January 14, 2009
Happy New Year!
First Night fireworks in Congress Park
Photos thanks to Robert Forlini
11th Annual Chowderfest--Saturday, January 31st, 2009, 11 am-4 pm
12th Annual Winterfest --
January 30-February 1st
New this year: Chowderfest is Going Green!
Restaurants will be using biodegradable supplies such as spoons, the ballot forms will be printed on recycle paper, and the City has generously offered
to distribute extra trash cans around town!
Samples of chowder are $1.00 each!
Coming back for the second year in a row will be the "Dog Chow Down"! Starting at 1:00 pm, a contest between the stores participating in making dog chowder will compete to win the "Best Canine Chowder" award. Already, there are three stores participating in this event! See which chowder the dog will pick! Location and doggy contestant TBD.
Saratoga Mayor Scott Johnson, his wife Julie Johnson and David Zunker, president of Convention and Tourism Bureau
Mayor Johnson's dog, Dr. Watson, choosing the dog-off winner of 2008!
Here's how it works:
Pick up a ballot at any participating restaurant and vote for your favorite chowder. Hand in your completed ballot at one of the drop-off stations (Saratoga County Arts Council or Saratoga Springs Visitor Center) along with $7.00 and receive your official Chowderfest long-sleeve t-shirt!
Hudson Armstrong designs the Chowderfest logo every year!
A tally of the ballots determines the winners of the chowder award categories:
"Best On Broadway"
"Best Off Broadway"
"Best Newcomer"
"Best Canine Chowder"
"Best Non-Downtown"
"Most Chowder Served"
"People's Choice Award"
New this year, Ben & Jerry's will be serving dessert "chowder"...a.k.a. Phish Food ice cream!
In 2008, more than 33,000 samples were served to over 5,000 chowder lovers at 36 participating restaurants!
To sign up or become a sponsor of Chowderfest, call Connie Crudo at 584-1531 or e-mail her at connie@discoversaratoga.org
Go to the official Chowderfest page!
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Proud Sponsors of Chowderfest 09:
Platinum-Adirondack Trust Company, Saratogian, Stewart's Shops, ValPak, Westminster Crackers
Gold-YMCA of Saratoga
Silver-Clements Insurance Brokers, Inc., Clifton Park Rental Center, Hampton Inn & Suites, Residence Inn by Marriott-Saratoga Springs
Bronze-The Children's Museum at Saratoga
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Winterfest Featured Events:
Friday--Wine Tasting from 6-8pm at Holiday Inn, 232 Broadway. Admission is $10 per person. Enjoy assorted wines and a selection of hors d'oeuvres. Proceeds go to benefit the Lions Club of Saratoga Springs.
Saturday--Prestwick Chase is located at 100 Saratoga Blvd. We will once again this year have horse drawn sleigh rides, ice sculpting, chowder, musical entertainment, ice skating and much more. Saturday noon-3pm. For more information call 584-7766.
Sunday--Saratoga Stryders (3 miles on cross-county course in the Saratoga Spa State park). Registration is at 9:30am and takes place in the administration building. It is $17 for pre-registered participants and $20 for the day-of participants. This race is an Empire State Games Qualifier and part of the Dion Snowshoe Series!
More events...
*Don't miss the Bartender's Ball (same day as Chowderfest). Proceeds go to benefit Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call 583-0280.
*10th Annual Saratoga Spa Winterfest 5K Snowshoe Race. For more information, please call Allison at 584-2535.
*Saratoga Film Forum features Lunafest with silent auction to raise money for Breast Cancer Fund. For more information, call Tracy Miller at 518-207-5983.
Go to the official Winterfest page!
Connie and Kathy D. are currently working on the Saratoga Ultimate Map guide that lists Bureau members, their contact info. and their location on the map.
If you are a Bureau member in good standing and would like to participate in the 10% discount card featured on the front cover of the Ultimate Saratoga Map, contact Connie before the February 1st deadline. Connie@discoversaratoga.org
The Sales and Services staff at the SCTB is energized and excited for the coming year. 2009 promises to bring new opportunities and challenges for all of us. We at the Bureau have come up with a “game plan” that we believe will enable us to be an effective and powerful sales and services force.
Sales and service is about relationships – building them, maintaining them, and keeping them. The SCTB has an extensive client database of over 4000 accounts. It is our goal to keep all of these accounts updated, qualified and active. 2009 will see the bureau transitioning to a new database system – a perfect opportunity to examine each individual account for accuracy, comprehensiveness and viability. One of our top priorities will be to touch as many of our established accounts as possible to explore meetings business opportunities, whether through phone calls, sales calls, site visits, or familiarization tours of Saratoga. These are our proven customers and we are going to work hard to get them back to Saratoga again and again!
Another group that is sold on Saratoga: the people who live here! The Bureau has had a “Hometown Heroes” program for many years and we delight each year in celebrating those in our community and the capital region who have worked to bring their meeting home to Saratoga. In 2009, the bureau will make “backyard marketing” one of our top priorities. It is our goal to connect with as many local contacts as possible and work with them to gain access to those who plan their statewide, regional and national group meetings, events and conventions.
The Bureau will round out our efforts with one of the most important and long awaited goals on our checklist – promoting the expansion of the Saratoga Spring City Center. Through the years, the bureau has identified state, regional and national business that has not been able to come to Saratoga due to lack of sufficient convention space. We also have a growing list of meetings that were once regular customers but have since outgrown us. The bureau will be working to introduce these groups to the expanded space and Saratoga’s new capabilities. We will work with them to earn their business, or earn it back. Citywide conventions are a top priority for the convention bureau, and with an expanded space, more attendees will come to fill more hotels’ overnight rooms.
The Bureau looks forward to seeing all of you throughout the year, either at our industry or member events, on sales calls, or strolling the streets of Saratoga!