Category Archives: Holiday Shopping

The Village of Ballston Spa is set to transform into a winter wonderland this December. The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA) has invited the community to celebrate the annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting on Friday, December 6, along Milton Avenue.

A beloved hometown tradition, this holiday parade draws thousands of spectators to enjoy the festive floats, fire trucks, and community groups that illuminate the village. The parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. from the north end of Milton Avenue and continues down to West High Street. 

Following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will make their grand entrance on an Eagle-Matt Lee Fire Company truck to light the Christmas tree in Wiswall Park.

This year’s parade also supports the Toys for Tots campaign in partnership with the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, and U.S. Marine Corps. Volunteers will be collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys along the parade route and at Wiswall Park during the tree lighting.

Traditionally known for its bustling summer season, Saratoga Springs proves it has more to offer all year long with a diverse lineup of public events at the Saratoga Springs City Center. As the cooler months arrive, the City Center invites both locals and visitors to enjoy a series of exciting and inclusive events, showcasing Saratoga Springs as a vibrant year-round destination.

• Saratoga Comic Con – November: A family favorite, Saratoga Comic Con draws fans from across the region for a weekend filled with pop culture, cosplay, and collectibles.

• Center for the Family Craft Marketplace – November 30, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Taking place on Small Business Saturday, this event supports local artisans and crafts people, with unique handcrafted goods perfect for early holiday shopping. As the 49th annual holiday marketplace, the event will feature over 130 crafters and artisans, offering everything from woodwork to candles and gourmet foods.

The iconic Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train is back on the rails, bringing holiday joy and supporting local food banks across North America. For the third year in a row, Franklin Community Center has been selected as the local beneficiary for the Saratoga Springs stop, with the event set to take place on Monday, November 25 at 7:20 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs Train Station at 26 Station Lane. 

The event, which is free to attend, will feature live performances by James Barker Band and Clerel, offering festive entertainment for the whole family. Thanks to a special collaboration with B&B Plumbing and Heating, a top plumbing and HVAC company in Saratoga Springs for over 25 years, attendees will also enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes as they gather at the station to welcome the brightly decorated train.

“Our office is conveniently located next to the train station, giving us a front-row seat to the CPKC Holiday Train. Last year, we saw this as a great opportunity to support the Franklin Community Center at the event, so we decided to serve hot chocolate to encourage donations,” said BJ Kozlowski, owner of B&B Plumbing and Heating. “It was such a hit that we’re doing it again this year.” 

By Jill Nagy

Whether you are planning a party for 100 people or an intimate family dinner, local caterers can help  out. 

Augie Vitiello said that he can serve a party of 100 in one of the private rooms at his restaurant, Augie’s Family Style Italian Restaurant in Ballston Spa, without disturbing service in the main dining area. 

Kenny Bourbeau prepares a family meal every week that customers can pick up at the Saratoga farmers’ market on Sunday or have delivered to their home on Monday. He works our of a commercial kitchen in his home, also in Ballston Spa.

Bourbeau, doing business as Kenny B, changes the dinner menu weekly. Recently, it was chicken enchiladas, roasted butternut squash, and a poblano soup. Menus serve four to six people and range in price from $45.99 to $65.99. 

He also caters private dinners in homes or drops off meals. In those cases, he works with the customer to develop the menu. For Thanksgiving, he plans to offer “supporting sides” but not full meals. He does not do desserts. He is working on menus for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays but expects to include hors d’oeuvres and possibly a lobster macaroni and cheese.

If he prepares a dinner in a customer’s home, Bourbeau charges $40 an hour for shopping, cooking, serving, and clean-up. He buys most of his food at the Saratoga farmers’ market. And he does wash the dishes.

First Night, the once heralded event on New Year’s Eve where thousands of people came to Saratoga Springs to ring in the new year, returns this year in a revamped form.

 It was absent for two years due to COVID  and funding concerns.

It also has a new name—the Saratoga New Year’s Fest—and is a multi-day attraction with live music, family-friendly activities, a 5K and fireworks.

One of the headline acts will be the Cowboy Junkies, a popular alternative country and folk rock band from Canada.

