Old Tavern Farm Tour; National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame – 10:30 AM
Belmont Stakes Weekend Kickoff Party at The Mill on Round Lake – 11 AM till close
Spring Water Tours, Saratoga Spa State Park – 11am and 1pm
Belmont at Saratoga Poster Artist Greg Montgomery Meet & Greet at Impressions of Saratoga – 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Dark Horse Children’s Book Signing with Author Maddy Zanetti at The Dark Horse Mercantile – 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Hardy at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center – 6:45PM
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams (7 years in Levon Helm’s band, 8 years in Bob Dylan’s band) perform at Caffe Lena – 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 8
Belmont Stakes Day Saturday Morning Social at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame – 9 AM to 11 AM
Belmont Champagne Brunch: Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs – 9 AM to 1 PM
Meet Upset, The Miniature Dark Horse of Saratoga at The Dark Horse Mercantile – 11 AM to 1 PM
Local authors autograph copies of their books at Northshire Bookstore Saratoga: Syrl Kazlo – Chilled to the Dog Bone; Kelly Daugherty fellow contributors to The Grief Experience; James Dillon – Making Contact; Sandy Zelka – Blood Red Poppy, 2 pm to 4 pm.
156th running of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race CourseHorsin’ Around at UPH: Universal Preservation Hall – 4 PM to 8 PM
Belmont Stakes Viewing Party at Dance Fire Studio – 4 PM to 8 PM
Belmont Watch Party at The Bunker – 9 AM to 12 AM
Enchanted Equestrian Evening of Modern Songs at Skidmore College – 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams (7 years in Levon Helm’s band, 8 years in Bob Dylan’s band) return performance at Caffe Lena – 8 p.m.
{loadmoduleid 268}
Sunday, June 9
Brunch with Commentator at Old Friends Cabin Creek – 10 AM to 1 PM
Opera Saratoga Gala at The Canfield Casino – 6 PM to 9 PM
For upcoming events featuring Home Made Theater, Caffe Lena, the N.Y. State Writer’s Institute and Opera Saratoga see Saratoga Today’s A&E section – pages 34, 35, 36.
For more information on weekend events visit: www.discoversaratoga.org.
The Saratoga Springs varsity softball team poses after capturing the Section 2 Class AAA championship. Photo via Saratoga Athletics social media accounts.
MALTA — Against all odds, the underdog Saratoga Springs varsity softball team won the Section 2 Class AAA title last Thursday against Guilderland, 11 to 4. The victory came despite the Blue Streaks finishing with a 6-11 record on the season.
Saratoga began the month with a string of losses against Shaker, Vestal, and Camden. But a refusal to give up resulted in a pair of shutout victories against Colonie Central and Shenendehowa on May 16 and 21, respectively. Then on May 23, the Blue Streaks defied the odds against Guilderland, who had a 18-4 record on the year.
Coach Geoffrey Loiacono attributed the postseason success to a couple impactful seniors returning from injuries. “Olivia Tetreault and Sarah Decker, both seniors, were out for some time,” Loiacono told Saratoga TODAY. “Both of those players are big roles not only on defense but also offense and leadership.”
{loadmoduleid 268}
In the game against Guilderland, Tetreault had 4 hits and 4 RBI.
This year’s section title is the second the Blue Streaks have earned in the last three seasons. Their last Section 2 championship was in 2022.
The Blue Streaks anticipated a tough year, thanks to their new AAA classification. “Our league,” Loiacono told Saratoga TODAY at the start of the season, “is a grind, day in and day out. There are no guaranteed games across the board.”
Saratoga’s next game, sure to be another challenge, will be a regional title game on Saturday, June 1 at 5 p.m.
Outside the Saratoga Springs City Center on Broadway May 29, 2024.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A week-long festival marking the first appearance of the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga Springs will take place in the Spa City.
Nicknamed “Belmont On Broadway” and billed as a locally based multifaceted celebration, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival is slated to take place June 4 -9 and will feature a free outdoor concert and other events complimentary to the June 6-9 four-day meet at Saratoga Race Course.
The signature kick-off event to the week will be a free outdoor concert on Broadway in front of the Saratoga Springs City Center on Wednesday, June 5. The concert will begin at 6 p.m. with Tops of Trees, a Saratoga-based original eight-piece rock and soul ensemble, followed by the Virginia-based Pat McGee Band taking the stage at 7 p.m.
