GANSEVOORT — The following events will take place at Moreau Lake State Park. 

Sunday, March 16 – Monthly Hiking Challenge 10 am. Join the monthly hiking challenge where we will explore the wide variety of trails at Moreau Lake State Park. This is a moderate-hard 2.5 mile hike with a beautiful view of the lake from above. Please wear the appropriate attire for the weather with water-resistant hiking shoes, trekking poles, if you need them, microspikes and snowshoes if you have them. Limited micro spikes and snowshoes to borrow. Bring a snack and plenty of water. We will meet at the park office and caravan to the trailhead. This is a free hike and for people 13+. Please register in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Monday, March 17 – iSpy Something Green Hike 10 am. This is a free hike geared toward ages 6+. Please wear the appropriate clothing for the weather and for a short hike. Please register in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Monday, March 17 – Maple Tapping 2 pm. Join an educator in the nature center for a quick history of making maple syrup, the process from beginning to end, and if you are able, come on a short walk to see what trees we are tapping. This program is free and for all ages. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Tuesday, March 18 -Beginner Birding 9 am. Calling all beginner birders. Bring your binoculars if you have them and we will check out what birds are around this time of year at Big Bend. This will be a short start-and-stop hike. We will meet at the park office and caravan to Big Bend. This is free and geared toward ages 13+. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Thursday, March 20 – Starting a Field Journal 10 am. Join an educator at the nature center to get started on your field journaling journey. We will supply journals, or we can hand-make them. This is free and geared to ages 13+. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Friday, March 21 – Fairy Houses 11 am. Come to the Nature Center and build a fairy house with materials that the forest provides (twigs, moss, flowers, leaves, acorns etc). Open to all ages. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Saturday, March 22 – First Signs of Spring Walk at noon. Celebrate the changing seasons and look out for signs of spring. Join a Nature Center employee for a guided hike- identifying the common plants and animals that signal the beginning of springtime. Open to all ages, please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

More: Sunday, March 23 – Fly Tying 101, at 11 am Tuesday, March 25 – Spring Overlook Hike at 10 am Wednesday, March 26 – Eagle Watch at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 30 – Maple Tapping at 10 am. 

Moreau Lake State Park is located at 605 Old Saratoga Road, Gansevoort. For more information, call 518-793-0511, or visit: parks.ny.gov. 

BALLSTON SPA — The Mechanicville District Public Library has joined the Saratoga Springs Library to partner with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and become a pickup location for the Blue Envelope program for drivers on the autism spectrum.

The program, which was started in November 2024, aims to make traffic stops and other police interactions more streamlined, less stressful, and safer for drivers on the autism spectrum and by extension, police as well. 

It allows a driver on the spectrum to have their relevant information in a centrally located area and lets the police officer know that the driver may respond differently to things like lights and sirens than they may be used to.

Aside from the library and the Sheriff’s Office, the Saratoga Springs Public Library is also a designated pickup location for the envelopes. 

They may also be acquired by emailing the Sheriff’s Office at sheriff@saratogacountyny.gov and putting “Blue Envelope” in the subject line.

WILTON — Twice a year, equal hours of daytime and nighttime occur. After the spring equinox, the days get longer and longer until the summer solstice, the longest day of the year! 

From 10 – 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will host a Spring Equinox Walk, where participants will learn about the celestial movements that impact the natural world. The walk will take place at Camp Saratoga on Scout Road in Wilton and will cover about one mile on a trail that meanders through the forest and meadow.

Registration is required at least one business day in advance. To register visit the website at www.wiltonpreserve.org, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321, or email info@wiltonpreserve.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Spring Street Gallery invites the artists to apply for Immersion, a professional visual artist development program. The Immersion program is designed to provide emerging and mid-career visual artists with professional opportunities for open dialogue and critical conversations with peers, regional curators, and gallery owners.

The combination of critiques, gallery/residency visits, and professional development enhances learning. Critiques focus on individual improvement, while group experiences and professional development provide exposure, contextual understanding, and valuable tools. Together, they create a comprehensive framework for artistic growth.

Applicants must apply to the program and will be selected by a jury of arts administrators. Eight artists will be chosen to participate in this eight-month program. Deadline for submissions is March 20. 

The program will take place from April through December of 2025 and consist of seven monthly critiques, a tour of various arts institutions, three professional development programs, and a group exhibition. This is not an introductory program. 

