Vibe Check: Chowderfest 2024

The faces, the 'fits and the new bar you didn't know was open at last Saturday's beer- and soup-soaked bonanza.

“The sidewalks are at max capacity,” Chowderfest latecomer Mark Pelersi said upon ducking into a bar at 1:18pm.

When it came to physically getting to Saratoga Chowderfest on Saturday, Sue Hartz was a woman with a plan—a parking plan. “Don’t write this—I don’t want people to know my secret,” she said, on the verge of exposing the key to every Saratogian’s parking woes. Naturally, I started writing.