Pumpkins are loaded up and driven out of the parking garage after the weigh-off. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A one-ton pumpkin took first prize at the 9th annual Saratoga Giant Pumpkin Fest weigh-off competition last weekend. Jimmy Hazeltine of New York won with his 2,018-pound gourd. Dan Kruszyna of Massachusetts finished second at 1,814 pounds, and Lois and Terry Nelson from West Virginia captured bronze with their 1,727-pound plump pumpkin, or “plumpkin”.
Jimmy Hazeltine of New York is pictured here with his one-ton, plus-sized pumpkin at the Saratoga Giant Pumpkin Fest at the Saratoga Springs City Center parking garage on Saturday, September 28. Photo via the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
BALLSTON SPA — Double M Haunted Hayrides is open for its 34th season, featuring its popular tractor-drawn haunted hayride and five haunted houses.
“Our haunted hayride has been improved with several new scenes and we have created a brand new carnival-inspired haunted house called Doom County FEARgrounds,” Leo Martin, owner of Double M Haunted Hayrides said in a statement.
Those brave enough to embark on the journey can expect an immersive experience featuring the original Haunted Hayride and five uniquely themed haunted houses – Brutality, Blood Moon Farm, The Last Inn, Doom County FEARgrounds, and Slaughter Swamp. The show is a high intensity mix of approximately 75 scare actors, animatronics, special effects, and hand-crafted sets.
Events take place on select Thursday-Sunday nights through the end of October. Reservations can be made online at www.doublemhauntedhayrides.com or by calling 518-884-9122. Double M is located at 678 Route 67 in Ballston Spa.
The 2024 Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest takes place Saturday, Sept. 28 in downtown Saratoga Springs. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2024 Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest on Saturday, Sept. 28 in downtown Saratoga Springs.
This free and fun-for-all-ages event, presented by The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs City Center parking garage.
Attendees will have the opportunity to marvel at giant pumpkins – some over 1,000 pounds – and watch the official weigh-off, which begins at 11 a.m. Growers from all over New York state and the Northeast bring the biggest pumpkins from their harvest and compete for the coveted title of “Heaviest Pumpkin of Year,” along with additional categories and prizes.
The festival will include fall favorite activities as well as food and beverage vendors on site. More information about Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest is available online at https://www.saratoga.org/live/giant-pumpkin-fest/.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s education department will again offer its “Readers Up” program for students throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. The program brings the museum experience into the classroom via five books related to thoroughbred racing. The museum provides the books to school educators, then a museum educator visits the school with objects from the museum’s collection that relate to the book. The program and books are free of charge. This year, the books offered are:
“The Long Shot” by Chris Carpenter and Dave Papa (Pre-K through 4th Grade)
“Abella and the Almost Racehorse” by Zane Carson Carruth (Pre-K through 3rd Grade)
“Jim Dandy: A Dark Horse on a Dark Day” by Maddy Zanetti and Gretchen Louise Tisch (Pre-K through 4th Grade)
“The Jockey and her Horse” by Sarah Maslin Nir and Raymond White, Jr (5th Grade through 8th Grade)
“Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by Laura Hillenbrand (9th Grade through 12th Grade)
For more information about the program, contact Museum Educator Matt Reichel at (518) 584-0400 ext. 118 or mreichel@racingmuseum.net.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation announced this year’s Autumn strolls begin the weekend after Labor Day and run through the end of October.
Unless otherwise noted, these historic walking tours will be offered every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in various neighborhoods throughout the city. Tours highlight the Gut neighborhood, mail-order houses on the East Side, the diverse history of the historic West Side, mansions of North Broadway, and much more.
This tour is in partnership with the Friends of Saratoga Spa State Park, a non-profit organization that supports and enhances the parks’ historic, natural, and recreational resources. To learn more about the Friends group, please visit https://friendsofsaratogaspastatepark.org/.
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 – NEW Lincoln Park. Join Linda Harvey for a stroll through Lincoln Park in Saratoga Spa State Park, a National Historic Landmark. Discover the park’s history from its early carbonic acid plants to the creation of the State Reservation in 1909 and the construction of the Lincoln and Washington Bathhouses in the 1920s. Meet in front of the Washington Bathhouse (National Museum of Dance).
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024 – Down in the Valley: Exploring the Gut. Stroll leader Alexandra Morgan will explore the area behind Broadway known as “The Gut,” which was home to many working class and Jewish families who provided important contributions to the community. Meet at: Hathorn Spring at the NW corner of Putnam and Spring Streets.
