SARATOGA SPRINGS —The area’s premiere new home tour, the 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes was proudly presented over two fall weekends this year on October 7-8 and October 14-15. This year’s edition had 9 extraordinary homes from 7 award-winning builders on display.  Participating award-winning builders in this year’s event; Belmonte Builders, DeGraff Bloom Custom Builders, DSG Construction & Remodeling, Kodiak Construction, R & M Homes, Whitbeck Construction and Witt Construction. 

Thank you to the many generous corporate & media sponsors, showcase builders and suppliers, showcase committee, volunteers and especially the over 2500 visitors who purchased tickets to tour these beautiful homes in support of this spectacular fall tradition. 

All the builder awards were announced at the Awards Presentation & Celebration held on October 11.  

This year’s “People’s Choice” awards went to R & M Homes for Executive Home and Witt Construction for Luxury Home.

The announcement and presentation of the donation checks to our two local charities from the proceeds of this annual event will be held in November.

Celebrating its 27th year, this annual community event has contributed nearly $1.5 MILLION DOLLARS to our local charities. Proceeds from the Saratoga Showcase of Homes benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County (www.rtsaratoga.org) and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties (www.glensfallshabitat.org). This year’s donation will be announced in November. For more details on the recently concluded 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event and to view virtual tours of the homes, visit www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com. SAVE THE DATES for the 2024 Saratoga Showcase of Homes scheduled for October 5-6 & October 12-13. 

EXECUTIVE HOME AWARDS

Winners
by Category:

Landscaping:

Kodiak Construction – Mulberry Estates II

Brookside Nursery – Jesse Marco

Workmanship:

Belmonte Builders – Waite Meadows

Master Bath:

Kodiak Construction –Mountains Edge

Exterior Architectural Design:

R & M Homes

Interior Decorating:

Kodiak Construction –Mulberry Estates II

Old Brick Furniture – Kaitlynn Johnson & Nicole Conlin

Kitchen: 

Belmonte Builders – Waite Meadows

Curtis Lumber – Heather Bodnaryk

Interior Floor Plan:

Kodiak Construction –Mountains Edge

LUXURY HOME AWARDS

Winners by Category:

Landscaping:

Witt Construction

Gallivan Corporation – Brendan Gallivan

Workmanship:

Witt Construction

Master Bath:

Witt Construction

Exterior Architectural Design:

Witt Construction

Interior Decorating:

Witt Construction

Studio K – Kennedy Flack & Rachael Gac

Kitchen: 

Witt Construction

Joel Lynn Designs –Joel Lynn Ralph

Interior Floor Plan:

Witt Construction – John Witt & Studio K

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Discover Saratoga and Bailey’s Saratoga have announced the winners of the 6th Annual Saratoga Wing Off, held Saturday, Oct. 14, when eventgoers sampled a variety of wings from 26 participating Saratoga County restaurants for $2 each and voted for their favorite. 

The 2023 Saratoga Wing Off winners are:

•People’s Choice: 

The Mill at Round Lake

•Wildest Wing: 

Ribbon Café   

In connection with the event, $4,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society.

BALLSTON SPA — Downtown Ballston Spa is about to transform into a showroom full of classic cars with the 21st Annual “The Way We Were” Car Show Sunday, Oct. 8.

The event, presented by the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association, takes place 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Front Street, Ballston Spa.

Organizers are expecting a large turnout of cars and trucks. There will also be food and merchandise vendors, a kid zone with a bounce house and activities, live music and a trophy presentation at the end of the day.

The event is free to spectators. To learn more about “The Way We Were” Car Show, visit www.ballston.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The city of Saratoga Springs cut the ribbon on a new, multi-use sports area at the Scott T. Johnson Recreation Center this week, boasting six goal cages that recess into the mesh network and a pair of basketball hoops – with nylon nets intact and in place – standing tall at opposite ends. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25 included current City Council members Jason Golub and James Montagnino, and former city Mayor Scott Johnson – after whom the adjoining recreation facility on Vanderbilt Avenue is named.  

Johnson, who served three two-year terms as Saratoga Springs mayor from 2007-2013, is largely credited for helping make the near-34,000 square foot recreation facility a reality. The $6 million facility had been more than a decade in the making, facing council debates, outspoken community protests and a series of legal challenges prior to its public unveiling in the summer of 2010.

Thirteen years later, Johnson led the assembled group to shout “Play Ball” when the ribbon was cut on the count of three along the new sports court.  

The Recreation Department oversaw the 70’x37’ sports court project using funds from the Sub-Division Recreation Fund and the Recreation Facility Capital budget. 

The Department of Public Works prepared the site and paved the court, and the Department of Public Safety’s traffic division painted lines on the court.

“The completion of this sport court is part of the Mayor’s Office initiatives to bring more opportunities for recreation to our community,” current city Mayor Ron Kim said, in a statement. 

The 2023 Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest was held this past Saturday, Sept. 23. In it’s 8th annual year, The Giant Pumpkinfest takes place in conjunction with the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, kicking-off the fall season by celebrating and supporting our region’s farmers and harvest. This year we saw several pumpkins top over 1,500 pounds during the Pumpkinfest weigh-off. Congratulations to all growers who participated. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 11th Bug’s Boston Terrier Parade will take place Sunday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. in Congress Park, Saratoga Springs. All donations benefit Northeast Boston Terrier Rescue.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Loughberry Road residents spent last Saturday morning, Sept. 16, eliminating invasive killer vines from trees and shrubbery along the entrance to the street. At the end of their efforts, over 25 large piles of the dead vines lined the road. The City Public Works employees remove the debris within hours.