SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Schenectady was the place to be this past weekend as an estimated 40,000 people attended a variety of events and festivals in downtown, Central Park, and the Town of Niskayuna. This was the first year since 2019 that all established events returned to their pre-pandemic levels of activities and offerings.
In Downtown Schenectady, events included the 71st Stockade Villagers’ Outdoor Art Show, the 46th St. George Greek Festival, the 17th Little Italy Street Fest, the weekly Schenectady Greenmarket, the SaturJay celebration on the Jay Street Marketplace, and the band Stone Temple Pilots at Frog Alley Brewing Co.
Jim Salengo, executive director of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation (DSIC), said, “It was beyond exciting to see the streets throughout Downtown Schenectady filled with people to a degree that we haven’t seen since before the pandemic. The weekend was a showcase of downtown’s diverse neighborhoods, culture, and arts, as well as a great economic boost for our many small businesses that welcomed thousands of visitors through their doors.”
Outside of downtown, crowds also flocked to Schenectady Caribbean Day at Central Park’s Music Haven Stage and the 44th Carrot Festival at Congregation Agudat Achim in the Schenectady County Town of Niskayuna.
Todd Garofano, executive director of the Discover Schenectady convention and tourism bureau, said, “We were thrilled to see so many visitors attend such a diverse offering of events throughout Schenectady County this weekend. In addition to the many events mentioned, crowds are still thronging to Van Gogh – The Immersive Experience at Armory Studios NY, and the US Tennis Association held their Eastern Sectional Championships at Central Park, bringing players and teams from throughout the Northeast. All this activity supports Schenectady County’s economy, jobs, and the vitality of our downtowns and neighborhoods.”
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