Calendar

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This calendar is being regularly updated to reflect all event cancellations and postponements. However, it is recommended that readers contact event organizers before they attend. For the most updated version of the calendar, please visit or troyrecord. com.

Wednesday, Dec. 9

LUNCHEON: The New York Capital District Christian Women’s Connection is sponsoring a “Let’s Remain Connected to Each Other” luncheon on Wednesday, Dec.r 9, 2020at the Guilderland Elks Lodge, 3867Rte. 146(Carman Road) in Schenectady, NY 12303beginning at 11:30am and ending at approximately 1:30pm. CDC Covid-19 recommendations will be followed along with a limit of 50reservations. Your reservation is necessary no later than Dec. 4and cancellations a must. Please call Nancy (518) 869-0642or Carol (518) 869-5253for reservations. On the menu this month is a Virginia Ham dinner with an alternative choice of Grilled Chicken Salad. The cost is $17inclusive (cash only please). Our Special Feature this month is Erich Ruger from Sugar Oak Farms, a family-owned maple syrup business located in Malta. They specialize in everything Maple! Our Special Speaker Cindy Close from Northville will speak on “What We Can Learn from Real Life”. Our Special Music will be one of our favorite people, Peg Hart on the accordion. All are welcome - bring a friend or your significant other.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 7:30a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at the Empire State Plaza concourse in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 11:30a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center, located at 33 Everett Rd. in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org.

Thursday, Dec. 10

WINTERTIME WONDERLAND: New holiday attraction Wintertime Wonderland is now open. This holidaythemed, family-friendly attraction, billed as the Capital Region’s largest indoor Christmas event, is located at 195Troy Schenectady Rd. in Colonie, in the former Kmart store next to Vent Fitness. Set at the North Pole, the walk-through experience features a frosty ice maze, a post office and train station, a life-size snowglobe and gingerbread house, a whimsical light show on Candy Cane Alley, Christmas Village and Santa’s Workshop, where children will have the chance to meet Santa himself. Other characters that visitors will encounter along the way include an ice princess, snowmen, gingerbread men, carolers, reindeer, elves and Mrs. Claus. Attendees will have the option to take photographs with actors either close together or in a socially distanced pose with scenery in the space between. Kids will receive a greeting card, coloring book and letter to Santa with activities for throughout the attraction and at home. After exploring the displays, guests can enjoy refreshments, do some holiday shopping with local vendors, support area nonprofits, enter a raffle for a brand new car, view and purchase photos from the event and pick up a Christmas tree. The event’s COVID-19protocols include temperature checks upon arrival, occupancy limits, frequent cleaning, social distancing and mask wearing at all times. Tickets, which can be reserved online, are $20per person. Children age two and younger are free. The wheelchair accessible event’s hours are 3to 9p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 9a.m. to 9p.m. on Saturday and 9a.m. to 8p.m. on Sunday, with expanded hours anticipated in the days right before Christmas. More information about Wintertime Wonderland is available online at wintertimewonderland.com. VIRTUAL MEETUP: The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will hold two Virtual Meetups on Thursday Dec. 3from 7 to 8:30pm and Thursday Dec.10from 1:30to 3pm to examine the state of Healthcare in New York State prior to joining Leagues across the state in reaching a state position on Healthcare and the Financing of Healthcare in January. These meetings are open to the public to attend either or both meetings. Meetups are a way for us to come together virtually to explore, understand and advocate for issues that matter to us and they are focused on our members and their interests. We are open to the public so invite a friend to register for the event. Please register under events on the League website, (www. lwvsaratoga.org). After registering, you will receive an email containing information and a link to join this meeting on Zoom.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 7:30a.m. to noon on Thursday, Dec. 10at the Empire State Plaza Department of Health, located at Empire State Plaza concourse in Albany, next to the Hallmark store. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 11:30a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center, located at 33 Everett Rd. in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 1to 6p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10at the King of Kings Lutheran Church, located at 1593Crescent Rd. in Clifton Park. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 9a.m. to 3p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10at Curtis Lumber, located 885Rt. 67in Ballston Spa. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. ARTISAN MARKET: The beloved “Artisan Market” at Brookside Museum will be returning in 2020, running from “Small Business Saturday” Nov. 28through Dec. 24at 6 Charlton St. in Ballston Spa. The market will feature only handcrafted products created by local artisans. Everything from natural soaps and lotions to unique ornaments and jewelry to scrumptious syrups and eatables – quite simply the best our community has to offer. The 2020 hours are noon to 4p.m. on Thursdays, 11a.m. to 6p.m. on Fridays, 11a.m. to 5p.m. on Saturdays and 11a.m. to 4p.m. on Sundays. All money raised by the Artisan Market will fund Saratoga County History Center public programming and collection maintenance, ensuring that future generations of Saratogians, as well as people from around the world, will be able to learn about and enjoy our amazing, historic region.

