Spa's last hurrah

The annual music festival, which was originally created to retain people after the Traver’s, takes place from 7–11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday nights, Sept. 1 and 2, at various locations chiefly along Broadway. The eagerly anticipated event is free and open to the public.

A total of ten diverse acts will showcase their talents on Saturday and Sunday at different sites in Saratoga Springs. People can expect to hear everything from “bayou bop” and Barbershop to jazz and rock.

Susan Farnsworth, event coordinator of every Final Stretch weekend for the past decade, believes this will likely be the fifteenth time the celebration has been held. She said it’s always very crowded and estimated the festival will draw roughly 15,000 people each night.

For the first time in a long time, it looks like the organizers won’t have to worry about the weather either. Farnsworth said the weather is supposed to be beautiful all weekend.

Since some of the tourists have already left, Farnsworth said Final Stretch doesn’t bring out as many people as “Hats Off to Saratoga.” The festival attracts loads of locals though and she said it’s a great event for the whole family.

“It’s fun, it’s free and it’s a fantastic time. There’s no reason not to be there,” Farnsworth said.

For more information, call 587-8635 or visit www.saratoga.org. Farnsworth said folks should leave dogs and other pets at home for Final Stretch just like they did for Hats Off. In line with a city ordinance, police will ask people who bring pets to leave.