FAMILY DAY OUT
Troy River Fest Ramble concludes three-day event
TROY. N.Y. » Communities around the Capital Region are finding creative new ways to continue longstanding traditions while keeping eventgoers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead of inviting a large crowd to a single site on one day, some organizers are spreading events out over space and time to allow for socially distanced enjoyment.
Over the weekend in the Collar City, the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District turned its popular Troy River Fest — an annual summertime event that typically attracts 30,000 people to downtown Troy on a single day — into a three-day Troy River Fest Ramble.
The ramble drew a smaller crowd over three days, each with different features for attendees to explore.
The weekend-long event began on Friday with the district’s monthly Troy Night Out, which had a Twilight Shopping theme.
“Troy Night Out was amazing,” the BID’s executive director Katie Hammon reported.
On Saturday the district presented a downtown-wide Sidewalk Sale with live demos and pop-ups. “People were wandering around and checking out businesses,” Hammon said.
Though the weather was a bit gloomy on Sunday, Family Day Out, competitors in the Chalk Art Contest were busy creating colorful displays on the city sidewalks, while others enjoyed outdoor brunch and kid-friendly activities.
“It’s a tradition that’s gone on for a very long time,” Hammon said of the Chalk Art Contest, which will
continue throughout the next week for anyone who wants to pick up chalk at participating businesses and draw at home. This year’s contest theme is “Kindness In Chalk | One Sidewalk. One Message. A Community Of Smiles.”
On Monument Square, local organizations offered children’s activities.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area was giving out soccer equipment to any child who kicked a shot, whether the ball went in the goal or not. “We’re trying to just get kids to try new things and try new sports,” said director of development
Jimmy Bulmer.
In the next tent over, the Capital District YMCA was promoting healthy living and informing attendees about ongoing youth programs. “We’re here today because we want to show the community that we’re still committed to serving their needs,” said Troy branch executive director Rebecca Atwell.
“It’s been nice to see people downtown,” Hammon said at the start of Sunday’s festivities. “It’s nice to see everybody distanced from one another and wearing their masks.”
Events like the Troy River Fest Ramble are meant to help the small businesses of downtown Troy. “The whole point of this is to show Troy’s open,” Hammon said. “Businesses are open. Come explore what ’ s here.”
The Troy River Fest Ramble is part of an entire outdoors summer event season that has been modified for 2020’s unique circumstances. This includes a free yoga class series called Fitness In The Park and a concert series titled Rockin’ At Sage Park.
Another one- day event that’s been stretched out this year is the Grown Up Scavenger Hunt , which kicked off last Friday and will continue through Friday, Aug. 28. Along with getting folks out and about on a scavenger hunt, the event aims to celebrate some of the holidays that were missed earlier this year, such as St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and Independence Day.
Those looking to partake in the Grown Up Scavenger Hunt can sign up online at www. downtowntroy.org/egg- hunt or visit one of the 21 participating businesses to get started.
As the summer continues on, the BID asks locals to remember the small shops in downtown Troy that are fully stocked with f riendly staff and safer for shopping than large stores.