Schenectady, N.Y. — Broadway’s most talked about new musical, Spring Awakening, is also one of its biggest Tony Award® winners in years. The show will play from the main stage for Proctors Winter Recess salute to educators, and will give them lots to see, talk about, and share with students once back in the classroom.  Educators are eligible for special discounts to attend the show The New York Sun has hailed as “The most thrilling rock musical of the last decade.”

Spring Awakening has stirred Broadway like no other musical in years. The show depicts the unforgettable angst that intersects the passage from youth to adulthood with power, poignancy and passion. Read more »

Enter the home of Harriet Tubman, walk the Underground Railroad, experience poetry, films, inventors and more

New York, N.Y. - New York State (www.iloveny.com) is celebrating its rich African American heritage during Black History Month with an array of special events and cultural discovery opportunities across its 11 vacation regions. A sampling of events happening across the Empire State this February include:

Flight to Freedom: Rochester’s Underground Railroad, Rochester, NY

“Flight to Freedom” explores the paths of courageous freedom seekers through Rochester’s Underground Railroad in this dramatic, interactive exhibition. Walk in the footsteps of Austin Steward, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs and Reverend Thomas James as they overcome huge obstacles to build free lives. Read more »

Sommeliers’ Smack Down to Feature Face-off Between Sisterhood of Traveling Wine Glass and Yono’s Dominick Purnomo

Schenectady, N.Y. - Wine enthusiasts - and those who love them - already are signing up to secure reservations for the increasingly popular, annual Capital Region Wine Festival at Proctors on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13.

Behind the scenes, a flurry of hurry is evident as organizers at Proctors continue to punctuate the upcoming event with details to ensure satisfaction and delight at an egalitarian event that highlights internationally known wines, gourmet delights from the area’s best restaurants and informal, high-spirited interaction among guests. Read more »

Exhibit on Display at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center through March 31

Albany, N.Y.  – An exhibit featuring more than 50 works of art by members of Q.U.I.L.T., Inc., a Delmar-based quilt guild, is on display at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, corner of Broadway and Clinton Avenue, through March 31. 

The display includes never-seen-before “slice quilts”  –  one of Albany and one of Troy.  These pieces are comprised of segments created by 12 quilt artists.  To celebrate Albany New York’s Quadricentennial, these quilters collaborated to reproduce in fabric two photographs:  the Albany Skyline and Troy at Low Tide. Read more »

Albany, N.Y. — February in Albany features a host of special events, guaranteed to warm hearts with great wintertime entertainment. For theater lovers, Betrayal and To Kill a Mockingbird are at Capital Repertory Theatre, with Agatha Christie’s, And Then There Were None, performed by the New York State Theatre Institute. Gilbert and Sullivan’s, The Mikado, is on stage at Cohoes Music Hall. At the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Marc Cohn and Suzanne Vega are in concert, as are Jim Brickman and the David Grisman Quintet. Read more »

Fonda, N.Y. - The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and the Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry announce the availability of the Fulton and Montgomery Counties Snowmobile Trails map.

“There are approximately 400 miles of snowmobile trails to enjoy between the two counties.  The pocket-sized snowmobile map has a new look compared to the previous map,” states Gina DaBiere-Gibbs, Montgomery County Tourism Director.  “Instead of advertising, we opted to keep the map winter themed highlighting winter activities such as skiing and ice skating, annual winter events, snowmobile safety guidelines, snowmobile club information, snowmobile sales and repairs, and more.” Read more »

Albany, N.Y. — The New Year arrives in Albany with great things to do and to see to start 2010. The inaugural Wine & Dine for the Arts: Albany Chefs’ Food & Wine Festival takes place from Jan. 7 through Jan. 9. It includes winemaker dinners at Albany restaurants, grand tastings and food from dozens of regional restaurants, wine from more than 50 wineries cooking demonstrations and wine seminars and a gala dinner on Saturday. Many of Albany’s hotels have special overnight packages. Read more »