RUDOLPH’S MOVIE EXPERIENCE & PYROTECHNICS SHOW:

Ellms Christmas Trees, located at 468Charlton Rd. in Ballston Spa, recently announced a new 2020holiday season event called Rudolph’s Movie Experience and Pyrotechnics Show. Each show will kick off with a Rudolph trivia video, followed by Rudolph’s Movie Experience which is a special, abbreviated 11-minute version of the stop motion animation classic projected onto a giant screen. At the end of the movie experience, guests will enjoy a musical pyrotechnic, special effects and laser show, designed to dazzle and create exciting family traditions and memories. Rudolph’s Movie Experience, an all-ages event, runs every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 22, with three shows each night. Multiple packages offering holiday-themed food and beverage treats will be available as well, along with the opportunity to purchase Rudolph memorabilia on site. Upon arrival to the 240-acre tree farm, guests will be greeted by the masked Farm Team Elves who will direct guests to park and get ready for the experience to begin. Visitors can stand outside of their vehicles, but must remain at their vehicle the entire time. Masks will be required at all times if attendees are outside of their vehicle. Tickets to Rudolph’s Movie Experience and Pyrotechnics Show are currently on sale on the Ellms Farms website, www.ellmsfarms. com.

Friday, Dec. 11 WINTERTIME WONDERLAND:

New holiday attraction Wintertime Wonderland is now open. This holidaythemed, family-friendly attraction, billed as the Capital Region’s largest indoor Christmas event, is located at 195Troy Schenectady Rd. in Colonie, in the former Kmart store next to Vent Fitness. Set at the North Pole, the walk-through experience features a frosty ice maze, a post office and train station, a life-size snowglobe and gingerbread house, a whimsical light show on Candy Cane Alley, Christmas Village and Santa’s Workshop, where children will have the chance to meet Santa himself. Other characters that visitors will encounter along the way include an ice princess, snowmen, gingerbread men, carolers, reindeer, elves and Mrs. Claus. Attendees will have the option to take photographs with actors either close together or in a socially distanced pose with scenery in the space between. Kids will receive a greeting card, coloring book and letter to Santa with activities for throughout the attraction and at home. After exploring the displays, guests can enjoy refreshments, do some holiday shopping with local vendors, support area nonprofits, enter a raffle for a brand new car, view and purchase photos from the event and pick up a Christmas tree. The event’s COVID-19 protocols include temperature checks upon arrival, occupancy limits, frequent cleaning, social distancing and mask wearing at all times. Tickets, which can be reserved online, are $20per person. Children age two and younger are free. The wheelchair accessible event’s hours are 3to 9p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 9a.m. to 9p.m. on Saturday and 9a.m. to 8p.m. on Sunday, with expanded hours anticipated in the days right before Christmas. More information about Wintertime Wonderland is available online at wintertimewonderland.com.

PASTRY SALE & BOOK DRIVE:

St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, located at 440Whitehall Rd. in Albany, will host a Pastry Drive Thru Bake Sale and Grassroot Givers Children’s Book Drive on Dec. 11and 12. The Daughters of Penelope, the Philoptochos and the Maids of Athena are the three main philanthropic women’s organizations of St. Sophia’s and all share a common mission, to help charities and those in need in the community and beyond. This year the organizations have worked together for a spectacular Greek Pastry Holiday Drive Thru Bake Sale. The online bake sale features beautifully packaged pastry boxes of all your favorites that will make the perfect gift and addition to your holiday table such as Baklava, Kourambethes, Almond Cookies, and trays of Spanakopita. The Holiday Drive Thru Bake Sale is now teaming up with the Grassroot Givers of Albany children’s book collection drive. The organizations will be donating books from a portion of the proceeds of the Bake Sale and will have a collection box available for those who would also like to donate books when picking up their pastries. Visit St Sophia Holiday Trimmings and Treat website at https://dopalope158.square.site to place your order online and select your pick time. Quantities are limited, so place your order right away.

POP-UP PORCH SALE:

New this year at the Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany is a Pop-up Porch Sale, featuring wreaths designed and made by local garden clubs and artisans. All proceeds support the Albany County Historical Association’s education programming. Locally-made artisanal gifts and ornaments and new historic embroidery kits available. Pop-up Porch Sale hours are Fridays-Sundays, noon-3pm, December 4-20. For more information visit www.tenbroeckmansion.org.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 10a.m. to 4p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, located at 400Old Loudon Rd. in Latham. More information is available online at www. redcrossblood.org.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 7a.m. to 3p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center,