be an unlikely companion after their racing days, helping people from all walks of life deal with personal battles. 

“Angels Among Us” comes from leftover footage of Wager and Hanley’s previous film, “Off-Track: Fate of a Racehorse,” after they realized there was a different story to tell. “Off-Track is about the need to take care of the horses after they are done racing, Angels Among Us is about how the horses take care of us,” said Hanley. 

Hanley is a Thoroughbred owner who got involved with “Off-Track” because he wanted to learn more about what happens to racehorses after their career ends. His affiliation for racehorses began in his youth when his grandfather took him to Saratoga Race Course every summer. “Horses are beautiful, magical beings, I want current horse owners to see it and respect it.”

Wager has a history of exploring different avenues of healing. He previously directed a movie called “Comedy Warriors,” a documentary featuring five severely wounded war veterans who go onto careers in stand-up comedy. The veterans are coached by celebrities like Zach Galifianakis and Bob Saget and culminate with the veterans performing at comedy clubs in Las Vegas.

When Wager was asked why he is drawn to ways of healing, he said: “Life is hard, life is amazing and wonderful, you have dips. As we go through life, we find things that help us. That fascinates me, it’s not tangible.”

“Angels Among Us” follows three people aided by horses; Joan Perelta, an incarcerated individual in the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation second chance program, Emma Cookman, a young woman dealing with stress and anxiety, and James Stewart, an Iraq war veteran dealing with PTSD. 

The horses help these individuals deal with whatever challenges they may be going through.

In the case of Stewart, he came home from combat in Iraq to a divorce and a life he did not recognize prior to going overseas. Meeting Butters, a horse with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, gave Stewart a second chance at life.

“Had I not come to Saratoga in 2013 I would not be free. But because of being paired with Butter I am free,” Stewart said in the film. 

“I wish I could show my friends this film, you don’t have to be angry, you don’t have to drink,” said Stewart. “I can only hope someday that someone can pick up the ball and start a program like this, there are thousands of us that need a horse.”