On November 30th, New Yorker locals and visitors alike gathered at the world-famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree to watch it light up at 9:57 PM on Wednesday night. The tree was lit by Tishman Speyer (President and CEO), Rob Speyer, & Chairman Jerry Speyer.
More than 50,000 multi-colored, energy efficient lights were strung on five miles of wire to adorn the 14-ton, 82 foot tall & 50 foot wide Norway Spruce. The Swaroski Star dazzled from the top of the tree. The star was designed by Daniel Libeskind, and this is the 19th year that a Swaroski Star has topped the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. This spectacular star is made up of 70 spikes, covered in 3 million crystals, 9 ½ feet in diameter, and weighs 900 pounds.
This star-studded event included the Radio City Rockettes. It was hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and ACCESS Hollywood Host Mario Lopez. There was a special appearance by Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph; and, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani sang a special duet of “You Make It Feel Like Christmas”.
This tree is one of our own local beauties; it was donated by the Lebowitz family of Glens Falls. The tree was harvested on November 10th, and arrived in New York City on November 12th. The Lebowitz family attended the tree lighting ceremony.
Spectators can view the lit tree each day from 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM: All day (24 Hours) on Christmas, and from 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM on New Year’s Eve. For more holiday images, please visit: Twitter @rockcenternyc , Instagram @rockefellercenter and Facebook @rockefellercenternyc
Andrew Percetti – owner of Adirondack Safari – has a vision and expertise in the field of the Adirondack experience that keeps people coming back. He understands that the enjoyment of camping can be enhanced with modern comforts: The concept of “Glamping” is just that: a combination of camping, and luxury. To that effect, Adirondack Safari offers a camping experience with all the comforts of home… So, instead of the traditional “roughing it”, there is now an option to maintain comfort, while still enjoying the outdoors.
Adirondack Safari offers an upscale glamping experience. Fully furnished tents are provided – there are mattresses for comfortable sleeping, rugs, bedside tables, fan, a power strip, a fire pit, zero gravity chairs, a charcoal grill, and a picnic table with a canopy; all along the banks of the beautiful Schroon River.
A new addition to the 2023 Glamping season at Adirondack Safari will be themed tents; Adirondack Safari can take you any place you want to go with their destination-styled tented abodes, which include:
The island-themed tent creates ambiance and comfort with a fun and beachy decor.
The India-themed tent has vibrant colors and exotic decor.
For a true feeling of the Adirondacks, the Adirondack-themed tent compliments the Adirondack experience with appropriate furnishings.
The Native-American-themed tent comes with an authentic lean-to instead of the traditional canopy at your site.
The Luxe tent lets you camp like royalty while still in the great outdoors. This package includes luxurious niceties: complimentary Prosecco, two bundles of firewood, and two four hour Kayak rentals.
No matter which tent you choose, after a day on the river or exploring Lake George, a luxurious and relaxing tent will await.
The Adirondack Safari facilities also provide on-site bathrooms and showers, and outdoor sinks for cleaning dishes and cutlery. Everyone has a different expectation and experience with camping; however, Adirondack Safari makes it easy for everyone to enjoy. This type of camping spans generations, and the activities that are offered fit any and all age groups. There are Native-American performances, outdoor movies, bingo, the “silent disco”, river tubing, volleyball, giant Jenga, and rotating live entertainment. The goal of Adirondack Safari is to create an outdoor experience where families and friends can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and each other’s company.
Adirondack Safari checks all of the boxes for fun in the great outdoors; not to mention, being close to all of the amazing attractions in Lake George! Adirondack Safari combines the best glamping experience with the best location for guaranteed summer-time fun.
Adirondack Safari will be open from June 16, 2023, until September 4, 2023. Plan your Safari now! It could make a wonderful holiday gift. Adirondack Safari has 59 Tents available, but they book up quickly: Ensure your summer fun and book now at adirondacksafari.com
Pickleball “mania” has been sweeping the nation for some time now: a sport originally founded by a group of dads looking to entertain their families on a summer afternoon now has legendary athletes like Labron James and Tom Brady owning teams or joining a Pickleball syndicate.
Pickleball has an interesting history: It was devised by Congressman Joel Pritchard and successful businessman Bill Bell. On a Saturday in the summer of 1965, the pair returned to Pritchard’s home to find that their families were sitting around with nothing to do. There was an old badminton court on the property, and the group improvised due to lack of equipment – they started playing with ping pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. They placed the net at 60 inches, but as the weekend progressed, lowered the net to 36 inches. The following weekend, fellow friend Barney McCallum was introduced to the game. The three created the rules relying heavily on the base of badminton, while remembering that the goal was to have a game the whole family could play together.
