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SAVE THE DATE!
Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau's Annual Golf Tournament
at Saratoga National Golf Club
Wednesday, May 25th
More Details to Follow!
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A Message from the President...
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I hope everyone is enjoying this snowy winter! The area ski centers and winter attractions are all having great seasons and, here in Saratoga, we are gearing up for our annual Chowderfest on Sat. Feb 5th. 72 participants will be dishing chowders of all types and tastes to the masses in downtown Saratoga Springs. In addition to the stiff competition among our traditional chowder purveyors, once again this year, we will have 3 of our members serving up Chowder for our 4-legged friends at the always popular Chow-Down! More details on this event appear in this newsletter below and on our website.
Although Chowderfest has traditionally been a “local” event, consider bringing your winter or mid-winter conference to Saratoga next year, or in future years during Chowderfest to offer your delegates an opportunity to partake in this wildly popular event of great food, music and mid-winter fun! Saratoga has long been known as the “Summer Place to be”. Well, we are just as attractive for conventions & conferences in the winter months. We stay a vibrant and happening conference destination all year round. And, some meeting planners would say that we become a little more attractive as lodging rates are typically lower in the winter months.
And for you group tour operators or ski group operators out there, several of our lodging partners now offer specials for Chowderfest. So if you are looking for new itinerary ideas for your groups, call us here at the Bureau and we will help you with all the details, provide pricing and even help you promote this to your customers.
We hope to see you all soon in the “Year Round Place to be”…Saratoga, NY!!!
Marie hosted clients for site visits from the Healthcare Association of NYS and the NYS Beer Wholesalers Association in January. Luckily the weather was pleasant and each client enjoyed a tour of our lovely city’s attractions, meeting space and hotel properties. This was a big success as we will be welcoming each organization back in 2011 for their board meetings! Marie also attended the HelmsBriscoe Annual Business Conference and Partner Fair in early January in Washington DC.
Additionally, Marie and Kathy D. travelled to Boston for sales calls and to exhibit at the New England Society of Association Executives (NESAE) Annual Management Conference and Trade Show.
Marie will be off to Washington DC later this month to represent Saratoga once again as we will be exhibiting at DMAI’s Destination Showcase, February 24th. We look forward to the opportunity to open many more new doors for our fabulous destination!
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Game. Meet. Match. Round. Regardless of what they are called , they are all sporting events, and Saratoga wants to host them! Did you know that Saratoga has venues to accommodate almost any sport you can think of? From our beautiful new recreation center, to Gavin Park, to Saratoga Lake, we have top of the line facilities and picturesque venues. Saratoga already plays host to several sporting events, such as rowing, hockey, cross country, soccer, lacrosse, boxing and more, and we have the experience and desire to help make each event a smashing success! Our coaches love our facilities, our organizing committees love our community support, and our families love all there is to do when they’re not cheering their players on.
Do you attend any regular sporting events? Do you know someone who is involved in the planning of events? If so, we would love to hear from you! Heather McElhiney is your contact here at the bureau – send her the event you would like to see come to Saratoga and a contact name, and she will do the rest. Or, we would be happy to provide you with information on Saratoga as a sporting destination to take to that coach, organizer or planner you are thinking of. Heather can be reached at 518.584.1531 or Heather@DiscoverSaratoga.org.
CHOWDERFEST!
Saturday, February 5, 11AM - 4PM
Chowderfest 2011 is just around the corner so we hope your calendar is marked and your cold weather gear is handy. The Chowder provided by 72 participants (record breaking!) will help keep you warm and just as the cold is getting to you, we will invite you into Saratoga Springs City Center to watch the winners be presented with their awards at 5:30 p.m. We will also present the “Big” checks to our Chowderfest beneficiaries. It’s a fun, family, fido, foodie kind of day and you don’t want to miss it!
Go to www.discoversaratoga.org/Chowderfest to get a listing of the fun, Winterfest events scheduled for 2011! Don’t miss your chance to build an award winning snowman, taste some delicious wines and hors d’oervres, take part in the Saratoga Reads! exhibit, or go cross country skiing/snowshoeing either by candlelight or during the day and ending with a bonfire and Hot Cocoa! There are events taking place all weekend so get out and have some fun!
