Humans (and Dogs) of Chowderfest

The private second-floor event space that opened for the afternoon, reusable spoon etiquette, and the bar serving up 16oz pours of pinot grigio.

Allyson Reynolds, Natalie McCormick, Haley Reynolds, Hayden McGlauflin, and Megan Goodwin at The 408 Event & Occasion, which opened to Chowderfesters during the day before closing down for a wedding.

The best thing about Chowderfest is that if you’ve spent enough time in Saratoga, you run into friends around every corner. Joe Nuzzi from high school. Saratoga Dog Walker Tim Pink. Kally Straus. Anne Winter. Kaita Albanese. The list goes on.

The second best thing about Chowderfest is that, regardless of how much time you’ve spent in Saratoga, there are potential friends around every corner. Apparently, there’s something about the shared experience of standing in a long line for a little bit of soup or a tall glass of beer that makes it easier to talk to the stranger standing next to you. Chowder, I believe, is the great equalizer. Or maybe it’s day drinking.

Either way, if you were trying to expand your circle of friends, Saturday’s 26th annual Saratoga Chowderfest was the place to do it. Here’s a selection of the friends I saw—new and old—as I made my yearly journey from the chowder lines of Phila Street to a 9 Maple nightcap…with a few stops along the way.