Saratoga is a county along the banks of the Hudson River in upstate New York in an area best known for horse racing and a historical park where the Battle of Saratoga took place during the Revolutionary War. The towns of Saratoga, Saratoga Springs and Stillwater are among the populated areas within the county, and there are several events that take place year after year that draw people from near and far to spend time in these cities by the quiet river.
Saratoga Race Course hosts the town's largest horseracing event each year in late August. The Travers Stakes attracts thousands of racing fans from all over each year to watch America's oldest major thoroughbred horse race, according to the Unofficial Guide to the Saratoga Race Track website.
Named for successful racehorse owner and breeder William R. Travers, the Travers Stakes was first run in 1864. Since then it has grown into Saratoga's premier racing event. The race takes place on the Saturday of the weekend, but is accompanied by other events over the weekend including a festival.
Each June the Adirondacks erupt with the rumble of 50,000 motorcycle engines. The Americade, known as the "world's largest touring rally," according to the event website, begins in Lake George just 20 minutes north of Saratoga Springs and roars to life as it rolls through the streets of Saratoga County and beyond.
Motorcycle enthusiasts ride along the winding mountain roads and throughout the region. The event consists of multiple rides over the course of a week as well as other special events that can be enjoyed by riders or anyone else who has an interest in motorcycles and their culture.
People attending the event scatter throughout the region and dine in local restaurants, cruise the river and take in one of many bike demonstrations.
In May of each year the Hudson becomes the site of the New York State Scholastic Rowing Association's state championships for high school students who excel at the sport of rowing. Teams come from all over New York and converge on the river for this two-day event that pits the best crews from across the state against one another for the most important race of the season.
The event features championship races that range from novice crews up to the most experienced senior crews in all of New York. The event begins with time trials and concludes with the races for the right to claim the title.