The headlining act will be Blues Traveler. The popular band is anticipated to take the stage shortly after 8 p.m.
The staging area is expected to be situated on Broadway itself and in close proximity to the City Center. The performing bands will face south, towards Lake Avenue. Much of upper Broadway will be closed to vehicle traffic during the event, allowing music fans to watch from the paved roadway. Individuals who require a seat are asked to bring a folding chair that is not inside of a bag.
What NOT to bring. NO: coolers, backpacks, large bags, strollers, pets, glass bottles, alcohol or weapons of any kind. Leaving a bar or restaurant with alcohol will not be permitted. No smoking.
The Concert
The free concert takes place 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5 on Broadway. The stage will be installed adjacent to the front of the Saratoga Springs City Center.
6-6:45 p.m. – Tops of Trees. Saratoga-based original eight-piece rock and soul ensemble. Performed at the pre-fireworks performance Saratoga New Year’s Fest and recently earned a 2024 Capital Region Thomas Edison Award (Eddie) nomination for Jam Band of The Year.
7-8 p.m. – Pat McGee Band. Hailing from Virginia, the band features an upbeat party vibe. McGee has performed at Caffe Lena as well as previously performing as an opening act for Blues Traveler. The group’s most recent reunion album, Sugar Packet, was released in 2020.
8:30 -10 p.m. – Blues Traveler.
{loadmoduleid 268}
Street Closures
Broadway will be closed to vehicles between Van Dam Street and Lake Avenue beginning approximately 5 a.m. on Wednesday to 2 a.m. on Thursday, for the concert event.
Additionally, roughly between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesday, off-shoot streets extending east and west of Broadway – as well as Broadway itself between Lake Avenue and Washington Street – will be closed to vehicles starting shortly before the start of the concert and lasting for about an hour following its conclusion.
City Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll said his department has been preparing for the Belmont Festival for several months and working collaboratively with federal, state, and local partners.
On April 17, 15 agencies, including the Saratoga Springs Police Department) and the Saratoga Springs Fire Departments, NYRA, FBI, NYS Police and the Saratoga County Sheriff, participated in a joint Table Top Exercise led by the FBI’s Critical Incident Respond Group out of Washington D.C. and including various hypothetical scenarios and encouraged discussion and communication between agencies,” Coll said.
Getting There
Complimentary shuttle transportation will be provided by CDTA from 3 to 11 p.m. from two remote parking locations.
One bus will run between Route 50 Lot at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the bus stop on Broadway at Congress Park.
One bus will run between the Wilton Mall bus stop and the corner of High Rock Avenue and Lake Avenue.
The buses will visit the two locations approximately every 20 minutes.
Note for those driving: The City Center Parking Garage WILL be open. The parking facility, located between Maple and High Rock Avenues, has secure covered parking for more than 600 vehicles., and features a pay per park system.
June 4 – 9, Belmont On Broadway Is a Six-Day Celebration
Officials expect hosting the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will serve as a significant boost for local businesses. The estimated economic impact of the Belmont on the nine-county region is more than $50 million in 2024.
That $50 million projection comes from applying a mathematical formula that takes the overall economic activity of the annual 40-day summer meet at Saratoga and assigning it to the number of days of the upcoming Belmont festival. That overall 40-day meet figure, was detailed in a study commissioned by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency and released in 2023.
How Did The Belmont Land in Saratoga?
With a massive $455 million renovation project slated to take place at Long Island’s Belmont Park, the New York Racing Association decided to stage the high-profile Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
That temporary relocation of the Belmont Stakes – a race which traditionally sites the third and final leg of the Triple Crown – will also see Saratoga serve as host site in June 2025. The Belmont’s normal Long Island home venue is currently anticipated to be ready for a downstate return in 2026.
Additional Happenings
The Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association will host a themed window decorating contest featuring 17 decorated storefronts. The displays will be graded on a point system according to how well each window meets the Fun Factor, Creativity, and Visual Impact criteria. Winners will be announced June 5 and prizes include two Clubhouse Reserved seats (winner), two Grandstand Reserved seats (runner-up), and two Grandstand Admission tickets (third place) for Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course.