A 50-mile radius is suggested for Capital Region Artists. Applicants must be able to provide their travel to Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga Springs and Collar Works in Troy, for the program meetings. Immersion is a program of The Art Sheet, co-sponsored and produced in equal partnership with Collar Works and Spring Street Gallery.

 For more information and to apply, go to the program’s website at https://theartsheet.org/immersion/

WILTON — Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is seeking submissions for their 10th Annual Earth Day Essay Contest in celebration of Earth Day and the environmental movement. 

Earth Day, celebrated on April 22 since 1970, brings environmental awareness to the forefront. Earth Day promotes increased environmental consciousness, community participation, and protection of the planet worldwide. The mission of Wilton Wildlife includes environmental education as a priority, and for the past decade, the Essay Contest has given school-aged children in the community a chance to express their views, do research, and engage in ecological topics related to the climate crisis. 

The theme for 2025 from the International Earth Day organization is Our Power, Our Planet. We invite students to write their essays on the theme of renewable energy. For more information on the theme, visit www.earthday.org.

A panel of judges from Wilton Wildlife will review the essays and select winners in lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school levels to receive a cash prize and recognition for their writing. Runner-up and judges’ choice categories will also be chosen. High school entries must be no longer than 650 words; middle school entries must be no longer than 500 words; and elementary school entries must be at least 10 sentences. Accompanying illustrations are also encouraged. The contest winner from each of the four grade categories will receive a $50 cash prize.

The deadline for entries is Friday, April 25. Winners will be announced in May and prizes will be awarded at the Annual Wildlife Festival on Sunday, June 1st. Submissions may be mailed to Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park at 80 Scout Road, Wilton, NY 12831, or emailed to allyson@wiltonpreserve.org by the deadline. Please include the student’s name, the name of the school, the student’s grade, and the teacher’s name. Make sure that there is an email and a phone number with each student’s entry.

For more information, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org. 

GANSEVOORT — The following events will take place at Moreau Lake State Park. 

Fridays: March 7, 14, 21, and 28 – Wiggly Wanderers 9:30 am. Wiggly Wanderers is a casual and fun program that is offered to walking toddlers, carriable babies and their caregivers. This will be a beginner’s hike/wander series with not too much distance for toddlers who are ready to move and caregivers who are willing and able to baby wear and/or carry their toddler if their legs get too tired. Strollers will not work for these programs. We meet at the nature center parking lot. $1 per child. Registration is not required for this program. 

Saturday, March 8- Learning About Old Growth Forests 11 am. Join a Nature Center educator for a lesson on the benefits of supporting old growth forests- forests with trees 150+ years old. Free and geared toward 13+. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Wednesday, March 12 – Full Moon Hike at Big Bend 7pm. Join a park educator on a beginner hike and if the clouds cooperate, enjoy the splendor of the full “Worm Moon” rising above the mountains. This hike is free, is family friendly and well-behaved dogs on a 6 foot or shorter leash are welcome. This hike will not go the full 3.5 miles, we will be going closer to 2.5 miles on flat terrain. Snowshoes to rent $5 per person if needed. To reserve your spot call 518-793-0511.

Thursday, March 13 – Mud Pond Hike 1 pm. Join an Educator on a beginner 2.1-mile hike from Nature Trail to Mud Pond where we will see some beaver lodges, maybe some water fowl, and lots of Hemlock trees. Please wear the appropriate attire for the weather and water-resistant hiking shoes. Bring a snack and plenty of water.  This is free and can be for all ages, but be aware of the distance, the up and down terrain and weather. Please reserve your spot 24 hours in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Saturday, March 15 – St. Patty’s Day Needle Felting 11 am – 1 pm. Leprechauns, fairies, and gnomes oh my! Choose your favorite folktale character and create your own St. Patty’s Day plush. Return next week to build them a home. Supplies will be provided. This program is free and geared toward 6+. Please reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Moreau Lake State Park is located at 605 Old Saratoga Road, Gansevoort. For more information, call 518-793-0511, or visit: parks.ny.gov. 

CLIFTON PARK — The following programs will be offered during the week of March 10-16. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library 475 Moe Road. 

Family Story Time – Monday, March 10 and Thursday, March 13 at 10 am. Nurture your child’s love of reading with stories, songs, and other fun activities. For all ages, with an adult. 

