Saratoga News

Photograph by Lea Tauriello

Frank Byer and Don Durante of Le Mouton Noir barbecue ribs at a past Celebrate Saratoga festival.

Celebrate Saratoga party offers music, dancing, food and wine

Big Basin Way will be closed Sept. 28 for Saratoga's annual street party

By Carolyn Leal

Celebrate Saratoga '96, the popular street dance, wine and food tasting that has come to be a signature event for Saratoga, takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. along Big Basin Way.

The sponsoring Saratoga Chamber of Commerce has lined up 16 food and beverage establishments to serve gourmet goodies, including Gene's Quito Market, Bella Saratoga, La Fondue, Vienna Woods Deli, Sent Sovi, Mandarin Chef, La Mere Michelle, Marjolaine French Pastries, Dinucci's Coffee Grounds, Le Mouton Noir, Trattoria Florentine, International Coffee Exchange, Dolce Vita, Viaggio, Divine Vocation and P.S. I Love You.

In addition, 10 area wineries will be pouring their best: Byington Winery, Los Gatos; Troquato Vineyards, Los Gatos; Saratoga Vineyards and Mariani Winery, Saratoga; Cooper Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga; Paraiso Springs Vineyards, Soledad; Fellom Ranch Vineyards, Cupertino; Solis Winery, Gilroy; Bear Ridge Vineyards, San Jose; Devlin Wine Cellars, Soquel; and Storrs Winery, Santa Cruz.

Other beverages will be beer from M. E. Fox and Co. Inc., frozen margaritas supplied by Rio-Mar Beverages; and Black Mountain Spring Water and soda, sold by chamber volunteers.

Five groups will be playing music for the street dance. They include Caribbean Rhythms, a steel drum band; Karaoke Kid and RZDJ System, offering music by request; the Sliders, featuring blues and rock; and Way Out West, a country & western band.

A shopping spree, originally planned to be part of Celebrate Saratoga, has been rescheduled to November. Chamber executive director Sheila Arthur said that the chamber decided to move the shopping spree closer to the holiday shopping season. The new spree will begin Nov. 22 and end Dec. 6.

Other Celebrate Saratoga events include:

* A High Tea from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Saratoga Senior Center, 19655 Allendale Ave.Tickets are $9; call 867-3438 for reservations;

* Marcus Roberts and the Academy of Ascension Orchestra perform the music of George Gershwin and other composers at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Villa Montalvo Garden Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd. Call 741-3428 for reservations. (Say "Celebrate Saratoga," and get a 10 percent discount.);

* Tours of the Southwest YMCA, 13500 Quito Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 28;

* An updated version of The Phantom Tollbooth plays at Villa Montalvo at 7 p.m. Sept. 28;

* On Sunday, Sept. 29, the second annual Falcon Fun Run, a two-mile family run, takes place at 11 a.m. on Saratoga High School's new track, 20300 Herriman Ave. Call race director Cindy Tolliver at 867-7920;

* There will be a Watercolor Society Art Show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 29 at Hakone Gardens, 21000 Big Basin Way. A $5 fee includes parking and tours of the Japanese garden. Call Kay Duffy, 867-0508;

* The Youth Science Institute holds an open house from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 at Sanborn Skyline Park, 16055 Sanborn Road. Call 867-6940;