Courtesy of Matt Malette via Flickr

Independence Day, commonly referred to as July 4th, is a day we commemorate the signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence from 1776. Saratoga Springs, NY goes all out for an old fashioned all-American 4^th of July celebration. Imagine flags waving, marching parades, politicians, finger-licking good barbecue, and homemade desserts along with family picnics and fireworks… all become a reality in our beautiful city. Throw in a modern day 4-mile Firecracker Race and you have one of the best ways to celebrate Independence Day anywhere. And the best part of it all, our Saratoga Springs hotel is located right in the middle of the all the festivities.

The starting line for the 5K race is just across the street from the hotel. The parade route passes right by our fabulous Saratoga-style front porch. Sit in our old-fashioned white-wicker furniture, sip your lemonade, and salute the flag as it passes by.

Stroll down Broadway to historic Congress Park and meet General Burgoyne, noted American Revolutionary War luminary. Ride on a beautifully restored carousel, admire restored classic cars, or simply watch the ducks and ducklings wander freely throughout the park. Enjoy the bliss of the evening and hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence followed by an exciting fireworks display.

As you reflect on the importance of celebrating Independence Day and living in or at least visiting this wonderful country, maybe the words of Lee Greenwoods, “Proud to Be an American” will play over and over in your head. Come share the joy of patriotism with others for a true blue all-American Independence Day celebration! To add to the events of the day, we are just a short drive from The Saratoga National Battlefield and Historic Park, turning point of the American Revolution, a must see memorial to a battle hard fought and ultimately won.

For a complete list of events visit Saratoga’s All American Celebration. Happy 4th of July from the Smith Family and staff at Saratoga Arms Hotel.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Saratoga Springs’ All-American Celebration for July 4th!.

Our city has a big Winter Weekend coming up and Saratoga Arms, Saratoga’s luxury hotel is right in the middle of it all! The weekend of February 3-5, 2012 is designed to fend off those winter blahs.

Something’s Brewing at Saratoga Arms, the city’s finest boutique hotel. We are hosting the first of four Ultimate Bed and Brew Weekends beginning Friday, February 3. With the craft beer enthusiast in mind and a nod to beer and food connoisseurs, Saratoga Arms together with the Olde Saratoga Brewing Company and Sperry’s Restaurant, has designed a package that from start to finish will give you a beer experience that you will talk about for a long time to come. Participate in a behind the scenes tour of our local brewery with beer samplings and end with a gourmet beer pairing meal under the direction of Master Chef Dale Miller at renowned Sperry’s Restaurant. This Saratoga Bed and Breakfast has it all planned out just for you. Meet other beer enthusiasts and sample homebrewed or regional craft beers. Take home specially selected souvenirs of the weekend and maybe a six-pack of locally brewed beer.

We have Beer Weekend guests from last year who had such a great time that they are returning this year with friends and neighbors. They plan to make it an annual event.

As an added bonus this same weekend is the 14^th Annual Saratoga Springs Chowderfest and Winter Festival. On February 4^th more than 35 fabulous local restaurants throughout the city will participate in putting forth their very best chowder recipes for you to sample and judge. There will be wine tastings, live music and plenty of photo ops. Post your pics on our facebook page. See what’s in store in the video below:

Come for the chowder and stay for the beer or the other way around…just come. It’s two events wrapped up in a great winter weekend in Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Arms has a room ready for you and of course there is the breakfast…. ah the breakfast, homemade muffins, hot-from-the-kitchen omelets… but that is for another blog for another day.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Chowder and Beer…Meant to be together in Saratoga Springs.

Photo by Tom Dimopoulos from the PostStar

The famous song Bye, Bye Miss American Pie says bye-bye to Saratoga Springs, NY legend and lore.

For years upon years Saratogians have proudly laid claim to the origins of Don McLean’s famous 1960’s hit song American Pie….go ahead, I’ll wait while you hum along and then try to get that brain worm out of your head.

The story was that Don McLean, after a night of imbibing in local “spirits” had written the lyrics to the song on a napkin in a small Caroline Street bar called the Tin & Lint. So convincing was this tale that the owners of the bar had a plaque made to commemorate the booth…the seat…the very location was it was purported to have happened.

The song was later said to have been first performed at a Small Coffee house, Caffe Lena, owned by a local Saratoga Springs legend in her own right, Lena Spencer. Don McLean did have a soft spot in his heart for Lena Spencer, who had encouraged him early on in his music career, and he went on to perform American Pie and many more songs over the years in that tiny coffee house. But laying claim to the first public performance of the famous song is alas, also not true. According to the legendary performer, the song came to life in Philadelphia, PA; the closest Saratoga Springs can come to that is a one-way street named Phila Street. American Pie was first performed at Temple University and while many still regard Caffe Lena as a Temple of sorts, it must give up that claim to fame.

The American Pie brain worm still lives in the heads of many Saratogians who stubbornly refuse to believe that the seat in the corner of that little bar on Caroline Street in Downtown Saratoga Springs, NY was not where “drove my Chevy to the levee and the levee was dry” sprang to life one not-so-sober night in the 1960’s.

♪♫ Bye, Bye Miss American Pie ♪♫ from all of us here at our Saratoga Springs Hotel in beautiful Saratoga Springs, NY.

Book a stay at our Saratoga NY Hotel and mention this blog and we will send you home with a fresh homemade American (Apple) Pie.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here The Day the Music Died…In Saratoga Springs, NY.