Be Here Now: Winterfest Weekend in Saratoga Springs

Saratoga’s annual Winterfest kicks off Friday (tonight) with the Winterfest Wine Tasting @ Saratoga Holiday Inn from 6-8pm. Tickets are $10.00 with all proceeds donated to the Molly Wilmont Radiation Oncology Center of Saratoga Hospital and The Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County.

Saturday, it’s the fabled Chowderfest from 11am-4pm. Try as many cups of soup and chowder ($1 a cup) as you’d like and then vote for your favorite. They even have a few entries in the “Best Dog Chowder” category that you can bring a canine companion to sample.

Once you’re stuffed, you’ll need to walk it off. Saturday is also Saratoga First Saturday, when local galleries and exhibition sites in Saratoga Springs stay open to the public from 5 to 8pm. Receptions are open to the public and free of charge. Stop by the Saratoga Arts Center first for a map. Here’s some of the highlights:

• Margo Mensing: It’s Not Unusual @ The Arts Center Gallery
• Rita DiCaprio: Transfixion paintings @ Feast Gallery and Meeting Space
• 10″ x 10″ = $100 @ Mimosa Gallery, Saratoga Springs. Paintings on exhibit sell for $100 or less and are no larger than 10″x10″
• 70 Beekman Art Gallery is featuring mixed media abstract paintings and small sculptures by Regis Brodie, watercolors by Pei Xiao Ping, porcelain by Jin de Zheng, photography by Hong yu Chen and Yong Li

Also on Saturday evening, there’s the 13th Annual Bartender’s Ball @ Saratoga City Center, 6:30pm-midnight. Tickets are $50.00 with all proceeds donated to the Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County.

And finally, after a day of stuffing your face followed by a night of drinking, you’re oh-so-definitely going to want to participate in the Saratoga Winterfest 5K Snowshoe Race (PDF) @ Saratoga Spa State Park.