The 20th annual Clifton Park Winterfest will be held on Saturday — snow or no snow — as a way of banishing the midwinter blues.
“It’s a way for families, friends and neighbors to get together during cabin fever time,” said town parks and recreation director Myla Kramer.
Kramer said Winterfest allows town residents to participate in a variety of events, including indoor activities at Clifton Park Center and at the Shenendehowa Adult Community Center in Clifton Commons.
The outdoor activities include sleigh or wagon rides at Riverview Orchards on Riverview Road, a guided walking tour of the Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve off Pierce and Kinns roads, cross-country ski events at Clifton Common (provided there is enough snow) and a youth fun classic race at 1 p.m. at Kinns Road Park.
“It’s for people who want to get out of the house,” Kramer said. “At this time of the year, people get cabin fever.”
Some of the highlights include the Clifton Park Idol competition featuring young people between the ages of six and 17 at Clifton Park Center.
The contestants in the idol competition have already preregistered and are ready to strut their stuff starting at 11:45 a.m. The young people, in two age categories, will be judged and prizes will be awarded.
Kramer said the Clifton Park Idol competition was first suggested by town Supervisor Philip Barrett four or five years ago.
One of Kramer’s favorite events is the “Taste of Clifton Park” best soup contest to be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Shenendehowa Adult Community Center, the former senior center in Clifton Commons.
She said eight local restaurants in Clifton Park will prepare 10 different kinds of soup that residents can sample, free of charge, and then vote on their favorite.
The soup menu includes Brunswick stew, Adirondack farm blue Gorgonzola, clam chowder, French onion and Baja chicken enchilada.
“People can taste them and vote for their favorite,” Kramer said. She said sampling all 10 of the soups is like eating a full lunch.
The popular Zucchini Brothers will also be playing tunes for young people from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the community center, free of charge.
Frank Berlin, a member of the town’s Open Space Committee, will lead a 10 a.m. one-hour walk at Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve. He will discuss the winter behavior of wildlife and lead the walkers to the wood duck house in the preserve. The entrance to the preserve is on Pierce Road across from Prestige Catering.
Events at Riverview Orchards include horse-drawn sleigh rides or draft-horse-drawn wagon rides, depending on the snow cover, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A light lunch will also be served at the farm, including soup, half a sandwich, drink and dessert for $6.95.
A bonfire will be burning throughout the day at the orchard for making s’mores. There will also be games and crafts for children at the orchard sponsored by CAPTAIN.
Clifton Park Center will feature numerous displays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., including inventions by Shenendehowa Central School District students, face painting and displays by town emergency preparedness personnel, the American Cancer Society, Trout Unlimited, the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library and the Southern Saratoga YMCA.
Categories: Schenectady County
