SEASONAL SOUNDS
Carolers provide moving music at Victorian Streetwalk
Hundreds gathered along Broadway on Thursday night to listen to carolers, glance at Santa and shop as the 31st annual Victorian Streetwalk sparked the beginning of the holiday season in Saratoga Springs.
The event, which featured performances from Flying Fingers Fiddlers, Spa City Duo, Saratoga City Ballet Dancers, a cappella and brass groups from Skidmore College, Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus, Skidmore Circus Club, Sax-O-Claus and The National Museum of Dance School of the Arts ballet dancers, was presented by the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association.
Rebekkah Reichard handed out hot chocolate in front of City Hall with members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, as additional members sang Christmas songs on the steps.
Reichard said she’s been coming to the Victorian Streetwalk for as far back as she could remember.
“We used to do this when I was a kid, so I’ve been out here doing hot chocolate for at least the past six years,” said Reichard. “It’s incredible, honestly. I really enjoy it. You got all the lights up. People don’t understand because people are here during the race track season all the time, but it’s honestly just as beautiful in the winter time. I really enjoy it.”
Reichard said you can’t really have a better kick off for the holiday season than the Victorian Streetwalk.
Similar to Reichard and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Pokingbrook Morris Dancers have been a mainstay on Broadway for the Victorian Streetwalk.
Thursday night began Pokingbrook Morris Dancers’ selfproclaimed “marathon” of dance performances.
On Saturday, the group is scheduled to perform at the Rhinebeck Sinterklaas in Rhinebeck, N.Y. and Sunday at the Troy Victorian Stroll.
Pokingbrook Morris Dancers, based in Albany, are a community dance group dedicated to keeping the living dance traditions of England alive, dancing for over 40 years now.
Performers use sticks during dances. Doug Morrison, a member of the group, has responsibility for the men’s sticks for performances.
“It’s wonderful,” said Morrison. “I love the stroll here.”
Unlike Reichard and Morrison, Thursday night was the first time Sean Kelleher attended the Victorian Streetwalk.
Kelleher sang alongside friends as part of Glee-covery, which was organized just a few months ago, out of Healing Springs Recovery Center on High Rock Avenue.
“We came together,” said Kelleher. “We’re people in recovery, and we’re just expressing our joy and happiness of the holiday season here in Saratoga at the Victorian Streetwalk and having a great time.”
Kelleher said the group kind of threw it together for the Victorian Streetwalk.
“[We] decided that this was a great place to show case our talents, or courage, whatever you want to say,” said Kelleher, with a laugh.
Later this month, Glee-covery will put on a free concert at the Dee Sarno Theater, but Thursday marked the first time the group performed in public.
“It’s very festive. This is the first time I’ve actually been here. I didn’t realize there was going to be so many people, but we’re taking it in stride, we’re having a great time,” said Kelleher. “It’s great weather. We are hearing the other music, too, so we’re just enjoying everybody’s [company.]”