A number of other local events are either being specially staged, or otherwise linked to the Belmont. Specific information about many of those events may be found at: discoversaratoga.org.
The Belmont on Broadway concert is sponsored by Death Wish Coffee, NYRA Bets, Saratoga County, the City of Saratoga Springs, Druthers Brewing Company, Adirondack Trust Company, D. A. Collins Companies, UHY Advisors, and Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The organizing committee is comprised of leaders from the Saratoga County Economic Development Corporation, Saratoga Springs City Center, Discover Saratoga, Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
Photo of the Estates at Ballston Spa under construction provided by Meredith Generali/Paragon Residential.
BALLSTON SPA — This June, residents can begin moving into The Estates at Ballston Spa, an apartment complex located a little less than two miles from the village’s downtown. The apartments are the first phase of a planned three-pronged project that would ultimately create 144 residential units.
Phase one is finishing The Estates at 1419 Saratoga Road, which will include two buildings; one with 24 units and another with 40 units. The luxury apartments are all 2 and 3 bedrooms, with monthly rent prices starting at $1,875. According to Paul Nichols, co-developer of the project, about half of the 24-unit building has already been rented, with a handful more units reserved in the 40-unit building.
Phase two involves building 28 modern farmhouse-style townhomes in the rear of the property. The homes are currently awaiting town approval. If approval is granted, Nichols said that land for the homes could start being cleared this fall.
{loadmoduleid 268}
The final phase of the project entails constructing three additional three-story, mixed-use buildings with another 52 apartments; plus 25,000 square feet of retail and amenity space on the first floor.
“The location itself is really the gateway to Ballston Spa. We found that very appealing,” Nichols said. “We’ve always liked downtown Ballston Spa. It’s quaint with its shops and restaurants, and we think it’s just a great place to live.”
Paragon Residential Management is developing the project alongside general contractor BDC Builders.
Steeplechase at Malta apartment complex photo via the company’s website.
MALTA — The Malta Town Board held a public hearing on Monday night regarding fire code violations at the Steeplechase apartments. The violations, first noted in May of 2022, were initially supposed to have been addressed by September 2022. Representatives from Steeplechase said the violations were still being addressed as of May 2024. They also said they didn’t know if residents had ever been notified of the violations.
The hearing resulted in some heated exchanges, including Councilperson Al Ricci repeatedly referring to the unaddressed violations as an “epic failure,” and Councilperson Barbara Conner telling a Steeplechase representative that she didn’t understand how they could live with themselves.
Special counsel Stefanie Bitter said that after the initial May 2022 inspection report, the town followed up with Steeplechase at least four times in 2022 and 2023. In August 2023, a second inspection noted 104 deficiencies that affected 235 residential units. In November 2023, a fire marshal issued an order to remedy the violations and gave Steeplechase thirty days to do so.
A property manager at the apartment complex later said she was aware of the violations and was working to address them. As of the hearing on Monday night, only six of the complex’s twenty-four buildings had completed the remedial work.
{loadmoduleid 268}
The primary safety issue, said Malta Code Enforcement Officer Greg Berg, was unlisted antifreeze systems within the buildings, which can become flammable and, under certain conditions, could cause an explosion.
“It’s like playing with grandpa’s old World War II hand grenade and someone says it’s been defused. I’m not pulling the pin,” Berg said.
Attorney Jennifer Yetto, representing Steeplechase, said the company had contracted a vendor to complete the necessary work in the remaining buildings by the end of August. “Contrary to what the town may have noted,” Yetto said, “we very much are concerned with our residents as much as anyone else.” Yetto criticized town officials for poor communication. She also refused to concede any of the violations.
“We’re very well aware this had been prejudged well before we even walked into the door,” Yetto told Councilperson Ricci.
“It seems like a lot more effort has gone into the defense of the procedure than it has to fix.. the problems of the building,” Ricci said.
The hearing was adjourned with the understanding that Steeplechase had hired a vendor and would address the remaining violations by the end of August.
Representatives from Suburban Propane’s Fort Edward, location assembled care packages at Operation Adopt A Soldier in Saratoga. Photo provided.
