Skip to main content

Double M Haunted Hayrides Brings Back “Halfway to Halloween” Event on June 13th

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Double M Haunted Hayrides & Haunted Houses is bringing the Halloween spirit back early with the return of its annual Halfway to Halloween event, taking place on Saturday, June 13.

 Now in its third year, the event has been reimagined to deliver an immersive summer night experience filled with eerie atmosphere, live entertainment, and nonstop scares. Six haunted houses will open, each packed with detailed scenes, terrifying characters, and intense scares that Double M has become known for over its 30+ year legacy.

Tickets for Halfway to Halloween are limited and available online only. Guests are encouraged to purchase early, as the event is expected to sell out. For tickets and more information, visit: www.doublemhauntedhayrides.com.

Olde Time Strawberry Social at Brookside Museum

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.


Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum hosts an Olde Time Strawberry Social on Sunday June 14, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Enjoy the beautiful Brookside gardens and savor strawberry shortcake, made with homemade biscuits and real whipped cream, for $5 a serving. Listen to a performance by musician Bob Marcotte, of the NYS Country Music Hall of Fame. For $5, create small bouquets featuring blooms from Balet Flowers and Design. This annual event supports the gardens at Brookside Museum. Order in advance online at www.brooksidemuseum.org to secure your shortcake!

Belmont Festival at Impressions of Saratoga

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Nicole Bracken (Courtesy of Maddy Zanetti and Marianne Barker)

Impressions of Saratoga will be hosting artist Melissa Crase and fascinator designer, Nicole Bracken for pop-up show Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7. Melissa will introduce her 2026 Original Saratoga painting with prints also available. “Most of my pieces are a mix of acrylics, inks and pastels on canvas. With vibrant colors and textures being key elements in my work, you will often find ordinary things painted with unexpected colors” says Melissa. Pick up a handcrafted fascinator to sport this season at Saratoga Race Course. Nicole brings a sense of composition, color, and texture to each of her handcrafted pieces. She artfully incorporates faux florals, vintage fabrics and repurposed jewelry, creating one-of-a-kind designs that feel both timeless and imaginative.

Greg Montgomery will join the pop-up shop on Sunday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Montgomery, a local artist, has been creating the annual Travers Stakes poster for Saratoga Race Course since 1986. His versions of the Belmont Stakes and Travers posters will be available. 

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Accepting Submissions for 2026 Photo Finish Photography Exhibition

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Want to have your personal pictures from around Saratoga Race Course put on display? The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is now accepting submissions for the return of its juried photography exhibition, Photo Finish. The exhibition will be on view at the Museum from Oct. 28 through Dec. 31.

Professional and amateur photographers are encouraged to submit artistic and unique perspectives and may enter up to two photos. Each submission must relate to the sport of thoroughbred racing in America, including, but not limited to, racing and training scenes, the backstretch, life on the farm, and the emotions of the fans.

A panel of judges representing the racing and arts communities will select the photographs for the exhibition at the Museum, which will be on display in the von Stade Gallery. Additional entries may be considered for inclusion in the online exhibition at the jurors’ discretion.

The application form will be available at the Museum’s Visitor Services desk and digitally on the Museum’s website here: racingmuseum.org/photo-finish. If you have any questions about the exhibition, please email info@racingmuseum.net or call (518) 584-0400 ext. 113.

9th Annual SPAC Festival of Young Artists Celebrates the Next Generation of Artists in the Capital District

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

Finale Performance
(Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet)
“Cornfield”
(Victoria Jones)

On May 31, Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) hosted its ninth annual Festival of Young Artists (FOYA) inviting artists from around the Capital District to showcase their talents. SPAC’s education initiative is “rooted in the belief that the arts support wellbeing and strengthen connection. Our work is designed to foster creativity, confidence, and a true sense of belonging for individuals and families across our region.” FOYA gives students invested in the arts a chance to perform and connect with students across school districts.

This year’s FOYA theme was “Seasons,” students were given the prompt: “Nature moves through cycles of growth, transformation, reflection, and renewal, and so do we. Each season brings its own mood and meaning, shaping both the world around us and the landscapes within us.” Students were invited to submit visual, literary, and performing arts relating to the cycles of the seasons. 

SPAC highlighted students across three disciplines of the arts with “outstanding awards.” Victoria Jones, Saratoga Springs High School, won the outstanding award for visual arts for her painting, “Cornfield” (pictured below). Fatemeh Sima Amiri, Shaker High School, won the outstanding award for literary art for her poem, “The Fifth Season.” The Capital District Arts Initiative won the outstanding award for performing arts for their dance “Epilogue.” To view the long list of submissions across all disciplines, go to spacfoya.org.

Student performances took place on the amphitheater stage and across tents set up across SPAC’s grounds. An art show exhibited digital, painted, and photography submissions. The festival culminated in a final performance on the amphitheater stage combining the Empire State Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Capital District Youth Chorale, Shenendehowa High School Choraliers. The performance featured a choreographed dance performance from the Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet. It was a beautiful display of the arts by students across the Capital Region.

