On Deck
Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival, Opera Saratoga, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival and more.
Wednesday, June 26
Abner Doubleday may not have actually invented baseball, but he was born in Ballston Spa! These days, the Civil War hero’s childhood home is Real McCoy Beer Co’s Saratoga County outpost, which will host a celebration of Doubleday’s birthday this Wednesday at 7pm. Skidmore College Professor of Asian Studies Benjamin Bogin will tell the secret history of the myth that Doubleday invented baseball—a story that connects Ballston Spa and Cooperstown to Buddhist sages of Tibet through the visions of Russian mystic Madame Blavatsky. A proceed of beer sales will support the Ballston Spa Scotties 9U travel baseball team.
Thursday, June 27
Spa Cascada is turning 19, and you’re invited to celebrate. On Thursday from 5-9pm, the Broadway spa will offer complimentary skin consultations, laser and facial technology demos, discounts and giveaways. RSVP with a plus-one by emailing jaleesa@spacascada.com to receive a spa gift just for you.
Marshall + Sterling and Common Roots Brewing Company are teaming up to honor the legacy of Anjelica Zingarino, a local who passed away from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2022, with their third annual blood drive at Aviation Mall in Queensbury. Everyone who donates blood between 11:30am-5:30pm on Thursday will receive a free pint of Common Roots beer. Select a donation time here.
Friday, June 28
You’ve seen him play covers of hit rock and country songs in bars around town, but this Friday, Saratogian Matt Cosgrove will release his brand-new country EP featuring all-original music. Be the first to hear the new songs (and plenty of fan favorites) live at Putnam Place at 7pm.
While Opera Saratoga has been hosting programming all month long, its official 2024 season kicks off this Friday with the first of four performances of Così fan tutte (you can also see the show Sunday, July 3 and July 6). Saturday marks opening night of Guys and Dolls (which returns July 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) and Sunday evening will be the first of two showings of a world premiere opera crafted by composer-in-residence inti figgis-vizueta over her last six weeks in Saratoga (the second is July 5). All shows will be at Universal Preservation Hall—get your tickets now.
Saturday, June 29
In between your nightly trips to the opera, you have to check out the annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, going on Saturday and Sunday at SPAC. The two-day festival will feature 22 artists—including Laufey, Lake Street Dive, Samara Joy and Norah Jones—performing on two stages, plus food and drinks, a fine arts fair and fun for the whole family.
Also going on all weekend long is the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival, which returns to Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George for two days of wine, beer, spirits, cider, NA beverage and food tastings. In addition to all the eating and drinking, attendees will enjoy culinary and cocktail demonstrations and competitions, plus live music, magic, aerial acts and kids games.
On Saturday, Harvey’s Restaurant will celebrate the big 1-0 with an anniversary party. On the agenda? Artisanal Brew Works tastings, a Guinness taste test contest, Slane Whiskey tastings, music by DJ Prophet and a raffle for a trip to Ireland for two. A special $10 food and cocktail menu will be served all day from 11am-midnight.
Monday, July 1
Tell your single guy friends: Speed dating is back, and, per usual, the single men of Saratoga are slow to sign up. On Monday, we’re hosting two sessions (ages 40-55 and 55+) at Panza’s Restaurant; all the female tickets are already sold out! For the younger crowd, we’ll come back the next night for two more sessions (ages 21-30 and 31-40) held at The 408, Cantina’s second-floor event space. See you there!