Saratoga News Photograph courtesy of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce As at last year's street dance, visitors to Celebrate Saratoga '98 will again be able to purchase souvenir wine and beer glasses--proper ID permitting. Celebrate Saratoga expected to attract crowd of thousands By Sarah Lombardo People will be dancing in the street when the Celebrate Saratoga! street dance returns to Saratoga Village on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. The annual street fest attracts some 20,000 visitors--and potential shoppers--to Big Basin Way, according to Sheila Arthur, executive director of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. When extensive road work on Big Basin Way virtually closed the street in 1988, leading to the closure of 13 Saratoga Village businesses, the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce decided it needed to announce the district's re-opening in 1989 with a bang--so it closed it one more time and threw a party. And Celebrate Saratoga! was born. With five bands scheduled to entertain visitors this year and a number of local restaurants, wineries and breweries offering their wares, Saratoga Code Enforcement officials are reminding residents to plan ahead for their travels around town. The following streets will closed from 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, to 1 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 27: *Big Basin Way from Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road to Sixth Street; *Third Street from Big Basin Way to the entrance of Village Parking District 4; *Fourth Street from Big Basin Way to the entrance of Village Parking District 4 and Village Parking District 1; *Fifth Street from Big Basin Way to the entrance of Village Parking District 2; *St. Charles Street from Oak Street to Sixth Street. In addition, there will be no parking available on the following streets between 4 p.m., Sept. 26 and 1 a.m., Sept. 27: *Oak Street between Sixth Street and Los Gatos-Saratoga Road; *Fourth Street from the Saratoga Creek Bridge to Big Basin Way; *Los Gatos-Saratoga Road on both sides from Oak Street to Horseshoe Drive *all of Sixth Street. The street dance tops a week of activities designed to introduce--or reacquaint--residents to their hometown. Our Lady of Fatima Villa will host a spaghetti feed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. The meal will include pasta, salad and bread, and cost $4 for adults and $3 for children. The villa is located at 20400 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road. For more information, call 741-2954. High Tea will be served at the Saratoga Senior Center Thursday, Sept. 24, at 3 p.m. The center is located at 19655 Allendale Ave. For more information, call 868-1257. Saturday's street dance will be accompanied by a birthday bash and open house at the Saratoga Fire District to celebrate 75 years of service in Saratoga. Safety exhibits, historical photos and drawings of the proposed new building will be on display. For more information, call 867-9001. For more information about Celebrate Saratoga, call the Chamber at 867-0753. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, September 23, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.