Upcoming Programs:
Sunday, Sept. 15 – Historic Fifth & Madison Avenues; Sunday, Sept. 22 – Mail-Order Houses of Saratoga; Sunday, Sept. 29 – Post Time; Sunday, Oct. 6 – Wealth & Wellness: Franklin Square; Sunday, Oct. 13 – Historic Congress Park; Sunday, Oct. 20 – Historic West Side; Sunday, Oct. 27 – Summer Cottages of North Broadway; Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. – Twilight Cemetery Tour.
Photo of “The Bear” actor Edwin Lee Gibson via Empire State University.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Actor Edwin Lee Gibson, a 2012 graduate of the Saratoga Springs-based Empire State University, has hit it big thanks to a recurring role in the Hulu series “The Bear.”
The show, which revolves around the staff of a fictional restaurant in Chicago, features Gibson in the role of Ebraheim, an East African war veteran line cook.
Gibson earned a B.A. from Empire State University in the arts and social theory while simultaneously pursuing an acting career. “The flexibility that SUNY Empire allows people at whatever juncture they’re at in their life is really wonderful,” he said in a statement.
Gibson has also starred in a number of other acclaimed shows, including “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” “Fargo,” “Shameless,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” At one point, he also ran the Musical Theater Workshop at the Rye Arts Center in Westchester County.
Wesley staff members Candace Lain (left) and Jennifer Phelps (right) prepare s’mores for residents at The Wesley Community’s block party event on Wednesday, August 7.
Best Place to Visit for Fall contest, voting is open.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Facing off against places like Asheville in North Carolina, Columbus in Ohio and Stowe in Vermont, Saratoga County has been nominated as a “Best Place to Visit for Fall” in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Discover Saratoga – Saratoga County’s official tourism promotion agency, announced this week.
The list of 20 nominees, selected by a panel of travel experts, highlights destinations nationwide where vibrant autumnal charm, scenic beauty, and diverse seasonal activities attract visitors from across the country. Online voting for the awards is open to the public and is open now through noon on Sept. 9, 2024.
“We’ve been actively working to promote Saratoga County as a year-round vibrant travel destination, so we’re excited for this nomination to name Saratoga alongside other well-known autumn locations,” Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga, said in a statement. “We know fall is a great time to visit Saratoga County. We encourage all of our destination ambassadors to vote so we can share that message with potential visitors across the country.”
To vote for Saratoga County as the best place to visit for fall, readers can visit https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-place-to-visit-for-fall-2024/saratoga-county-new-york/ and cast their ballot once per day until polls close at noon ET on Sept. 9. Winners will be announced on Sept. 18.
For more information about the 10Best Awards and to see the full list of winners across multiple categories, visit www.10best.com.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Universal Preservation Hall has announced its fall season of shows.
Kicking off the fall 2024 season of original music is the return of Rosanne Cash to the Great Hall on Sept. 14. The eldest daughter of country legend Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash was the first artist to perform at the newly renovated UPH. The show was staged Feb. 29, 2020, just before UPH had to close due to the pandemic. Cash will be back with John Leventhal at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Five For Fighting, joined by a string quartet, performs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.
Five For Fighting has released six studio LPs, including the platinum-certified “America Town” and “The Battle for Everything” as well as the top-ten charting “Two Lights,” along with an EP and live albums, perhaps most notably the song “Superman (It’s Not Easy).”
Celebrating a century of musical magic from beloved Broadway shows, “Some Enchanted Evening” is a jazz-steeped sojourn exploring a bevy of the American Songbook’s most enduring hits from the golden age to today. Led by 33-year-old trumpeter and crooner Benny Benack III, the performance features singer Stella Katherine Cole and tap dance phenom Jabu Graybeal 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14.
Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online visit atuph.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center has launched their 2024 guided trolley tours.
The 90-minute guided tour of historic Saratoga Springs will run through Thursday, Aug. 29, Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 10 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person.
“This informative and entertaining riding tour includes historic sights and points of interest along Broadway, North Broadway, Skidmore campus, High Rock Park for a mineral water tasting, Saratoga Race Course, and more,” said Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center Director Karen Verrigni in a statement.
The 28-passenger trolleys feature authentic wooden seating, decorative etched glass windows, air-conditioning and a wheelchair lift.
For advanced reservations, call 518- 587-3241. Day of tickets, based on availability, can be purchased at the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center, located at 297 Broadway. No refunds for reservations cancelled less than 48 hours prior to start of tour. Cancellations can be made by phone or email at karen@discoversaratoga.org. For more information, visit www.saratogaspringsvisitorcenter.com.