Two years later, Joel Prichard constructed the first pickle ball court in his friend Bob O’Brian’s backyard. In 1972, a corporation was created to protect the new sport… And in 1975, the National Observer published an article, introducing Pickleball as America’s newest racquet sport.
In 1984, The United States Amateur Pickleball Association (U.S.A.P.A) was organized to help with the growth and advancement of the sport; their first rule book was published in March of 1984. As of 2015, USAPA has amassed over 10,000 members. Currently, the sport is exploding in popularity: there are nearly 8,500 locations on the USA Pickleball “Places2Play” map.
Some of the popularity of the sport is attributed to its accessibility, and as a result, Pickleball has often been played in community centers, PE classes, YMCA facilities, and retirement communities.
U.S.A.P.A Logo
The name itself has gained attention, too: In the Summer of 1965, Joan Pritchard came up with the name in a reference to a rowing term “pickle boat”. A “pickle boat” is when a crew is thrown together to give all rowers an opportunity to compete. Pickleball was named as the reference to using the “leftovers” from tennis, ping pong, badminton and platform tennis… So, if you are looking for a holiday gift for the family or something to do together, think Pickleball! The sport originated with the odds and ends found around the house, has evolved into its own industry. There are now matching paddles, carrying cases and even celebrity Pickleball players! It can be played indoors or outdoors, and is fun for the entire family.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties invites the local community to unwrap the magic of the holiday season at their 27th annual fundraiser – The Festival of Trees – on Wednesday, November 30 through Sunday, December 4, at the Saratoga Springs City Center.
The Festival returns with a showcase of beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and other holiday and gift items for purchase. Festival proceeds will benefit the programs of Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties. The Festival of Trees event hours vary as follows: Festival of Trees Preview Reception, Wednesday, November 30, 6-8pm; Festival of Trees, Thursday, Dec. 1, 4-9pm; Friday, Dec. 2, 3-8pm; Saturday, Dec. 3, 12-7pm; and Sunday, Dec 4, 11-2pm. Tickets are $10 per person, $5 for Seniors, $5 for ages over 10 and free for anyone 10 and under, when accompanied by an adult. Special admission pricing set at $5 will be offered on Thursday of Victorian Streetwalk Weekend after 5pm. Festival of Trees tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the Festival. Festival of Trees Preview Reception tickets can be purchased online at http://www.saratogafestivaloftrees.com/ or by calling 518-587-5000.
After a two-year pause, Breakfast with Santa returns this year. There are three Breakfasts with Santa on Saturday, December 3: the first scheduled for 8:30-9:30, then 10-11 and 11:30-12:30; Sundaes with Santa follows from 1-2pm. Tickets are $10 each. Children 2 and under are free. Adults must accompany children. Tickets include either the breakfast or sundae, a tour of the Festival of Trees, a photo with Santa and access to a variety of children’s activities for $1 per ticket. Activities include cookie decorating, face painting, manicures, ornament making, picture frame creating and letters to Santa. There will also be a Holiday Shop with gifts for purchase. Breakfast with Santa and Sundaes with Santa admission tickets are sold in advance only and can be purchased online at http://www.saratogafestivaloftrees.com/ or by calling 518-587-5000.
Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, Sister Charla Commins said, “The Festival of Trees is the biggest fundraiser and community event of the year for Catholic Charities. With decreasing funding and increased need, it is becoming more difficult to assist people in the tri-county communities who have been seriously impacted during these difficult times. This festive and magical event has been greatly modified in the last few years because of COVID, but this year we are reinstating all of the Festival’s activities, including the ever- popular Breakfast with Santa. Proceeds will assist us in providing services to individuals and families across the ages. We are sure the generosity of our communities will continue to support this wondrous holiday event and we are grateful.”
About Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties
Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties has been serving the tri-county area through a wide spectrum of counseling and programming efforts since 1975. In 2021, the agency served more than 4000 tri-county residents regardless of race, creed or lifestyle, with special emphasis on the economically poor and the vulnerable. Catholic Charities services are provided by caring, skilled professionals, and services benefit youth at risk, victims of domestic violence, families in need of counseling, the terminally ill and countless others. For more information on the mission or services provided by Catholic Charities, call 518-587-5000.
Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties is an agency of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany.
