Christmas isn’t even here, yet it’s time to think about celebrating the new year. That’s probably why it’s called the holiday season.
Even though it doesn’t rank with 2020, there’s a lot of hope that 2024 will be better than 2023.
That’s the joy of a New Year’s Eve party. It’s as much about anticipating a new beginning as it is celebrating the end of a year.
If you enjoy turning the page of the annual calendar with crowds, Saratoga Springs should be your destination. The town is celebrating with four days of activities under the umbrella name Saratoga’s New Year’s Eve Fest!
It’s a variation of the First Night Celebrations that dominated New Years Eve gathering during the 1980’s and 90’s. The principle is the same. For a set price you gain access to all events. The difference is the events are fewer, but more high profile. Too, something takes place every day, Friday through New Year’s Day on Monday.
Actually most of the party stuff still takes place on New Year’s Eve. On Sunday the festivities center about two headliners. In support, there are several talented performers helping to guarantee you will enter 2024 smiling.
The headliners are Joan Osborne and Richard Randolph, both of whom will be performing at Saratoga City Center on Sunday evening.
Osborne who is probably best known for her breakout hit, “God is One of Us,” is not a one hit wonder. She has been nominated for 8 Grammy Awards over her long career.
Randolph, who is one of the finest pedal steel guitar players in the country, started out as primarily a spiritual performer. He crossed over to the secular market and his band is now thought of as gospel with a distinctive blues, roots and rock flavor. His set starts at 7 p.m.
The day features children activities in the afternoon and live music with 28 attractions playing Saratoga’s major venues.
A highlight is the outdoor block party complete with live music starting at 4:30 p.m., followed by a fireworks display at 6pm. It happens at Ellsworth Jones Place. It free to all.
The festival concludes with a “First Day 5K” on Monday. If you like to start the year suffering, you could also ride up to Lake George and join the Polar Bear Club for a quick dip in the frigid water.
Or, If you are more like me and prefer to enter the new year smiling, First Night of Funny returns for its 16th season on New Year’s Eve. The concept is to experience three comics and an emcee, who when combined, offer a 100-minute laugh jamboree.
The comics are selected for their talent and grouped together to offer audiences a broad range of styles during the evening.
The venues are Proctors in Schenectady, Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes and the Charles Wood Theatre in Glens Falls. Each has a curtain time that will permit audiences to also celebrate the actual new year at a place of their choice - which for many will be home.
There are also a few smaller events that have become traditions. At Steamer No. 10 in Albany, Byron Nilsson and Malcom Kogut have been regaling audiences with a night of off-beat music , puns and funny stories for years.
This year their evening is titled “2023 Skidoo.” Even though the songs will be different, the sources will remain the same. Comic and ditty song writers like Flanders and Swan, Tom Lehrer and Noel Coward will be featured. You’ll also get some Cole Porter and Tom Paxton.
Arguably the most unique entertainment is at Capital Repertory Theatre where “Opal Essence’s New Year’s Eve Dragtacular” offers a night of well - drag.
Telling you all you need know about the event is two of the other five performers are the nationally-known Violence Exclamation Point and Onyx Onyx.
Somehow, it feels the appropriate way to say goodbye to 2023.
An appropriate way to start 2024, can be found at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Monday, January 1.
There, the Berkshire Bach Society offers “A Very Baroque Celebration” at 3 pm. There will plenty of Bach, but also some Corelli, Handel and Telemann.
The concert is also being performed at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Academy of Music in Northampton, MA and 6 p.m. at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA.
These are but a few choices. There are many other events throughout the area. Whichever you choose, enjoy the new year.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.