For the 14th consecutive year, the Travers Festival is set for Saratoga and the Greater Capital Region in anticipation of one of the highlights of the summer: the $1 million Shadwell Travers Stakes for the world’s top three-year-old thoroughbreds. Visitors to Saratoga Race Course and the surrounding area can enjoy nine days of special events, culminating in the 140th running of the Shadwell Travers on Saturday, August 29.

The Travers Festival, sponsored by the New York Lottery, kicks off Saturday, August 22 and continues through Sunday, August 30. Within that time, in addition to providing entertainment for visitors, the Travers Festival will help generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities. Some of the events include concerts, golf tournaments, art exhibits, an ice cream eating contest, a battle of the brews, and more. The following list highlights several of the premier events and activities of Travers Festival week.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
The Travers Festival gets under way at Saratoga Race Course with the Grade 1 Alabama for three-year-old fillies, which sets the scene for Travers week as the first of nine graded stakes races.

Later in the evening, take in a performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra as they celebrate the Fabulous Philadelphians at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Ravel’s Bolero and Rossini’s Overture to William Tell are the featured pieces. Admission is $16 for lawn seats, $10 for students, and free for kids 12 and under. Gates open at 6 p.m. and performance starts at 8 p.m. Contact: 518-584-9330 ext. 116 for ticket information.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
Perfect for cool summer evenings, all Saratoga Race Course patrons will receive a Saratoga Long Sleeve T-Shirt free with paid admission, while supplies last. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25
Take a break on this “dark Tuesday” and visit the NYRA Recreation Center in Saratoga Springs for La Fiesta, a festival celebrating backstretch cultural traditions through music, food, the arts and much more. La Fiesta is free and open to the public (there is a cost for food and beverages). It begins at 5 p.m. For more information, call 518 584-0400 x120. The event is presented by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Saratoga National hosts a charity golf tournament to benefit the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. The daylong affair includes lunch and a post-tournament buffet dinner. For more information, call 212-521-5327.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26
Racing fans can cool down at the track with the Stewart’s Shops Annual Ice Cream Eating Contest. One of the best ways to beat the summer heat, those wishing to enter the “chilly” competition can sign up for the kid, teen or adult categories near the jockey silks room. The contest is currently slated to get under way at 2 p.m.,with registration starting at noon.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
Start the day at Saratoga Race Course with a fashion show and luncheon to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region. The 11th annual Ronald McDonald House Fashion Show takes places inside the air-conditioned At the Rail Pavilion. For ticket information, call 518-438-2655.

Later in the day, Congress Park in Saratoga is the scene of the traditional Travers Festival Children’s Parade. Sponsored by the Downtown Business Improvement District, the parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. featuring children dressed in cowboy and cowgirl themed outfits as they make their way from the park down Broadway to the Saratoga City Center.

As dusk settles over Saratoga Race Course, the Ninth annual Travers Celebration takes center stage in honor of 2008 Travers Stakes champion Colonel John and his connections: owners Bill Casner and Kenny Troutt, trainer Eoin Harty and jockey Garrett Gomez. Held inside the At the Rail Pavilion, the Travers Celebration is the only evening fundraiser at Saratoga Race Course and annually raises approximately $100,000 for the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.) and the Double H Ranch. The cocktail hour gets under way at 7:30 p.m. followed by a gourmet dinner and an extensive live and silent auction. To purchase tickets, call 518-383-6183 until July 28; afterward, call 518-584-6200 x4233.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
The backyard will play host to the area’s best brews as thirsty adults enjoy the ultimate in beer tasting: the 12th Annual Battle of the Brews. The festival will feature some of the best microbrewery beers in the area with proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross Adirondack Saratoga Chapter. For ticket information, call 518-792-6545.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 – SHADWELL TRAVERS DAY
It’s Shadwell Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course with a special first post time of 11:35 a.m.

The gates open at 7 a.m. for the traditional dash to the backyard as fans stake out their territory to watch the 140th running of the Shadwell Travers. The sport’s top three-year-olds clash in the oldest stakes race in North America at the classic distance of a mile and a quarter. Shadwell Travers Day will also feature the world’s premier Grade 1 dirt sprint for three-year-olds, the NetJets King’s Bishop, in addition to the Grade 1 Ballerina sprint for fillies and mares.

Two additional graded stakes, The Ballston Spa and The Victory Ride, will round out the summer’s most spectacular sports spectacle at Saratoga.

For a complete listing of Travers Festival events, contact the Saratoga County Tourism Department at 1-800-526-8970 or visit www.saratoga.org. The 2009 Travers Festival is presented by the New York Lottery.