On Saturday, November 19th, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, North Country ARTS hosted an open house for their ”Celebration Exhibit” in their main gallery at Suite #120 in The Shirt Factory. The atmosphere was festive as patrons, art lovers, artists and community members mingled throughout the gallery.
Artist Colleen Shannon
The day before the event, Artist Colleen Shannon spoke of the two pieces that she was featuring and the process of creating her art. She said, “I love a blank canvas, because the possibilities are endless with a blank canvas.” When filling out her canvas, Colleen sometimes uses word prompts, or simple swatches of color. As she adds to the canvas, the image begins to take form; at that point, the process starts to slow down. There are times during the process that she has to walk away from the piece and give her thoughts time to evolve… She admits that it can be hard to know when a piece is finished, and that she has occasionally taken paintings too far and had to start over. But, when a painting is just right and near completion, she adds texture to it. Colleen is currently exhibiting two of her creations: Never Alone and Wanderlust.
During the opening, artist Paige was a welcoming presence at the wine, cider and apple bar. Paige and partner Prince own and operate Pastel Prince out of the Garden Level of The Shirt Factory. They provided two pieces for the show – Daddy Krumpus and Surreal Celebration. Surreal Celebration is a commentary on modern society’s programming of youth and the evolution of finding one’s own way through life’s challenges.
Artist Paige
The exhibit will be open to the public for six weeks, and can be viewed Thursday through Sunday, between the hours of 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Paintings and ceramics will be on display and for sale through the holiday season. For more information, email Info@northcountryarts.org, or check out the website at NorthCountryArts.org
School of Rock: The Musical will run though Sunday, November 20th. Tickets are either $20 or $30, depending on the day of the performance. Theater-goers have raved about the show, noting that they loved the range of emotion that the performance inspired, thanks to the incredibly talented cast! Amanda Rabine of Fort Edward, New York, took her daughter Spencer to the show. She said afterward, “We laughed, we sang, I cried, and we never stopped smiling!”
School of Rock: The Musical is based on the popular 2003 film starring Jack Black. The main character – Dewey Finn – is a washed up rock star wannabe turned substitute teacher by a chance turn of fate; he then seizes the opportunity to teach his students about the power of music! The first adaptation of this movie to the stage was on Broadway in 2015, and its lasting success is a true testament to its quality!
The Wood Theater is located at 207 Glen Street, in the heart of Glens Falls. This theater is a non-profit, year-round event space; nearly 350 events happen at the 300-seat theater every year! The Wood Theater’s mission is to promote cultural and artistic endeavors which help foster economic development, and improve the quality of life in the Glens Falls area. For tickets or more information, visit Woodtheater.org
The New York State Public High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament will return to the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls on Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th. This is the 16th year that the Cool Insuring Arena has hosted the tournament.
The event features competition between five classes, and four teams qualify in each class. During pool play, teams will play each other once. Then, the top two teams (determined by the pool play records) will advance to the finals, with tie-breakers used as needed.
Opening ceremonies are set to begin at 7:45 AM on Saturday morning. At 8:30 AM, the morning pool play will begin, and the afternoon pool play is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM. The finals on Sunday will start at 10:00 AM for Class D, 12:00 PM for Class AA and C, and 2:00 PM for Class A and B. The competing teams this session will include Lake George, Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills, and Galway.
The Cool Insuring Arena is not providing ticket services for this event. To purchase tickets, go to https://gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAA; tickets must be purchased digitally! Prices will come to $11.50 per ticket with all fees included.
The Chevalier Ballet Company is a professional ballet touring company that will be performing at The Strand Theater on November 18th and 19th.
On Friday, November 18th at 7:30 PM, the company will present Sara Knight’s original “Beatles Ballet”: this ballet performance will feature Beatles tribute band “Across The Pond”, who will play all your Beatles favorites including A Day in the Life, Eleanor Rigby, Strawberry Fields Forever, I Am a Walrus, Girls, Black Bird, and Something.
The ballet initially premiered in New York City in October of 2018, at Hunter College’s Danny Kaye Theater; The Chevalier Ballet Company first premiered their take on the ballet at The Strand on December 1, 2018.
Next, on Saturday, November 19th at 1:30 PM, the company will present another of Sara Knight’s originals: “Ballet Meets Joplin”. This performance will feature Jonathan Newell playing the music of Scott Joplin; the original “King of Ragtime” who wrote over 40 ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas that took the world by storm in the early 1900s. The ballet features an on-stage piano as its central piece, which the dancers revolve around.
