SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Enjoy some winter fun and some great food at the 17th Annual Chowderfest (part of the 18^th annual Winterfest) held in Saratoga Springs, NY on Saturday, January 31, 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – the event is coordinated by the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau and presented by KeyBank.  Special hotel rates are available at Discoversaratoga.org/Chowderfest.

Visitors can pick up a ballot and taste chowders from 90 participating establishments and vote for their favorite.  Each sample of chowder is $1, and is paid directly to the establishment.  Valid ballots need 5 stickers from participating businesses and can be turned in to the Saratoga Springs Visitor Center (11-4 p.m), the Saratoga Springs City Center (11-4 p.m) or the Saratoga Downtowner Motel (from 2-4 p.m). For an additional $10, Chowderfest attendees can take home an official long-sleeve Chowderfest T-shirt with a completed ballot (2XL shirts are $12).  Winners will be announced inside the Saratoga Springs City Center at 6:30 p.m. on the day of the event. 

New this year! FREE Shuttles will run back & forth from 10:00am-6:00pm! Upstate Transit Shuttles will run from the Wilton Mall at Saratoga at the park & ride near Dick's Sporting Goods store to the post office downtown. Shuttles will also run from the Saratoga Casino and Raceway in front of the Hall of Fame building off of Jefferson to Congress Park.

Visitors can also bring their four-legged family members as there are participants serving dog chowder.  The popular Dog Chow Down will take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Saratoga Downtowner Motel. Mayor Yepsen’s dog will be on hand to pick the winning chowder!

Enjoy music from The Jockey at the top of Caroline Street from 11 a.m.-2 p.m, Froggy 100.3 on Phila Street from 11-1 p.m. then The Jockey from 2-4 p.m., then 107.7 WGNA will be at the Saratoga Downtowner Motel parking lot from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., The Visitor’s Center will have music inside with 104.5 The Team, ESPN Radio and outside with Q103 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Fly 92 will be on Henry Street from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 102.7 WEQX from 1-3 p.m. outside the Saratoga Springs City Center, and the always entertaining DJ Tim from Capital Disc Jockeys inside the Saratoga Springs City Center from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Additional entertainment, live music and event information is available on the website.

Thank you to all our sponsors! Chowderfest is presented by KeyBank and made possible by the Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau, Saratoga Springs City Center, Clipper Magazine, D.A. Collins Companies, DeCrescente Distributing Company, Inc., 101.3 The Jockey, MVP Health Care, Saratoga.com, The Saratogian, Saratoga Today Newspaper, Townsquare Media, Westminster Cracker Company, FastSigns of Saratoga Springs, Fingerpaint, Hat sational, Liberty Tax Service, Narragansett, Nemer CJDR of Saratoga, Price Chopper, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Stewart’s Shops, Upstate Transit of Saratoga, LLC, The Wesley Community, Wilton Mall at Saratoga, Adirondack Trust Company, Bonacio Construction, Halfmoon Cellars, Saratoga’s Community Federal Credit Union and Trustco Bank.

Chowderfest is a signature winter event that takes place during the 18^th Annual Winterfest, January 30 – February 8^th, 2015.  For a list of participating chowder outlets, Winterfest events and further details, visit Discoversaratoga.org/Chowderfest or call 518-584-1531.