Festival to show off region’s finest
Inaugural festival to feature region’s finest food, drink
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Local restaurants are coming together this weekend for the first-ever Eat Drink Saratoga festival.
The inaugural event is scheduled for Saturday at 20 Lake Ave. in the parking lot of the former Saratogian building in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Tickets are available for two sessions from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as well as a VIP hour from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Eat Drink Saratoga will bring together local restaurants, breweries, distilleries, wineries and cider makers for the occasion, aiming to showcase the Spa City’s finest food and regional beverage purveyors.
A total of 14 local restaurants and dozens of beverage sponsors including regional craft distillers and breweries representing New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Vermont, as well as hand-selected area wineries will be present at the festival.
The restaurant lineup will feature 2 West Bar & Grille, Boca Bistro, Comfort Kitchen, Druthers Brewing Co., Fish at 30 Lake, Hamlet & Ghost, Hattie’s Restaurant, Henry Street Tap Room, Prime at Saratoga National, Salt & Char, Sperry’s Restaurant, The Blue Hen, The Brook Tavern and The Mouzon House.
A wide variety of cuisine such as albondigas from Boca Bistro, Angry Lobster Dumplings from The Blue Hen, fried chicken sliders from Hattie’s, oysters from Fish at 30 Lake and pizzelle ice cream sandwiches from Comfort Kitchen will all be available for event-goers to taste on Saturday.
“Eat Drink Saratoga is a celebration of Saratoga’s culinary community,” said Jillian Petercsak, founder of Eat Drink Saratoga. “The festival is a way to show how many great restaurants really shine in our city.”
Additionally, some of Saturday’s beverage brands on board are Brown’s Brewing Company, Saratoga Sparkling Co., Brewery Ommegang, Galway Rock Vineyard and Winery, Nine Pin Cider Works, One With Life Tequila and Kru Coffee.
“Our goal was always to create a food festival that truly showcases the variety and quality of food that downtown Saratoga has to offer,” Petercsak said in a press release. “We are thrilled with the response from participating restaurants and look forward to providing attendees with an incredible lineup. On the beverage side, we also feel like we’ve managed to pull together an all-star roster of regional craft breweries, distilleries and other drink options giving festival goers a real snapshot of the great food and beverage coming out of the area.”
Hamlet & Ghost, located just steps away from the festival grounds, plans to serve spring pea falafel, spiced grilled lamb and avocado hummus with flatbread at the upcoming festival. Along with the location making a lot of sense, co-owner Brendan Dillon said he decided to participate because the festival offered opportunities for the businesses involved to crosspromote and get to know each other a little better.
“It’s a great group of businesses and a great cause,” added Beth Alexander, co-owner of Hattie’s Restaurant. “I applaud the effort and am happy to be a part of it!”
All are invited to bring their appetite to Eat Drink Saratoga this weekend. General admission tickets are $60 each, and include sam-
pling from all breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries as well as a souvenir sampling glass. The ticket price also includes two $5 food tokens to be used at any participating restaurant’s booth. A dish from participating restaurants will start at $5.
VIP admission tickets for $75 are also available and include access to a limited admission preview of the event with rare bottling and special tastings of premium spirits, beers, wines and ciders.
A $30 Designated Driver Admission ticket gives attendees access to the event with a special non-alcoholic consumption bracelet and two $5 food tokens.
Attendees must be years of age or older.
A portion of proceeds from Eat Drink Saratoga will benefit the Saratoga County Children’s Committee, a non-profit organization based in Saratoga Springs dedicated to meeting year-round emergency 21 and basic needs of underprivileged children throughout Saratoga County. SCCC sponsors the Empty Stocking Project, Summer Campership Program and a Back to School Program.
When creating the event, Petercsak knew she wanted to give to a hyper local charity so that the money raised could make an immediate and definitive impact on the community, and that’s how she decided on the SCCC. “I greatly respect the work they do at this charity,” she said. “I really want them to get the recognition they deserve for helping so many children yearround in schools and social services throughout Saratoga County.”
Some of the businesses involved in Eat Drink Saratoga will host after-party events after the main festival as well.