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.
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.
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.
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/
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.
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.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga History Museum is hosting “Discovering George Foster Peabody” presented by historian Glenn Underwood on June 18, at 7 p.m.
Underwood will present information found in his new book that explores the life and legacy of George Foster Peabody. Peabody’s vision and generosity contributed to institutions and preservation efforts that continue to impact our region today, including Saratoga Spa State Park, Yaddo, public libraries, and numerous conservation initiatives.
Drawing from archival materials, rare photographs, and personal letters, Underwood reveals Peabody’s connections with prominent figures of his era, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Spencer and Katrina Trask, Edward Morse Shepard, and other influential leaders who helped shape New York’s cultural and civic landscape.
“This program offers a unique opportunity to discover one of the most influential and often overlooked individuals in our region’s history,” said James Parillo, Museum Director of the Saratoga Springs History Museum.
Admission is free for museum members, and ten dollars for general admission. The Saratoga History Museum is located in the Canfield Casio in Congress Park.
BALLSTON SPA —Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum will hold their annual, county-wide Craft and Antique Fair Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests will be able to shop from dozens of vendors with a wide variety of locally handcrafted collectibles, gifts, antiques, farm products, and food.
“We are very excited to hold this annual event to showcase what upstate artisans have to offer! This is a great way to support small businesses and enjoy a wonderful day of shopping,” remarked Shop Manager Beth Silvestri.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —iTheater Saratoga is presenting a book reading adaptation from the book “It Can’t Happen Here,” a 1930s fiction novel by Sinclair Lewis. The event will be held at Saratoga Arts on Broadway Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27 at 7 p.m.
“It Can’t Happen Here” is a cautionary tale about the rise of fascism in the United States. During the presidential election of 1936, Doremus Jessup, a small-town newspaper editor, observes with dismay that many of the people he knows support the candidacy of the demagogue Berzelius Windrip. When Windrip wins the election, he forcibly gains control of Congress and the Supreme Court and, with the aid of his personal paramilitary storm troopers, turns America into a totalitarian state.
iTheatre Saratoga has assembled a large ensemble cast including many capital region theatre veterans for a unique staged reading of Sinclair Lewis’ story.
A $10 donation made online guarantees you a seat. Reserve your seat at: itheatresaratoga.ticketspice.com/it-cant-happen-here-a-world-premiere-play-reading
WILTON — Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at Ulysses S. Grant’s cottage on Saturday, June 13. The cottage is located at 1000 Mt. McGregor Road in Wilton and is a free event.
The 5th annual community day at Grant’s Cottage is a full day of free family fun and history. Activities include live music, free cottage walkthroughs, facepainting, pony rides, a petting zoo, food trucks, raffle baskets, and much more.
For more information visit: www.grantcottage.org/events
