All This Rain Was Good for Something

It's Apple Season! 

This coming weekend is the Capital Region’s 19^th annual Apple and Wine Festival at the Altamont Fair Grounds.  This is a great event to start the fall season and is something I always look forward to.

Delicious apple cider, apple pie, donuts and many other apple treats will be available.  It’s definitely time for some cider, if that’s not your cup of tea then there’s also the opportunity for some wine tasting featuring over a dozen wineries.  The arts and crafts show kicks off on Saturday and there is fun activities for the kiddies.

For more info check out the festival’s website.

Capital Region Craft Brewers Festival

This one's today folks. Sorry about the short notice.

The festival runs from 2:30 to 6:30 pm at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy and is hosted by the Tri-City Valley Cats and sponsored by Brown's Brewing Co. Tickets run from $10 to $47 depending on the amount of tasting tickets you want, if you would like an event glass, a VIP pass or other novelties.

The event website has plenty of information about ticket prices, participating brewers and directions.

Festa Italiana

The Italian American Community Center in Albany will be holding their 21^st annual Festa Italiana tomorrow from 5 to 10 pm. Festivities will continue on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8 pm. You can expect plenty of food, wine, live music and fun for the whole family. I for one can’t wait to sign up for the pizza eating contest. If you’re interested in flexing the golden pipes there is also an “Italian American Idol” contest.  There are pony rides, face painting, puppet shows and rides for the kids. It sounds like a great way to spend the day.

The Italian American Community Center is located on 257 Washington Ave Ext in Albany. Admission is free. For more info call (518) 456-4222

UPDATE: The schedule is now back online. Click here for a full schedule for each of the 3 days.

White Management Supporting Four-Legged Friends

Bountiful Bread is selling all natural dog treats
to raise money for Pet Connection.

 Bummed you can't get tickets to the track this weekend? Well cheer up, I have good news for you: that's not the only game in town. Pet Connection with Steve Caporizzo is hosting the 2^nd Annual Pet Connection Adoption Day and Open House at The Animal Hospital on Saturday, July 23rd from 9 AM to 2 PM. The Animal Hospital is located at 2 Rocking Horse Lane, Slingerland. It's for a good cause - proceeds raised at the event will be used to help homeless animals. You can do your part too by taking home a fuzzy pet of your own. 26 adoption groups will take part in the event which includes a silent auction, tour of the facility and drawings to win a day at News 10 and have a private dinner with Steve Caporizzo at Creo'.

How does this relate to food you ask? The event is being catered by Central Steak, Bountiful Bread and Creo' -- three of the five eateries owned by White Management. White Management also owns Mangia and Coldstone Creamery. All of their restaurants are selling homemade dog biscuits baked by Bountiful Bread for $3 each. They will be on sale until Saturday and proceeds from the sale are going to Pet Connection.

“The whole White Management family is excited to be involved with this event,” said Brian White, Vice President of White Management. “This is the second straight year White Management is supporting Pet Connection’s Adoption Day. Last year we were able to adopt more than 70 animals and we hope to do even better this year.  Adoption Day is a tremendous opportunity for us to tie our passion for food into the passion Steve Caporizzo and many others foster through Pet Connection.” White is an avid pet lover whose wife is a veterinarian and the couple owns three dogs (Wolfgang, Otis and Molly Brown).

Watervliet Armenian Festival

St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet is hosting their Armenian Festival on Saturday, June 11 from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, June 12 from noon - 4:00 p.m. St. Peter Armenian Church is located at 100 Troy Schenectady Road. Both parking and admission are free.

You can expect rides for kids and raffles as well as Armenian and Middle-Eastern music and food. Those of you who are there on Saturday night will be able to join a tavloo (backgammon) tournament at 4:30 p.m. The entry fee is $15. A dance instruction will be held Sunday afternoon.

For more information, click here.

St. Basil's Troy Greek Festival

I know, I know, I'm late to the party with this one but I still wanted to get the word out before it was too late. Like I said a few days back, this is the time for church festivals. That means there will be plenty of food and fun to go around for the whole family. St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in Troy is holding its 17th Annual Greek Festival this weekend. It started Friday and continues today (Saturday) noon - 10 PM and Sunday noon to 5 PM.

What can you expect? Food, dancing, a bazaar, raffles...and did I mention the food?!

For directions and more info, please click here.

A Taste of Troy

Looking for something to do tomorrow night? The Franklin Terrace Ballroom on 126 Campbell Ave in Troy is holding a benefit tomorrow from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Troy restaurants will be on hand, offering select items from their menus for attendees to sample. Tickets are $20 for pre-sale and $25 at the door. Proceeds benefit Hope 7 Community Center Food Pantry and Youth Programs.

Click here for more information.