SPAC School of the Arts offers opportunities for people of all ages to have access to the arts. Visit spac.org/education/school-of-the-arts/ for more information and to register for classes.

Opera Saratoga Announces 65th Anniversary Gala and New Cast Members for My Fair Lady and The Elixir of Love

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Opera Saratoga is celebrating 65 seasons of bringing world-class opera to the Capital Region on June 4 at Saratoga National Golf Course. The Opera Saratoga gala, themed after the Covent Garden Flower Market, will feature performances by the Festival Artists. 

Opera Saratoga’s 65th summer festival announces starry additional casting for “My Fair Lady” and “The Elixir of Love” at Universal Preservation Hall between June 20-28.

 “My Fair Lady” just announced cast members and celebrated opera stars Keith Jameson as Alfred Doolittle and Amy Burton as Mrs. Higgins. Burton made her debut as a young artist at the company in the 1980’s and returns to the company in this important role.

 “The Elixir of Love just added cast member WooYoung Yoon as Nemorino. Yoon was a Festival Artist with the company as well and famously was married on the grounds of Yaddo.

For tickets and more information about the Opera Saratoga Gala and the Opera Festival Season, visit operasaratoga.org.

Free Wildlife Festival at Wilton Wildlife

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

On Sunday, May 31, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will host its annual Wildlife Festival at the Historic Camp Saratoga on Scout Road in Wilton. This free event will feature information on Karner blue butterflies, live animals, music, nature crafts, pond exploration, food, and lots of hands-on fun for all ages.

This event is timed so that participants can enjoy the beauty of the first brood of the Karner blue butterflies and the blooming of the wild blue lupine. Activities will take place throughout Camp Saratoga to encourage people to explore the wonderful trail system and celebrate National Trails Day.

Besides seeing the endangered Karner blue butterflies, participants will be able to meet other live animals. Native raptors will be presented by Trish Marki of Silent Wings, sponsored by Ballston Spa National Bank, an observational beehive presented by the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association, Seeing-eye Dogs from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Adirondack Puppy Raising Region, adoptable rabbits from Hop on Home, and so much more.

Out in the meadow, there will be a Karner blue butterfly information table to help visitors learn about the Saratoga Sand Plains Habitat Restoration area. Educators from Wilton Wildlife will share information about the efforts of New York State DEC and The Nature Conservancy to improve habitat for endangered species.

Beginning at 11:00 AM, there will be numerous nature activities taking place in locations around Camp Saratoga. From butterfly crafts to watercolor, fish printing, and pond exploration, there is something for everyone. During the festival, fire tower volunteers will be staffing the Donald A. Collins Memorial Fire Observer’s Cabin along with the Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower for visitors to get a unique view.

Live music will be presented by Café Lena’s School of Music, Rolling Pebbles, and Jazz Modes in the pavilion located at Camp Saratoga South.

Food will be available for purchase at a volunteer-run barbecue, along with baked goods donated by Wilton Wildlife volunteers. Sip Happens will be selling Karner blue butterfly-themed sodas, teas, and lemonades.

Wilton Wildlife will be sharing information about the Larry Gordon Outdoor Education Center that they are working on for Camp Saratoga in partnership with the Town of Wilton. Maps, festival flyers, upcoming program flyers, and the first annual Wilton Wildlife Trail Challenge prizes will be available at the Information Table located on the porch of the Welcome Cabin in Parking Lot #1. Participants will also be able to pick up an activity passport at the Information Table and get it stamped as they go around the festival to win prizes and get fun giveaways!

The Wildlife Festival will take place rain or shine, with many of the activities moving under the cover of Camp Saratoga’s many pavilions, the dining hall, and the Welcome Cabin in case of rainy weather. They encourage people to carpool, bike, blade, or walk since parking, while free, is limited.

For more information, please call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email bella@wiltonpreserve.org. Celebrating 30 years of providing environmental education and opportunities for outdoor recreation while supporting conservation of ecological systems and natural settings.

Survivor:  “I Wouldn’t be Alive if I Didn’t Advocate for Myself” 

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

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth, dismissed by doctor, Ballston Lake resident fought long enough to be saved by miracle drug. (Courtesy of Erin Mark.) 

Erin Mark— A Ballston Lake resident born with cystic fibrosis, a rare, life-limiting genetic disease. Doctors said she would not live past 18 years old. When she was five years old, she overheard her father speaking with a friend about her diagnosis. Even at five years old she understood the ramifications of the disease and promised herself to “cram as much joy in life as possible.” 

According to the Mayo Clinic, cystic fibrosis affects the cells that make mucus, sweat, and digestive juices. These fluids are usually thin and slippery to protect the body’s internal tubes and ducts and make them smooth pathways. But in people with cystic fibrosis, a changed gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick. The secretions plug up pathways, especially in the lungs and pancreas. Cystic fibrosis gets worse over time and needs daily care.

