By Khalida Sarwari
Closing out the month of September with a bang won’t be hard to do in Saratoga. The final weekend of the month offers locals a plethora of activities in the city. One more event to add to the list is the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church of Saratoga’s Russian Festival.
The setting for this annual event is the church at 14220 Elva Ave. That’s where folks can find all things Russian for two days, including food, music and entertainment.
The festival also features several vendors that will sell a selection of imported Russian crafts and souvenirs, from lacquer boxes to nesting dolls, Christmas items, Faberge-style egg pendants, jewelry, wooden toys, books and porcelain.
The white elephant booth, which tends to be one of the festival’s more popular features, will be back this year, with various knickknacks and treasures.
Meals will include beef stroganoff, pirozhki (small pies), shashlyk (barbecued lamb), pelmeni (dumplings), stuffed cabbage and borscht (beet soup). A variety of Russian and international desserts will also be on hand.
New this year will be folk dancing, an activity that anyone is welcome to join. That will take place Saturday evening.
A variety of dances will be performed, including Russian folk dances and some international numbers. Making a repeat appearance will be the Sivka Burka Cossack Choir. The Russian House Kedry, a traditional Russian folk group, will lead children in singing and dancing games. All of the dances are performed in traditional costume. The banjo-playing Balka Balalaika group will perform at 2 p.m. on Sept. 29.
Plenty of children’s activities will be offered, such as Russian folk tale puppet shows. When the church introduced this event for the first time last year, it was an immediate hit, said Basil Rhodes, a pastor at the church.
“It was hugely popular,” he said. “It’s done in Russian and English. Kids can sit on the grass and watch the puppet show. It’s great.”
Not for the kids, however, is a vodka-tasting, where for an additional fee, folks can try at least a dozen varieties, including plain and flavored.
The festival is St. Nicholas’ biggest fundraiser of the year, said Rhodes. “It’s our major outreach to the community,” he said. “A lot of people don’t even know we’re here.”
In one form or another, the festival has been around for about 30 years, according to Rhodes. Before that, it was a bazaar and white elephant sale event, and prior to that, it was a “big Russian tea” beginning in 1951, Rhodes said.
The event runs from to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 28 and noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29.
Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children and seniors. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1.
Parking is free and available at the church as well as in surrounding neighborhoods.
For more information, visit saratogarussianfestival.com.
HERITAGE DAY
Elsewhere in town, costumed characters will bring Saratoga’s more than 150-year-old history to life at the seventh annual Heritage Day on Sept. 28, from noon to 4 p.m. The event will commence in Blaney Plaza with an introduction of the historic figures and will continue to the museum, which will offer an old-fashioned band concert, docent-led Village walking tours, book signings, children’s activities and more than 20 craftspeople.
BALKAN NIGHT
The Saint Archangel Michael Orthodox Serbian Church will host its Balkan Night event, which promises an evening of jazz, dancing, authentic Balkan grilled meats and homemade desserts. The event will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Saint Archangel Michael Orthodox Serbian Church Hall, 18870 Allendale Ave.
WILDWOOD OPENING
The weekend also marks the official opening of Wildwood Market. A ribbon-cutting commemorating the opening of the business will be held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 28. Other activities include food tasting and children’s activities. The events take place Sept. 27 and 28 at 14413 Big Basin Way.
MUSEUM BARBECUE
And to wrap up the weekend, the Saratoga Historical Foundation will hold its annual barbecue fundraiser for the Saratoga Historical Foundation and Museum on Sept. 29.
The event will feature music by the jazz band Orchid and a silent auction. All are invited to the event, set to take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Hakone Gardens.
The cost is $45 for foundation members; $50 for nonmembers. For questions, call 408.867.4311 or email info@saratogahistory.com, or visit saratogahistory.com.