Additionally, the Chevalier Ballet Company was recently granted non-profit status; they perform not only in traditional theatrical settings, but also in outreach settings such as retirement homes, schools, and hospitals.
Tickets for these two performances are $15.00 each, and can be purchased at The Strand Box Office by calling (518) 832-3438, or on location at 210 Main Street, in Hudson Falls, New York. For more information about the show, visit Chevalier!
The environment and humanity’s impact on it has been a hot topic for decades now. Here are some simple tips to reduce your impact on the environment this holiday season and beyond…
Photo: Crandall Pond Crandall Park Glens Falls
One of the things that people look forward to during the holidays is seeing friends and family, but that quality time can potentially be spent with a lower impact on the environment. The key word? Carpooling! With so many people moving about during the holiday season, there can be concerns about traffic; Carpooling effectively reduces the number of cars on the road, to improve your own experience as well as those of other families. Another potential option is public transportation. If you take the time to research the public transportation options that are available during the holiday in your community, you may find it to be a safe and efficient way to travel during the holidays, which also reduces your carbon footprint.
Small substitutions on the holiday menu can also have a positive impact on the environment: adding a vegetarian or vegan option to your usual menu can lower the carbon emissions associated with your food. A great place to get vegetables for the holiday season is a local farmers’ market; this will help support your community, lower your carbon emissions, and make a high quality meal this holiday season. Supporting a local farmers’ market can also add a fun and festive outing with family and friends to your holiday calendar!
If the dessert course is more your speed, consider making a “no-bake” dessert this season; some excellent and delicious options in this category include peanut butter bars, puddings of all sorts, and candied (or caramel) apples!
Plan on controlling your recipe’s output to minimize food waste. If you do have leftovers, store them in a reusable container: try to avoid using single use plastic bags, plastic wrap and tin foil.
Another good option is to remember to lower your thermostat before you leave your house for the holidays. This – in addition to unplugging your devices, turning off lights (or putting them on timers) and making sure your windows are all firmly closed – can not only reduce your environmental impact this season, but lower your electric and heating bills too!
Finally, when stringing up those festive holiday lights, consider using LED bulbs to save energy and reduce emissions. Also, consider using a timer so that the lights are only on when you want them to be.
Whatever your choices this holiday season, keep the environment in mind; you’ll find that your options are just as festive and fun, and can have a positive impact, too!
On Friday November 11th, The Queensbury Hotel hosted the 16th annual Wine & Chocolate Tasting to benefit The Chapman Museum. “Dry! Robust! Pairs wells with oysters!” Could be heard from the wine vendor tables. Museum supporters wandered the ballroom sipping wine and spirits and enjoying savory chocolates and cheeses.
Photo Credit Kate Haggerty
Friday night’s festivities were not dampened by the rainy weather. Guests varied from couples out for a date night, to groups of friends, to active community supporters. Tickets for the event were $45.00 online or $50.00 at the door. This event featured 28 tables filled with samples of wine and spirits, chocolates/desserts and locally sourced cheese. There were raffles, a door prize, and an online auction. Volunteers at the event were very happy with the turn out. Annie Deppe was asked by a neighbor to volunteer the day before the event. She was happy to do it, “It’s a worthwhile cause and always nice to be involved in community events.” Deppe said as she rearranged wine glasses which were given to each guest as they arrived. The guests casually mingled around the event space, glass in hand, eager to sample the offerings from each table.
Chapman Museum Volunteers: Beth Roach, Sue Merrill,& Annie Deppe
The Chapman Museum is a local gem. It has a long and storied history that dates back to 1867. At that time hardware merchant, Zopher Delong owned the house. He remodeled what had been a modest wood framed house. He turned it into the structure visitors see today. It is a two story brick building with a Mansard roof. This type of roof maximizes the interior space of the attic.
In the late 1960’s Juliet Chapman donated the house to the community. The museum received a permanent charter from the New York State Board of Regents in 1968. Goals of the Chapman Museum include, to increase knowledge of local history and to inspire a greater sense of community. Since the time of its original charter the museum has added exhibition galleries, climate controlled collections storage, a research room, a multi purpose classroom and a museum shop.
The museum has public hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm & Sunday hours from 12pm-4pm. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 for Adults, $4 Seniors & Students. The Chapman Museum is located at 348 Glen Street in Glens Falls N.Y. (518) 793-2831. The exhibits change seasonally and highlight subjects that contribute to the heritage of the region. More information can be found on their website at Chapman museum.org
