9th Annual Saratoga Fall Festival

The Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association announces that the ninth annual Saratoga DBA Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, October 30 and Sunday, October 31, 2010 and it is free and open to the public.

The Festival, a celebration of autumn flavors, activities and the Saratoga community spirit, will kick off on Saturday at 10AM at the Farmers Market with a ribbon cutting, “Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin” contest winner, Liz Bishop, Mayor Johnson, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and The Magic Dragon with music by Fiddlers Frank Orsini & George Wilson. The fun will continue Saturday and Sunday throughout downtown Saratoga Springs, including the west side-Beekman Street Arts District.

Among the highlights of this year's Fall Festival will be Apple Baseball, Twinkle the Bear, Spooky Trolley rides, pumpkin decorating, Dream Ponies and a Petting zoo & Radio Disney in Lillian’s/Cantina parking lot, cupcake decorating, balloons, face painting, decorate your pumpkin sugar cookie, The Balloon Man, “Sparkles” the Stilt Juggler and Magic Dan the Street Magician strolling Broadway (by the way, the stilt walker and the magician are performing Saturday only because they are marrying each other on Sunday!), pool pumpkin races, fun games, trick or treating, magic and more. There is great music by Betsy and the Bygons on Broadway among others and Mary Leigh & the Fauves on Beekman Street with fiddlers Frank Orsini & George Wilson moving downtown from the Farmers Market.

Free trolley rides from Broadway to the Beekman Street Art District will run 10-3. The Beekman Street shops and galleries will be hosting an “International Harvest Fest” as part of the Fall Festival. Enjoy Native American storytellers and totem carvings, Ugandan crafts, Kwanza displays and artwork depicting the memorial folk art of Latin American “Day of the Dead” celebrations. There will also be an assortment of entertaining demos and interactive opportunities; children’s loom demos to pumpkin floral arrangements, free acupuncture and massage treatments, magicians, costume contests, musicians, harvest pottery, open galleries and more.

Cudney’s Cleaners at 160 South Broadway is planning to do the Coats for Kids collection and distribution on both Saturday and Sunday from 11-3 at their South Broadway location. They are currently collecting coats at all of their locations to be distributed the Fall Festival weekend. There will be coats for both kids and adults. There is a free Bouncy Bounce in front of Cudney’s both days as well. While you are there, Crush & Cask is serving cider and donuts, and candy for the kids

Sunday the fun continues with many of the same activities as Saturday with the addition of a Canine Costume Parade from Sloppy Kisses to Division Street where there is the costume contest (you must pre-register with Sloppy Kisses).

The fun for kids ends with a Costume Parade starting at 4:00 at Stockade Imports, 543 Broadway in the parking lot and proceeds down Broadway, led by Twinkle the Bear. It ends at the Congress Park Carousel where the

Downtown Business Association has purchased tickets so all the kids can take a Carousel ride for free.

This unique celebration of Halloween encourages families to play together—building the greater Saratoga community as it helps cement individual family units of upon which the larger community is built.

Special thank to our major sponsors: The Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, The Saratoga Springs Special Assessment District, Saratoga Gaming & Raceway, Adirondack Trust Co., Interactive Media Group, Circus Café, Putnam Market, Sperry’s, MVP & Empire Blue Cross. Additional sponsorships are downtown stores and restaurants. Thanks to all who made this festival possible. For more information, go to www.saratoga.com.

Also, the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department is sponsoring a Halloween Dance on Friday, October 29th from 6pm.-9pm at the new indoor Recreation Department Recreation Center at 15 Vanderbilt Avenue. The evening will include music by DJ’s from Eclectic Songs and refreshments provided by Saratoga American Little League. Admission is $7.00 Call 587-3550, Ext. 2300 for information.