Around Town with Amy Modesti

09/07/2026

https://aroundtownwithamymodesti.substack.com/p/life-liberty-and-agriculture-the?r=2u0jzr&utm_medium=ios

SCHAGHTICOKE, NY - “Life, Liberty, & Agriculture” is at the heart of the 207th Annual Schaghticoke Fair.

Since 1819, the Rensselaer County fair continues to bring agriculture, entertainment, and community together for a week of fun. And the Schaghticoke Fair is no exception to meeting that agenda.

The fair opened Wednesday, September 2, and runs through today, Monday, September 7. The fair opened its 207th year with two-dollar day and two-dollar food selections at selected food stations.

The fair is open TODAY, Monday, Sept. 7 through 10pm. Fair goers can check out plenty of activities and events ranging from a pie eating contest, entertainment from Michael Frances McCarthy & Larger Than Life, Circus Murica, among others.

Tickets for the fair are $15 per person and free for children ages 13 years old and under. More information about the fair can be found directly on the Around Town With Amy Modesti SubStack website and the Schaghticoke Fair website.

Thank you again to Tracy Christopher and Carly Reyna for having “Around Town” attend Media Day (Opening Day) last Wednesday & to cover the fair this year!!

📸 and ✒️: Photos and article by Amy L. Modesti, September 2026.

Rensselaer County fair continues to run through Labor Day.

09/04/2026

https://substack.com//note/p-213872930?r=2u0jzr&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

SCHAGHTICOKE, NY - Around Town With Amy Modesti was on location at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds for the start of the 207th Annual Schaghticoke Fair on Wednesday, September 2.

Not only was it the fair’s opening day, it was also Two Dollar Day and Media Day. Media outlets had the opportunity to take a tour of the fairgrounds alongside Fair Director, Carly Reyna, to see what’s happening this year and check out some events, including the 4-H Horse Competition Showing, as seen in this SubStack live video, food sampling from Jeanette’s, and took a ride on the fair’s newest ride, Artificial Intelligence.

Be sure to give the live stream video a look on the Around Town With Amy Modesti SubStack page and stay tuned to view more content about this year’s Schaghticoke Fair!!

Thank you again to Carly Reyna & Tracy Christopher for inviting “Around Town” to attend and cover this year’s fair!!

🎥: Video taken by Amy L. Modesti of Around Town With Amy Modesti, 9/2/2026 through the SubStack app. 🎥

The Schaghticoke Fair

Around Town with Amy Modesti’s Opening Day of the 207th Annual Schaghticoke Fair Coverage

08/21/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-modesti-a4193442b?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

Hi everyone! Amy here! I have an important update!

I have officially joined LinkedIn!! This will allow me to meet and connect with like-minded professionals, network and collaborate with potential clients, as well as seek employment.

As you may or may not know, in mid-November 2025, I was left go from employment by NYVT Media. And since then, I’ve been focusing on my arts businesses, as well as my collaborations with Journal & Press, Mirth Films, and the occasional pet sitting to make a livable living.

With nine months of unemployment/self-employment, I’ve been focusing my time as well in searching for employment within the Art and Arts Management fields that I studied in for college and I need to find another job that will help supplement my income.

If you have any job leads and wish to collaborate with me on a future project, please send me a message. And please connect with me on LinkedIn.

Thank you for your time. Have a great day.

Amy Modesti, business owner of ALM Fine Art and Photography and Around Town with Amy… · Experience: THE JOURNAL OF UPSTATE NEW YORK · Education: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts · Location: Cropseyville · 13 connections on LinkedIn. View Amy Modesti’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional...

08/19/2026

Hi everybody, Amy here!! For those who may or may not know, I am also a contributor to Mirth Films, as a photographer and reporter, in addition to my work at my arts businesses, Around Town With Amy Modesti and ALM Fine Art & Photography.

We at Mirth Films are seeking input from you about what you would like to see covered within the arts and entertainment scene and we would HUGELY appreciate your feedback.

How can Mirth Films further serve the arts, live music, and entertainment community? What do you wish to see more of? What do you want to see less of? What needs improvement?