Intro to Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Monday, March 10 at 3:30 pm. Curious about AI? Learn the basics of ChatGPT, how AI is used today, what its current limitations are, and how it will shape the future. Registration required. 

Guided Nature Walk: Squirrel Ecology – Tuesday, March 11 at noon. Join us for a guided nature walk at Ushers Road State Forest. Addison Kubik of the Cornell Cooperative Extension will discuss squirrel ecology as we explore the trail. Registration required. 

Exploring & Downloading Apps – Tuesday, March 11 at 1:30 pm. There’s an app for that! Come learn how to search for and download apps to your smartphone. Registration required. 

Birthday Book Club: Author Kate DiCamillo – Tuesday, March 11 at 4 pm. Be part of the celebration of a well-known children’s book author every month. This month we’re celebrating Kate DiCamillo, author of Mercy Watson and many other titles. For grades 1-4. Registration required. 

Read With Pride Book Group at MochaLisa’s Caffé, Clifton Park: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan – Tuesday, March 11 at 6 pm.  A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind.  All are welcome, including new participants. 

Family LEGO Build! – Tuesday, March 11 at 6:30 pm. LEGO builders are challenged to work as a family to create a project of your own design. All LEGOs will be provided. Registration required. 

ZOOM: PJ Story Time – Tuesday, March 11 at 7 pm. Get comfy in your favorite PJs, grab a blanket, and tune in for a special story time with Miss Chrissie.

Preschool Story Time & Craft – Wednesday, March 12 at 10:30 am. Nurture your preschooler’s love of reading with stories, songs, and a fun craft activity. For ages 3-5, with an adult. Registration required. 

All Abilities Art Club – Wednesday, March 12 at 11 am. Join us for an open studio-style hour of art making and community. Adults of all ages and abilities are welcome to come together to create. A new material and theme will be offered each month. 

ZOOM: Virtual Author Talk with Dan Heath – Wednesday, March 12 at 2 pm. Are you ready for a revolutionary guide to fixing what’s not working—in systems and processes, organizations and companies, and even in our daily lives? Join us for an enlightening conversation with bestselling author Dan Heath as he talks with us about his newest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working. Registration required. 

ZOOM: Design with AI – Tools for Digital Storytelling – Wednesday, March 12 at 3 pm

This session will give you practical techniques to elevate your storytelling using Napkin.ai, Google Earth Studio, and Fontjoy.com to craft visuals, animations, and font pairings. Registration required. 

Therapy Dogs for Teens – Thursday, March 13 at 4:30 pm. De-stress and pet a therapy dog. Drop by the Teen Place to hang out with our furry friend, Zuzu. Come alone or with a friend. For teens in grades 6-12 only. 

Silent Book Club at MochaLisa’s Caffé, Clifton Park – Thursday, March 13 at 6 pm. Come talk about your favorite books and read quietly in a group setting. Bring your own book, borrow one from the Library, or purchase one from MochaLisa’s. We’ll break off into small groups after reading to talk about what we read or one of our all-time favorite books. 

World Cinema: Persepolis (2007) – Thursday, March 13 at 6:30 pm. A precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution. This film will be presented as a companion program to our Banned Book Club reading of the graphic novel the movie is based on. All are welcome to join the discussion or just come and enjoy the film. In French/English subtitles. Rated PG-13; 96 min. 

Details and registration information for each program can be found at www.cphlibrary.org or by calling 518-371-8622.

BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County History Center hosts its series of Historian Tea Talks in the Long Room at Brookside Museum, beginning March 19. 

Tea and cookies will be served. Space is limited, registration is appreciated. There is a suggested donation of $5 for each talk, which may be made online or on the day of the event. Talks take place at 3 p.m.

March 19 – Love Your Neighbor. Llife growing up in an out-of-the-way community, “on the mountain,” west of Corinth, with a rich, long history of connectedness. Ruby Marcotte, previously Town Historian for Town of Day.

April 2 – Saratoga Springs in the Gilded Age and the Lost Park. Hollis Palmer, storyteller and eighth generation Saratogian.

April 16 – Women of the Saratoga Campaign. Discover the stories of a dozen women who endured the hardships of war and left their indelible mark on local and national history.  Anne Clothier, Assistant to the Historian, Saratoga County. 

The Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum is located at 21 Fairground Ave. For more information as well as registration, go to: https://brooksidemuseum.org/events/