Inside SPAC's surprise holiday announcement. Recycle.
PLUS: Hot off the cover. Wellspring's 'One October.'
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Surprise! SPAC announces two new holiday shows.
Inside the new holiday series with SPAC President Chris Shiley.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — A Celtic treasure of a Christmas and the jazzy Gen Z sounds of Stella Cole will ring in the holidays for SPAC’s December music series — going down at Skidmore’s stunning Arthur Zankel Music Hall this December (while the Spa Little Theater undergoes some incredible renovations).
The announcement came as a bit of a surprise because of the reno, although the fabulous new shows bookend the already-sold-out (check here for any last remaining tix) Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bach Brandenburg Concertos.
“Three nights in a row!” says SPAC President Christopher Shiley. “It’s a beautiful venue with a beautiful acoustic, and all of the artists in this series are going to sound wonderful in that space. We’re excited to be there.”
Kicking off the holiday music weekend is Danú: An Emerald Isle Christmas on Friday, December 12, a group that Saratoga audiences last fell in love with in 2022 during a sold-out Sounds of the Season performance. “There’s just something about that Irish Celtic music at the holidays,” Shiley says. “It’s so beautiful and such a part of their tradition in Ireland. The musicians are amazing.”
The world-renowned Danú features musicians on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion and bouzouki — and works with local step-dancers for their performance. Vocals are in both Gaelic and English.
“The vocalist [Nell Ní Chróinín] has an exquisite voice,” Shiley says. “It’s just a really fun night with them — not to be missed.”
If you’re kicking yourself for missing the sold-out, Icelandic phenom Laufey when she brought the house down this summer with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Stella Cole: SNOW!’s Sunday matinee is for you. The 3 p.m. show stars social media sensation Cole, who Shiley says is referred to as a cross between Laufey and Michael Bublé.
“The younger generation, Gen Z, is infatuated with a vintage sound and feel, and Stella’s a 26-year-old jazz vocalist who speaks to that moment,” he says of Cole, who makes her debut December 14 singing beloved holiday hits with a jazz trio. “Her voice will very much remind you of a Judy Garland. It’s really refreshing to see an artist of her age paying homage to this classic rep. What’s cool about this is that as it’s really sparking with this younger generation, the older generation of course loves that music as well.
“It’s this wonderful bridge between these two age groups.”
Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. October 20. For more info and to buy tickets, visit spac.org for Danū and Stella Cole.
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Empty your house of junk on Recycles Day
Sustainable Saratoga and its partners — Adirondack Trust Company is the main sponsor — will accept many of those junky household items you’ve been meaning to get rid of on Saturday, Oct. 18. (Think children’s and adult books, textbooks, DVDs & CDs, video games, clothing & textiles, scrap metal, eyeglasses, hearing aids, musical instruments, cell phones and chargers, adult bicycles, refrigerants, small appliances, and electronics — wow!) The 9th annual Recycles Day is setting up shop from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the SPAC overflow parking lot on the west side of Route 50.
Price is just $5 per vehicle, plus $20 recycling fee per TV.
For more information, visit sustainablesaratoga.org.
Hot off the cover: Saratogian Brett Beckwith
Extra, Extra! Brett Beckwith, leading rider at Saratoga Harness, graced the cover of Hoof Beats magazine this month. The next time we’ll be rooting for him will be at November’s World Driving Championship (WDC) in New Zealand, where he’ll represent the U.S.
Beckwith is a Saratoga native and grew up at the race track. His family history is loaded with drivers and horse trainers, so it’s no surprise he started young, going pro at just 18 (three short years ago). Since then, he’s earned over $1 million in purses in Saratoga alone and has been racking up achievements, including the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Rising Star Award and the Dan Patch Award winner for Rising Star earlier this year (fun fact: his uncle Richie Silverman was the first to receive the Dan Patch Rising Star Award in 1986).
Now, he’ll get the chance to race internationally for the WDC, repping the U.S. and Saratoga. He was selected for the honor by the United States trotting Association — he told Standardbred it was an easy decision to accept the opportunity.
All together now: Wellspring unites Saratoga during DV Awareness Month
The local domestic abuse treatment center is raising awareness and funds all month long with events and shopping promotions.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Wellspring is rallying local players to contribute to their cause in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness month, with a program of “One October” events and store promotions. The Malta-based domestic abuse treatment center offers sexual assault and domestic violence help at no cost in Saratoga County, maintaining that “even one person living in fear because of domestic violence is too many.”
“The worst thing we hear is ‘I wish I heard about you sooner,’” says Stevie Fellows, Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Wellspring. “So we wanted to do a campaign that not only raised funds — because all of our services are free — but we also wanted a campaign that would raise awareness.”
Thankfully, there has been a recent surge of support for Wellspring and domestic violence awareness in general. “So many local businesses have said, ‘We believe in this cause, we want to support it,’” Fellows says.
There is an entire calendar of events and list of places to shop that will donate proceeds. We’ve singled out a couple you might want to keep on your radar.
Oct 9: EarthBeat Music in Schuylerville is hosting a drum circle today at 6 p.m. to raise donations.
Oct 12: Glisten studio on Maple Ave is hosting a morning “Sculpt” class open to all; proceeds will be donated to Wellspring. Also on Sunday, Pitney Meadows on West Ave is hosting an 11 a.m. 5k Walkathon with live music and food. Everyone is welcome, and the event is donation-based. Register online to choose your donation.
Oct. 15: Meet star jockey Katie Davis McCarthy at the sip and shop event hosted by PaperDolls of Saratoga on Broadway — 50 percent of proceeds will go to Wellspring. Also next Wednesday, Druthers at Clifton Park is hosting a donation night where 30 percent of proceeds will go to Wellspring.
Oct 16: Wear purple for domestic violence awareness and tag Wellspring on social media. Also, Scallions on Henry Street is hosting a dine and donate night.
Oct 22: Another donation night for Druthers, this one at the Saratoga location.
Oct 23: Pure Barre is hosting a private class where all proceeds will be donated. Fit4Mom will donate proceeds from registrations to a “mom and me” fitness class at Common Roots.
Check out how you an support the cause by simply visiting one of these establishments in the month of October: Lifestyles, Saratoga Nail Lounge & Boutique, Whitman Brewing Co., Yoga Mandali, Silverado, Brookside Nursery[MS1] (event sold out), Violet’s of Saratoga, The Saratoga Winery, Petal + Hive, Night Owl, Lily Saratoga, Granite and Marble Works, Impressions, Fashion A-fare Boutique, Celtic Treasures, Brix Wine and Liquor, Andy’s Adirondack Grille and the Franklin Square Market.
This is the second official year Wellspring’s “One October” campaign — named after the concerning statistic that one in every four women and one in every seven men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime — and they’re always looking for new businesses to partner with, even for this year’s current campaign. wellspringcares.org
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So many worthy causes and events are listed here. Thank you