Is there something new and exciting that is happening that you would like us to cover and feature?!

What are your honest thoughts and suggestions?!

Please leave a comment on this post with your suggestions and I can make certain that your suggestions go to the right hands.

Thank you so much for your time. Have a great afternoon.

-Amy (8/19/2026)

08/09/2026

Thursday, July 23,2026, Around Town With Amy Modesti was at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY. It was to attend and cover Cassandra Kubinski’s sold-out concert.

Kubinski, who’s a Saratoga Springs-based musician and a Caffe Lena board member, performed alongside musicians, Sam Zucchini (drums) and Tara Hanish (cello) for the concert.

Kubinski performed some songs off her new album, “Dance Moms Acoustic & Lyrical Solos”, to be released August 21.

Since Spring 2026, “Around Town” has been working alongside Kubinski since her Q&A session and performance alongside Dance Moms founder, Abby Lee Miller at Saratoga Arts. The ladies will be working together late this month for another event downstate.

“Around Town” extends their thanks to Cassandra, Bogdan, and the Caffe Lena staff for their hospitality and support, and for the opportunity to photograph and report on this special opportunity. Thank you for your support and new friendship!

You can view more photos from the concert exclusively on the ALM Fine Art & Photography and Cassandra Kubinski pages.

Stay tuned for what’s to come on Around Town With Amy Modesti!!

- Amy L. Modesti (8/8/26)

📸: All photos taken by Amy L. Modesti of ALM Fine Art & Photography and Around Town With Amy Modesti

08/05/2026

HUDSON FALLS, N.Y. - PJ Ferguson and his band, The Tennessee Strange, are a fixture in the Nashville music scene. Although Tennessee is his residence, the Whitehall, NY native and singer/songwriter loves returning home to his hometown to perform for family, friends, and fans. After successfully selling out the concert last year at the Strand Theatre, Ferguson will strum the guitar three times to return home and perform again at the Hudson Falls venue Friday, September 11, in support of his new music single, “Spaceman”. For the Strand show, Ferguson will be bringing producer, Rocco Guarino (Velvet Revolver) to professionally record and mix the audio for the concert and live album, and it will be filmed by a professional videographer. The content will be made into a live-recorded CD and video, with both being released in late fall or early Winter 2026. According to Ferguson, the Strand concert is on its way towards selling out with about 60-70% of the tickets sold. The band currently has eight shows booked as part of the “Spaceman” tour, including stops at Daryl’s House Club, ZenBarn, Jesse Camille’s Smoked & Stoked Festival, Alchemy, among others. To learn more about PJ Ferguson & The Tennessee Strange and how to purchase tickets for the “Spaceman” tour, go to www.pjtnstrange.com.

Read more about PJ’s show on Around Town With Amy Modesti, via the SubStack app. Thank you so much PJ for chatting with “Around Town” about the upcoming tour!! Looking forward to checking it out in September!!

🎨: Poster Artwork Provided by PJ Ferguson
📸: Photo of PJ Ferguson taken by Amy L. Modesti Amy Modesti 9/5/2025

, , , , , The Strand Theatre , The Strand Theatre , Pj Ferguson , PJ Ferguson & The Tennessee Strange ,

07/31/2026

From Tuesday, July 28 until Thursday, July 30,2026, New York State’s Capital Region area, and in particular, Rensselaer County, was under a severe rainstorm. In fact, in the hamlet of Cropseyville, NY, we received about seven inches of rain.

This rain storm was the second wettest rainstorm to date in a single day since 1874. It’s also one of the highest in recent years next to Hurricane Floyd (1999) and Hurricane Irene (2011).

7/29/2026: After a bought of heavy rain, for a period of time, it was misting as I took the video clips of the creek flowing behind the house.

7/30/26: After it stopped raining/misting, the sun finally came out! The creek even started to recede and you could even walk down a path to gain access to the lower level of the creek.