Throughout her life she was constantly on antibiotics; she eventually built up an immunity to oral antibiotics and needed IV antibiotics administered in a hospital. In 2017, when Mark was 33, she was entering into the late stage of the disease; her lungs were failing. In a doctor’s visit to talk about her options going forward, Mark was completely dismissed. Her doctor told her, “You should feel lucky for all the extra years you had.”

Mark left the doctor’s office feeling completely helpless and broke down in her car. But in that moment, she knew she had an obligation to herself. “I thought about that five-year-old girl, giving up wasn’t an option.”

She quickly looked for a second opinion and contacted all the cystic fibrosis doctors in her insurance network. She connected with Dr. Patrica Walker, a specialist in cystic fibrosis working at Mount Siani in New York City. Mark had a completely different experience with Dr. Walker. She recalls Dr. Walker telling her, “I can’t promise anything, but we’ll try everything we can, and I will never give up on you.” Mark said, “To hear her say I wouldn’t give up on you was a moment of relief.”  

During this time in her life Mark was giving keynote talks about how to live a life without regrets. How growing up with a disease doctors said would eventually kill her gave her a unique perspective on life. She says, “I learned how to live because I learned how to die.” 

Mark recalls during this time in her life being in the hospital weighing 79 lbs., not knowing if she would wake up to see tomorrow. She turned to set an alarm so she could wake up to eat before her next IV. She noticed that you could change the alarm name to wake up to and wrote “you woke up today.” A powerful reminder that tomorrow is not promised, you get another chance at life if you wake up. 

However, because she sought out a second opinion, she was able to hold on until 2019 when a breakthrough drug, Trikafta, was approved by the FDA. The drug saved Mark’s life by changing how the gene works in her body. All of a sudden, she had a new prognosis and a newfound outlook on life. Instead of being grateful for all the extra years she already had, she awarded herself a new chapter in her life because she advocated for herself. 

Mark now travels across the country, sharing her story at keynote talks about the importance of advocating for yourself. “I wouldn’t be alive if I didn’t advocate for myself” she told Saratoga TODAY. Listen to Mark’s powerful testament of advocacy in her new Ted Talk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjjPwKtEhOQ.

Fundraising Concert

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

NYC Ballet Musicians and Friends (Photo by Luellen Abdoo)

A fundraising concert will be held at Bethesda Church on Thursday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m. Violinist Luellen Abdoo and Pianist Christopher Oldfather will be performing music of Mozart, Brahims, and Philp Glass. Proceeds will go towards the NYC Ballet Musicians & Friends chamber music concert on July 9, 2026. 

A donation of 30 dollars for one, or 50 dollars for two people will be accepted at the door. Light refreshments will be provided starting at 6:30 p.m. before an hour-long musical performance. 

This fundraising performance for the friends of the NYC ballet has been ongoing for the past 25 years. The NYC Ballet is celebrating 60 years at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center July 8-11. 

The Last 801 Concert Series at  The Mansion of Saratoga

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

ADAM PASCAL
DOUGLAS LADNIER
NICOLE HENRY
JOSH YOUNG


Experience stunning performers of Broadway in an intimate setting at The Mansion of Saratoga.

(Courtesy of Jeffrey W. Wodicka.)

The 801 dinner and concert series is headed towards its final season at The Mansion of Saratoga this summer. Visit the stunning venue for a night of unforgettable entertainment and lasting memories. Let the Manson’s incredible hospitality team indulge you with incredible food curated by the in-house Executive Chef, Rick Bieber. 

The historic site located in Rock City Falls allows premier entertainment into the Saratoga area in a far more intimate venue than the great stages of SPAC or the Albany venues. A crowd of just 150 is considered a full house.

To kick off this summer’s series of spectacular shows, on Thursday, June 4th Emmy-nominated Douglas Ladnier will perform, “Diamonds: The Greatest Hits of Neil Diamond.” Experience an unobstructed view of Ladnier’s performance of hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Forever in Blue Jeans” and more! 

The night will start at 6 p.m. with a buffet-style meal, allowing guests to explore the beautiful grounds of the Mansion at their leisure. Enter into serenity on the deck behind the mansion for dinner service ahead of the performance beginning at 8 p.m. in the Carriage House. 

Other performances to look forward to are Broadway performer Adam Pascal on July 9th. Pascal is a celebrated Broadway star best known for originating the role of Roger in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Rent.

On July 23rd Josh Young, a Tony award nominee, is joining the Mansion for a night singing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work. Webber is a famous composer, whose work has superseded its parent musicals such as “Memory” from Cats, and “The Music of the Night” and “All I Ask of You” from The Phantom of the Opera.

For the concluding act of the 801 Concert series, Nicole Henry, an award-winning American Jazz singer, will be making a stop on her Decades of Diva tour on August 6th. 

Don’t miss out on these last unforgettable nights where you can experience spectacular Broadway performers from the historic and scenic venue at The Mansion of Saratoga. Tickets for all these are just over 100 dollars which include a dinner and a show. To purchase your ticket for the ultimate 801 dinner and concert series go to themansionsaratoga.com/concert-series.