Saratoga Arts Fest
June 9-12, 2011
www.saratogaartsfest.org
SaratogaArtsFest, a four-day annual celebration of the arts scheduled in early June, delivers the brilliance and energy of art in its many forms—music, dance, visual art, film, theatre, and literary art. Now in its fourth year, SaratogaArtsFest has become a cultural staple to the popular Saratoga summer arts scene. The SaratogaArtsFest Admissions Package includes an ARTSPASS which provides full festival access to multiple events, organizations and discounts, including shopping and dining specials throughout downtown Saratoga Springs.
ARTSPASS online sales begin January 3, 2011 on the SAF website. The $5 discount will be offered on the online purchase of an Adult (including Senior) ARTSPASS by March 31, 2011. Online purchasers can pick up their Admission Package at the SAF Center and Gallery when it opens in May.
Sales of the ARTSPASS will resume March 1 at these retail locations, and the discount will continue to be available until March 31, 2011. Saratoga Beads, Impressions of Saratoga, Mimosa Gallery and the Skidmore College Bookstore in Case Center.
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Saratoga Springs City Center Expansion is Nearly Complete!
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Click here for more information on the expansion!
Read the City Center's Blog, browse through photos, click here!
Escalator is in and running!
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Upcoming Saratoga Events!
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February 2-6---Empire State College-Graduate Studies Program---300 ppl
February 12---Bartender's Ball-Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services fo Saratoga County---700 ppl
February 18-20---Dance Flurry---4,000 ppl
February 20-22---Empire State Baptist Congress---2,000 ppl
February 23-27---Saratoga Springs Home and Garden Show---Public Invited
March 1---DA Collins Companies-Annual Safety Seminar---425 ppl
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The Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau is on CVENT and STARCITE!
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Kathy Denkenberger had the opportunity to attend the Association of Convention Operations Managers (ACOM) conference in January. This annual conference is attended by Convention Services Managers (Convention Bureaus, Hotel & Convention Centers) from around the U.S. and Canada. It is a fabulous opportunity to share and network with others from throughout the US and Canada and learn something new.
At the 2011 Annual Meeting of ACOM, the Convention Bureau's Vice President of Operations & Convention Services Kathy Denkenberger was elected to serve a two year term on the Board of Directors. Kathy has served on the Continuing Education Committee for ACOM for the last several years. She is thrilled to be serving on the Board of this Convention Services oriented Association.
ACOM is dedicated to advancing the practice of convention services management (CSM) in the meetings industry, and to preparing CSM professionals for their critical role in the growth and success of their organizations. Congratulations Kathy!!!
January Groups
In January, we were host to two returning groups to our city – Youth for Christ and the Northeast Organic Farming Association. Each of these groups were pleased with their attendance (of course we always want more) but luckily numbers were held strong and all enjoyed their stay in Saratoga Springs.
Upcoming – some new great things are happening at the SCTB. We have had our initial training on our interactive touch screen Kiosk. Touch technology has proven itself to be the most natural interface between people and technology for hospitality providers. Stay tuned for more info to come as we program in all of our information and learn to use this great new tool.
Passkey – We have purchased a new housing tool – this will allow us to process housing to qualified groups that meet in our city. Training will be in the first quarter.
February Groups
“Put your Dancing Shoes on!” We welcome back again the Dance Flurry, February 18 – 20, 2011. This group has been coming for many years to Saratoga and keeps growing. You will see them all over the city!
Empire State Baptist Congress – February 21, 2011 – They are also a group returning to Saratoga and will be holding their meetings at the Saratoga Springs City Center and the Saratoga Hilton.
Landing Page for Your Conference!
Are you a meeting planner who is bringing your convention/conference to Saratoga Springs, NY? Or are you in the process of finding a home for your convention/conference?
Our new “Saratoga Landing Page” is being offered to meeting planners free of charge. We can customize a web-page which lists the highlights of Saratoga during the time of your conference – i.e., local events, directions, weather, things to do, etc. We’ll include links to spas, golf courses, restaurants and attractions and include the itinerary of your convention/conference. All you have to do is provide us with the information for your conference. We will set it up and then send you the URL to distribute to your delegates/members.
Don’t delay – please call Kathy Denkenberger, Vice President of Operations and Convention Services today at 518-584-1531 to find out more about this exciting service.
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