Water is powerful and not something to mess with. I’m very thankful that my family and I are okay from this severe rainstorm. My positive thoughts extend out to the residents in lower Rensselaer County and other surrounding areas who are dealing with the devastating aftermath from the storm. My love and positive thoughts are with you! Stay strong and stay safe!

🎥 and 📸 taken by Amy L. Modesti of ALM Fine Art & Photography and Around Town With Amy Modesti, July 29-July 30,2026. Video made using the Edits App and IPhone 13 Pro.

07/21/2026

https://aroundtownwithamymodesti.substack.com/p/sizzle-and-steak-productions-presents

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. - Sizzle & Steak Productions, a new Capital Region theater organization, will put on its first official production at the Rao Theater with A.R. Gurney’s 1988 Pulitzer Prize nominated play, “Love Letters”.

“Love Letters” is about two lifelong friends, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, who sit opposite one another at different tables, while they read the notes, letters, and cards that each wrote to one another over a 50-year span. Together, they discuss their hopes, ambitions, dreams, and disappointments, as well as their victories and defeats that have passed between them.

“Love Letters” will be staged at the Rao Theater, located at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College, beginning Friday, July 24,2026, and will run through August 2,2026.

Performing in the play will be Kimberly Collins, Jenna Croswell, Melissa Ingram, Joyce Reynolds, Sarah Rizzo, and Jennifer Van Inderstyne as Melissa. Portraying Andrew will be Joseph Bruton, Mike Collins, and Sonny Duross.

Doug Gladstone will direct “Love Letters”.

Tickets for the show are $23 per person, $18 for veterans and seniors ages 65 years old and over, and $15 for a group of ten or more people. Tickets can be purchased online on Sizzle & Steak Productions website.

Learn more about “Love Letters” and Sizzle & Steak Productions on Around Town With Amy Modesti via the SubStack app.

Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber on SubStack to keep up on the latest news and support independently-owned and local news media. Thank you so much.

✒️: Preview Article by Amy Modesti
🖼️: Event Poster made by Jacob Pickett of Sustainability, Tech, and Web Services
📸: Additional photos taken by Doug Gladstone and Melissa Ingram

New theater organization makes official debut at The Rao Theater with Love Letters, beginning Friday, July 24.

07/20/2026

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. - Sizzle & Steak Productions, a new Capital Region theater organization, will put on its official production at the Rao Theater with A.R. Gurney’s 1988 Pulitzer Prize nominated play, “Love Letters”. “Love Letters” is about two lifelong friends, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, who sit opposite one another at different tables while they read the notes, letters, and cards that each wrote to one another over a 50-year span. Together, they discuss their hopes, ambitions, dreams, and disappointments, as well as their victories and defeats that have passed between them. “Love Letters” is being staged in cooperation with the Foothills Arts Council, who’s based at the Rao Theater (located at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College). The play will open Friday, July 24 at 7:30pm and will run through Sunday, August 2. Saturday, August 1, a special performance of “Love Letters” will be performed for neurodivergent audiences. Performing in the play as Melissa are Kimberly Collins, Jenna Croswell, Melissa Ingram, Joyce Reynolds, Sarah Rizzo, and Jennifer Van Iderstyne. Portraying Andrew will be Joseph Bruton, Mike Collins, and Sonny Duross. Tickets for the show are $23 per person, $18 for veterans and adults 65 years old and over, and $15 for a group of ten or more people. “Love Letters” is not suitable for young audiences ages 18 years old and younger. More information about “Love Letters” and Sizzle & Steak Productions can be found at https://sizzlesteak.org

Read more about “Love Letters” and Sizzle & Steak Productions on the Around Town With Amy Modesti SubStack website!!

🎨: Poster Art by Jacob Pickett of Sustainability, Tech and Web Services
📸: Photos of Kimberly Collins, Joseph Bruton, Mike Collins and Jennifer Van Iderstyne taken by Doug Gladstone (Doug Gladstone)
🤳: Selfie of Melissa Ingram courtesy of Melissa Ingram (melissaingram) , , , , , Sizzle & Steak Productions LLC , Foothills Arts Council Inc ,