On Deck: Orchestra, Whitney Day and more!
A curated calendar for your week: the Philadelphia Orchestra's 2023 debut, '80s nostalgia, wearing pink to the track, and other fun activities hand-picked just for you.
Tuesday, August 1
Say goodbye to American rock band Foreigner, which will pay a final visit to SPAC Tuesday evening on the group’s Historic Farewell Tour. The can’t-miss performance will feature chart-topping songs like “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “Juke Box Hero.” To round out the ‘80s nostalgia, Foreigner will be joined by Loverboy of “Turn Me Loose” fame. And the opening act? None other than Vocal Point, an a cappella group from South Glens Falls High School. The doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm. Tickets start at $39.50 for general admission lawn.
Wednesday, August 2
Wednesday marks the start of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s three-week residency at SPAC. Join concertmaster David Kim for the Festive Fireworks display, where he will perform Tchaikovsky featuring the “1812 Overture” with a live cannon fire. Kim will also have a solo performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. The event will start at 7:30pm; tickets start at $33. To finish up the weekend, on Thursday the orchestra plays “Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony” and debuts Isata Kanneh-Mason on the piano, Friday it is joined by the popular head-lining band Pink Martini, and Saturday it performs the “magical” score of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire while the family-friendly blockbuster plays on the big screen.
Today (Tuesday) is the last day to buy tickets to The Gala, a major highlight of the “see and be seen” summer season. This year, guests are invited to “step into paradise” and dress for the soirée’s luau theme. The bash takes place on the soccer field lawn (making stilettos discouraged) at the Saratoga Casino Hotel, and is one of the largest charitable fundraisers in the Capital Region—with money going to the all-important Saratoga Community Health Center. So as you dig into the famously generous food spread and mingle with Saratoga’s elite, it’s all in the name of providing health care to every single local, regardless of income.
Thursday, August 3
Looking for some friendly competition benefiting a good cause? The 14th annual Jockeys vs. Horsemen Charity Basketball Game will take place at the Saratoga Recreation Center Thursday. The popular Saratoga event is free to attend and always draws a good crowd, but donations can be made here to support The New York Race Track Chaplaincy, an organization that provides services to the community of workers behind the scenes of the Thoroughbred racing industry. There will be raffles, promotional merchandise and other surprises. Tipoff is set for 6:30pm—with the jockeys, coached by Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr., joined by former NBA star John Wallace. The trainers are again coached by Todd Pletcher. Game on!
Friday, August 4
Celebrate the iconic Triple Crown victory of Secretariat with American Impressionist artist Lisa Palombo at her Secretariat Golden Anniversary exhibit opening at the Spa Fine Art Gallery from 7 to 9pm. The special artist reception will feature Palombo’s work honoring Secretariat and will kick off with Champagne. Palombo will be on hand, and A-list attendees will include Leonard Lusky, president of Secretariat Licensing & Merchandising, and other surprise guests. Select memorabilia and historical pieces from the Secretariat/Meadow Stables Archives will also be for sale. The exhibition will then run until September 4.
Saturday, August 5
Don your best pink ensemble and head straight to the track—it’s Whitney Day at The Spa. A special, early 12:35pm post time kicks off the day, which features three Grade 1 events, including the iconic Whitney Stakes. Gates open at 11am, and free samples of Chandon’s refreshing Garden Spritz will be on hand for track-goers 21 and older (while supplies last). Horse racing fans are invited to wear pink—not only was it the great Marylou’s favorite color, but Saratoga Race Course will honor local breast cancer survivors while supporting To Life!, a Capital Region nonprofit organization that provides personalized breast cancer education and support services.
Channel your inner critic at the Universal Preservation Hall’s “So, You Think You Can Choreograph?” event. The competition features up-and-coming choreographers in modern dance from the popular, local Nacre Dance Group. This year’s theme is Rock and Roll Musical Legends, so be prepared to rock out to some classics. Audience members and a panel of judges will vote to select the winning choreographer, who will get to teach their piece to dancers in the Capital Region in spring 2024. The program starts at 7:30 pm. General admission tickets are $25, $20 for students 21+ and seniors, and group discounts (8 people or more) are available by calling the box office.
Sunday, August 6
Take a Sunday stroll through Saratoga with Madison C. Squires for the “Mail Order Houses of Saratoga” tour on East and Pinewood avenues. The 90-minute walk will highlight the “Kit House” era of the early 20th century, a time when the average person could afford to buy a house via ordering a—yup—mail order kit. The tour will meet at the northwest corner of Lake and East avenues and begin at 10:30 am. Tickets must be bought online and cost $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Lace up your sneakers and prepare for varied terrain, rain or shine.
Sunday also kicks off the Lake George Music Festival, a music extravaganza that’s “nestled in the natural beauty of the Adirondack mountains.” With the stunning, newly renovated Carriage House of Fort William Henry Hotel serving as home base, music lovers are invited to a full two weeks of chamber music and orchestral concerts curated by Artistic Directors Barbora Kolarova and Roger Kalia. The 2023 season runs August 6-17, and offers single tickets at the door and full ($165) and three-day ($59) festival passes available for purchase online. Sunday’s lakeside Opening Celebration party is for pass-holders and musicians only; or hit up Caffe Lena for ARKAI’s festival preview concert by the electroacoustic duo that fuses classical virtuosity with the electricity of a rock band, and the beauty of a string quartet.
—Natalie St. Denis