Canfield Casino — Attraction in City of Saratoga Springs

Overall the Canfield Casino is a beautiful venue, a little dated (historic) in nature but needs not a whole lot to make it beautiful. We selected this venue for our wedding because it was fairly affordable, right in downtown Saratoga - walkable to hotels, has gorgeous indoor ballroom and beautiful outdoor space for ceremonies. You do not need to worry about about transportation for guests or what the weather will be. There was 60 reserved parking spaces which was enough for our guests.

The Canfield Casino is owned by the City of Saratoga Springs and this does present some challenges. They cannot recommend any vendors. They only accept checks. The base price is for the facility for 5 hours only, if you want to have a ceremony there it is an additional fee, if your caterer needs to utilize the kitchen there is an additional fee, and if you want the nice Chivari chairs it is $7.50 per chair. The Canfield does not set up any table or chairs, you will need to hire a vendor to do this. (I recommend Nicole’s Catering, they were phenomenal and helped with EVERYTHING, including all the table set up and break down.) And lastly, you cannot have candles of any kind or sparklers outside at the end of the night.

The Canfield Casino requires venue insurance and specific verbiage – “The City of Saratoga Springs is included as Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis, if required by written agreement.” BEWARE! State Farm WILL NOT provide this language, and will not insure this venue, and we weren’t told our venue insurance wouldn’t work until a week before the wedding because it was missing this verbiage. We had to scramble to find new venue insurance and ended up using Wedsure -R.V. Nuccio & Associates – which was very easy to use however due to this special language required by the City of Saratoga Springs, it cost an addition $75 to add that line required to our wedding insurance.

The lighting in the Canfield the night of the wedding was fine for dinner, when it came time to dim the lights for dancing and turn on the purple up-lighting in the arches, the lighting system would not work and Canfield couldn’t figure out how to fix it. Our guests made the best of it but it was frustrating. I wish I had hired a vendor with up-lighting.

The reason this review lost a star was due to our experience with the reservations coordinator. At first she was positive, displaying a great level of kindness. However, as time progressed, there were noticeable challenges. Communication became an issue, with missed emails and prolonged delays in responding, both via phone calls and emails (hence the venue insurance fiasco, zero remorse) Regrettably, there were instances of confusion on her part regarding our wedding details, including the date of our event and our identities, which was unsettling. On the helpfulness scale, I would rate her a 3 out of 5, and unfortunately, her demeanor on the day of our wedding did not improve matters. An incident during the drop-off of our wedding décor exemplifies this. Despite prior agreement on a noon drop-off time, she insisted it was scheduled for 12:30. When my fiancé double-checked the correspondence, she initially walked away without addressing the discrepancy. Later, she returned acknowledging the correct time, but this interaction was reflective of her general demeanor throughout our experience. While we understand that managing reservations and events can be challenging, especially towards the end of the wedding season, the inconsistencies and miscommunications were concerning. The overall impression left, particularly in the latter stages, was not reflective of the high standards one would expect from an entity associated with the City of Saratoga.

In hindsight, it is our hope that constructive feedback may contribute to the improvement of coordination services for future events hosted at the...

July 24, 2019 Tech Valley, Center of the Universe Troy, New York

I am ashamed that I complained about the Tempest. King Lear caused me fall in love with the Saratoga Shakespeare Company.

I attended the opening night of King Lear, on the lawn in Congress Park, in the sound of fountains, fountains everywhere. Fountains in the ponds where exotic ducks swam, fountains along the walks, fountains under Greek temples. Congress Park reminds visitors that Saratoga Springs drew settlers because of the springs discovered in Congress Park.

I have not asked which ones can be tasted. One spring had an orange and white caution barrel covering it up. Nothing sadder than when a spring ceases to flow. When the filtered waters can no longer be sipped without worry. Gute Springs in Owosso exists only in engravings now, the site marked by a lake that doesn’t offer swimming or fishing.

Okay, from reading the program, the executive director performed Lear, and this can be expected in small towns. In Muskegon, the doctor who manages the hospital always lands the lead roles. Proof. Sherlock Holmes. I once attended an audition night called short because he failed to show up. However, Lary Opitz inhabited the role with art and skill, art and skill that only a lifetime of experience can deliver. And I compare him to King Lear played by Christopher Plummer, who carried his play from Stratford Ontario all the way to the Lincoln Center in New York. Or was it Madison Square Gardens?

Christopher Plummer, as my mother well knew, played the role of Georg Von Trapp in the Sound of Music. My mother, Joan Elizabeth, loved the story so much that we visited the Von Trapp compound in Stowe, Vermont. Maria arrived to the cafe to sign books. I walked up and introduced myself. She stood up and said, “Hello William. I am Maria Von Trapp”.

I didn’t know what else to say, so I went back to the family, who were all about to leave. Thus, I have met scores of authors, having books signed if I could afford it. In the early 2000s, Joyce Carol Oates signed my copy of “We Were The Mulvaneys”. She’s reading tonight at the Writer’s Institute, so I cannot wait to see her after almost twenty years.

Every father wants to become Prospero, the magician and duke who tames earth spirits and controls the weather. No father wants to descend to the depths of Lear and Gloucester. Lear reenacts the madness of King Nebuchadnezzar, who returned to nature and fed himself like a beast in the forest. No actor I have witnessed has quite brought out the madness of King Lear in the wild the way Lary Opitz did. I caught a picture of his Lear running pell mell through the audience. If only I could have brought more light to the eyes.

Gloucester reenacts the biblical story of Issac, who is tricked into blessing Jacob, who disguises himself as Esau. Jacob wears hairy sleeves to disguise himself as Esau. Gloucester believes the lies of Edmund, an illegitimate son, and dispossesses his legitimate son, Edgar. Gloucester must lose his sight before he realizes that Edmund has deceived and betrayed him. Mark Cryer, once a fellow citizen when I lived in Syracuse, brought nobility and pathos to the role.

The play runs for several weeks. Hence, I’ll be certain to read the play again, watch the play online a few times and return to my very important role as groundling on the grass of...

Filming Kally and Jeff’s wedding at Canfield Casino was an absolute delight. The venue's stunning architecture and historical elegance provided a perfect canvas for their love story, making my job as a wedding filmmaker a breeze and a pleasure.

What truly made the day remarkable was the professionalism and warmth of the Canfield Casino staff. Their seamless coordination and attentive service ensured that every moment flowed beautifully, allowing me to capture the genuine joy and love of the day without any hitches. Their knack for combining efficiency with a personal touch was evident, creating a relaxed atmosphere that shone through in every frame of my film.

The Canfield Casino stands out not just for its breathtaking setting but also for the unparalleled support its staff offers to ensure a perfect wedding day. Working there was a filmmaker's dream, thanks to the blend of visual beauty and exceptional service.

I wholeheartedly recommend Canfield Casino to any couple looking for a venue that promises a gorgeous backdrop and a stress-free experience. My heartfelt thanks go to the venue and its staff for making Kally and Jeff’s wedding a phenomenal...