Rock, blues, jazz and country artists are among the festival’s growing lineup. Other acts include The Samples and the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, who will  perform on the main stage at the Saratoga Springs City Center (as will the Cowboy Junkies).

Other acts announced include the Grateful Dead-inspired Garcia-inspired Deadgrass & Friends, country music rising star Jenny Grace,   Grit N Whiskey, Kevin Richards, Cait Devin, Danielia Cotton, Albert Cummings, Jeffrey Gaines and Heather Maloney.

The Saratoga City Music Hall will also host contra dancing. The weekend-long festivities will begin with a Friday night kick-off party on Dec. 30 at Putnam Place.

The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association’s annual Ballston Spa Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting will take place Friday, Dec. 3. 

The parade step-off time is 6:30 p.m., proceeding on Milton Avenue and ending in Wiswall Park on Front Street. It ill be followed by Santa lighting the village Christmas tree. 

The parade is a hometown-style holiday tradition, with firetrucks, floats, animals, kids and Santa parading down the main street of the village. 

Organizers said that again this year, the parade will spotlight the Toys for Tots campaign, in partnership with the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps, Saratoga County Sheriff Department and U.S. Marine Corps. Volunteers from these organizations will be on hand to collect donations of new, unwrapped toys from spectators along the parade route as well as at the tree lighting.

Officials said entries in the parade will be judged this year in the following categories: Best Emergency Vehicle Entry, Best Ballston Spa Community Members Entry, Best Walking Entry and the Brightest Light Award—the brighter and more festive, the better.

The parade is part of  the holiday-themed First Friday, Ballston Spa’s signature monthly event, which celebrates its 17th year in 2021.  Home to unique shops, museums, and a host of popular restaurants, Ballston Spa showcases that on its First Night events.

In the December version, many businesses will be open with special holiday activities and specials, while Ballston Spa High School singers and musicians and Union Fire Company band members will perform holiday music on the street corners.

The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association’s annual Ballston Spa Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting will takes place, Friday, Dec. 1.

The step off time is 6:30 p.m., proceeding on Milton Avenue and ending in Wiswall Park on Front Street with Santa lighting the Christmas tree.

The parade features fire trucks, floats, animals, kids and Santa parading down the main street of the village.  Once again this year, the parade will spotlight the Toys for Tots campaign, in partnership with the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps, Saratoga County Sheriff Department and U.S. Marine Corps.

Volunteers from these organizations will be on hand to collect donations of new, unwrapped toys from spectators along the parade route as well as at the tree lighting.

Organizations, groups or businesses that would like to take part can visit www.ballston.org to register, or contact Ellen Mottola at the BSBPA office at 518-885-2772 or info@ballston.org.

The parade headlines a holiday-themed First Friday, Ballston Spa’s signature monthly event, which celebrated its 13th year in 2017.

By Maureen Werther

With the holiday season at hand in, businesses in downtown Saratoga Springs are readying their shops and restaurants to welcome visitors.

Many downtown businesses have long been part of well-attended events such as the Victorian Streetwalk and Christmas tree lighting, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Restaurant Week. There are also new businesses and new owners of existing businesses who are eager to become a part of seasonal festivities.

Impressions of Saratoga among the businesses that has been part of the holiday scene since 1978. Maryanne Barker, co-owner and past president of the Downtown Business Association, stressed the importance of bringing people into the downtown area to shop, dine and be entertained.

“All of our employees are local. We pay rent and we purchase as much inventory locally as we can,” she said. Dollars that stay in the city help to maintain the vibrant local economy. Her new business partner is Maddy Zanetti, who started working at Impressions as a teenager. The team has some new events planned for the upcoming season.

One of them is a shopping night dedicated solely to local teachers.

“This was Maddy’s idea,” said Barker. “We are going to offer finger foods from local food partners and tastings from local artisanal producers of hard cider,” she said. Teachers will have the store to themselves to enjoy some pampering while they browse and shop through the store. There will also be a raffle and door prizes.

Zanetti said Impressions will be hosting other groups throughout the season. Working in concert with the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, they are going to host a similar event in early December for a group of about 80 people from out of the area. Zanetti echoed Barker’s comments about the importance of stimulating local shopping and dining, noting that at least $80 of every $100 dollars spent in town, stays in town.