WHIPPANY, NEW JERSEY — More than 500 care packages were assembled for local troops serving overseas. The event involved a collaboration between Suburban Propane Partners and Operation Adopt A Soldier and included letters written by Suburban Propane employees from across the region, snacks, games, and other necessities that will serve as a reminder of home and a symbol of gratitude for their service.
“Operation Adopt A Soldier is an all-volunteer, not for profit 501c3 organization with a goal to raise and maintain awareness to the American people of the day to day sacrifices our military men and women and their families make to protect our freedoms,” Cliff Seguin, Founder and Chairman, Operation Adopt A Soldier, said in a statement.“In 2023, we mailed over 6,300 boxes to our troops and are so grateful to Suburban Propane for their support so that we can be as successful this year.”
{loadmoduleid 268}
Operation Adopt A Soldier, Inc. was founded in 2003 by Cliff Seguin and Dominick Commisso at the Mt. McGregor Correctional Facility in Wilton.
“As a veteran employer, Suburban Propane is honored to join Operation Adopt A Soldier in their mission to support our troops, who selflessly serve this country every day to protect our freedoms,” said Nandini Sankara, of Suburban Propane.
The company is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Ever watch Aaron Judge crack a fly ball to the Yankee Stadium short porch in right field and think to yourself, “hell, I could do that”? Well, it’s time to put up or shut up.
A baseball and softball training academy that allows kids and adults alike to practice hitting, pitching, and fielding is coming to Saratoga Springs. D-BAT, which has about 160 locations around the country, is opening its first facility in New York State at 30 Gick Road this summer.
Franchise owner and general manager Adam Britten said the 18,000-square-foot academy will include 13 cages; three industrial-sized pitching machines that can hold hundreds of baseballs or softballs; Rapsodo, a ball launch and flight monitor; Pocket Radar guns that measure pitch speed; and HitTrax, a system that provides real-time stats and performance metrics.
“You can use HitTrax for basically any ballpark. You can put in Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium, and you’re actually simulating hitting at those ballparks and it shows your distance and everything else with almost spot-on accuracy,” Britten said.
Although D-BAT academies attract kids across different age groups and levels of play, parents and older folks are welcome too. A parents’ lounge with four TVs will allow adults to take it easy while their kids train. And if you’re getting up there in age but still want to crack a few dingers, you can do that too.
“We’re really excited to provide an outlet for not just kids, but for adults,” Britten said. “It is more than that demographic of 6 to 18 year olds. You get 3 year olds to 75 year olds.”
{loadmoduleid 268}
Although the academy focuses primarily on baseball and softball, the space can also be used for lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, and other sports.
“I have cricket, I have cornhole leagues; all these leagues are reaching out because there’s a need for indoor space,” Britten said.
That need was obvious to Britten, a Saratoga native who has been heavily involved in youth sports throughout his life. He’s the president of Saratoga Battle, a basketball program with 150 kids, and he’s the assistant coach of the Saratoga Central Catholic varsity basketball team.
“I grew up in these programs along with my brothers, and my dad was always a coach, so it kind of comes second nature,” Britten said. “But there’s never been a facility like this locally big enough to support rain delays, the eight months of winter we get. Kids aren’t playing baseball year-round like they should, like they are down south or in the midwest.”
Britten plans to open up shop this summer and is already giving potential customers tours of the facility. For more information or to keep tabs on the academy’s progress, visit www.dbatsaratogasprings.com or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.
The Ballston Spa varsity girls track and field relay team poses with their trophies after winning the 4×100 race at the Glenn D. Loucks Games in White Plains last week. Photo via Assistant Coach Matt Germann’s X account, @CoachGermann
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa High School girls track and field relay team won the 4×100 in two events last week: the Glenn D. Loucks Games in White Plains and the Shen Invy in Clifton Park. At Loucks, their time of 48.14 was both the fastest this year in New York State and a new school record, according to Assistant Coach Matt Germann.
The relay team consists of Tatiana McCray, Harriet Healey, Gabrielle Bozeth, and Petrina Zborovszky. At Shen, they finished with a time of 49.19.
Individually, the girls also impressed. At Shen, Bozeth won the 200-meter dash and Zborovszky won the 100-meter. At Loucks, Healey finished third in the 400-meter hurdles and Bozeth took third in the 100 meter dash.
