By Sarah Lombardo
Just when the sounds of summer seemed out of reach for another year, the sounds of Celebrate Saratoga '96! are on their way with feuding bands, Caribbean drums, shopping sprees, children's carnivals and street dancing.
The festivities begin at 11 a.m., Sat., Sept. 21, with the competing strains of the Music Fest '96. While residents and visitors join the shopping spree in hopes of winning $1,000, $250 or $100 in merchandise certificates from participating Saratoga merchants, local teen musicians will duel with notes for cash prizes in Wildwood Park. Beverly Tucker, Saratoga Youth Commission adviser, said about six bands will offer a variety of music. According to Tucker, the bands, which must consist of high-school students, are required to make at least half of their play list original music.
"School clubs come out and set up tables, and there are refreshments and T-shirts," Tucker said. "It's a big event. We draw about 1,000 people each year."
For more information on the Music Fest '96, call Tucker at 868-1234.
The official kick-off for Celebrate Saratoga '96 will be from 3 to 5 p.m., Thurs., Sept. 26, in the Saratoga Senior Center. Tea, musical entertainment and lots of food will be available for $9 per ticket.
On Saturday, Saratoga will close off a street and open up the party in the village. The Saratoga Street Dance will begin at 6 p.m. on Big Basin Way and include the lively metal drum sounds of the Caribbean Rhythms, the blues of the Sliders and the modern country twang of Way Out West. RZDJ System will offer festival-goers music by request and for those wanting to take requests instead of making them, the Karaoke Kid will be also be on hand.
On Sun., Sept. 29, at the Saratoga High School track, the second annual Falcon Fun Run will provide Saratoga families with a fun, healthy way to begin the day. The Water Color Society Art Show at the Hakone Gardens and the Sanborn Park Open House will give Saratogans a slightly slower-paced way to spend the day.
Celebrate Saratoga '96! festivities will continue with a spaghetti dinner at Our Lady of Fatima Villa on Wed., Oct. 2, and a children's carnival on Thurs., Oct. 3. Fri., Oct. 4, at noon will mark shoppers' last chance to enter their names for the shopping spree drawings, which will begin after the Saratoga Parade on Oct. 6.
Sheila Arthur, Saratoga Chamber of Commerce executive director, said she expects from 20,000 to 25,000 people to attend this year's celebration.
"It's the largest community event in Saratoga," Arthur said. "We have people calling us planning their vacations around when Celebrate Saratoga would be. ... It's just one big, fun event."
Celebrate Saratoga '96! is sponsored by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. For more information or for a complete listing of events, call the chamber at 867-0753.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, September 18, 1996.
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