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The Orchard Project Has Deep Saratoga Roots

Jeff Dingler
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The Orchard Project Has Deep Saratoga Roots

Saratoga Springs might be the next off-off Broadway hotspot. No joke. That’s the vision of Ari Edelson, Artistic Director of New York City–based The Orchard Project, which Edelson describes as a “Yaddo for performance” that’s helped workshop, incubate and accelerate hundreds of plays and dramatic stories, including many that went on to off-Broadway and Broadway, winning Obies and Tonys along the way. For the last nine summers, Edelson has been bringing his artists and their creative output to the Spa City as a kind of creative testing ground for new works that will be produced across the country. 

“When I was growing up, my understanding of Saratoga was the racetrack and my grandparents’ house,” laughs Edelson, whose mother is from the city. “But it’s its own really wonderful mini-city. In terms of the quality of work that comes through town, it seems to only make the town more and more attractive.”

After earning a theater degree from Yale, Edelson directed off-Broadway, in London and in Tokyo. In 2008, he took over the renowned Jean Cocteau Repertory, and transformed it into The Orchard Project (OP). Since then, OP has helped 1,500 artists/creators and hundreds of successful productions, including Robert Schenkkan’s All The Way,which won Tonys for Best Play and Best Actor (for Bryan Cranston’s performance as President LBJ).

Esperanza Spalding and Howard Fishman at the old Putnam Den. (Photography by Julia Levy)

OP used to take its simmering summer performance pieces to Hunter in the Catskills. “But when it got big enough, we started looking at other places,” says Edelson, who made the switch to the Spa City in 2015. “I had a slight bias to Saratoga because of my personal history.” (Edelson’s grandfather ran a pharmacy on Broadway called Carroll Cut-Rite; Fred Menges of current downtown apothecary Menges & Curtis was his assistant.) Edelson also points to Saratoga’s “flexible creative infrastructure” with facilities such as UPH, SPAC and Caffè Lena, and the cultural life and “vibe” of the city as reasons for making it OP’s summer home. “There’s this sophisticated vocabulary in Saratoga with the Writers Institute,with SITI Company andYaddo,” says Edelson. “With all of this taking place in the area, everyone understands what it takes to make something.”

Since then, OP has brought some performing paragons to the Spa City, including Alan Cumming to UPH (before renovations were complete) for a comedic cabaret, and jazz master and bass prodigy Esperanza Spalding for a kickass show at the then-Putnam Den (in the space where Putnam Place is now). Most recently, Edelson points to Penelope, a rock opera retelling of the Odysseyfrom the perspective of Odysseus’ wife, Penelope. With music and lyrics by Alex Bechtel, the musical was performed at Caffè Lena in 2022 and is currently running at DC’s Signature Theatre. “It’ll probably get ten productions around the country next year,” Edelson says. “It’ll be one of those shows that people will have seen everywhere.” 

The NYC-based nonprofit’s 2024 program includes more than 14 projects, culminating in a weekend of concerts, readings and showings July 12-14 in Saratoga. Pieces include a new musical adaptation of the 2012 film Safety Not Guaranteed, written by the rock band Guster and Nick Blaemire from Maestro, plus a new show featuring Ethan Slater of the new Wickedmovie and boyfriend of Ariana Grande. Edelson says, “We always pick six or seven works about which we say, ‘This would be really fun to share with folks in Saratoga.’”           

inti figgis-vizueta Takes up Residency at Opera Saratoga

Jeff Dingler
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inti figgis-vizueta Takes up Residency at Opera Saratoga

Even though she’s never composed an opera before, that won’t stop award-winning, NYC composer inti figgis-vizueta from writing one—in a tight six-week window no less, and entirely based on the unique talents of this year’s festival artists, whom she won’t meet until they land in Saratoga. Earlier this year, Opera Saratoga selected the composer, renowned for her collaborative and surreal cinematic style, for the opera company’s inaugural composer-in-residence position. The opera, which at press time figgis-vizueta had not yet even begun writing per her contract, will have its world premiere at Universal Preservation Hall on June 30,with a second performance on July 5. 

Unlike other composer-in-residence positions, where composers are expected to trot out extant works, Opera Saratoga’s Ritzenberg Composer-in-Residence is being hired to take a risk on something entirely new and bespoke for the festival. The art of hedging risks is this season’s exciting theme—which will be highlighted by the big bets in Guys and Dolls and a funny wager in Mozart’s Così fan tutte—and the pièce de résistance of this daring and adventuresome season is a living artist crafting something unique.

“It’s important to have a living composer with us this season,” says Mary Birnbaum, Opera Saratoga’s general and artistic director. “We want to invite our audiences into the kitchen to see how the sauce gets made and to honor or introduce new ways of composing opera.”

figgis-vizueta is up for the challenge. “The format of this residency is unique and lends itself to the kind of collaboration that I usually request or ask for from ensembles,” says the composer, who will generate new music material for the piece specifically for the voices of the Opera Saratoga singers. “Composing for me is much more collaborative—bringing in materials that the performers and I play with and transform, and eventually that is represented on stage.”

Of Andean and Irish descent, figgis-vizueta has been laying the groundwork for a non-traditional opera that will draw its libretto and title from two of her Irish great-great grandfather’s creative works: a neo-Celtic, illuminated manuscript called Book of the Resurrection, and his lost autobiography, Irons in the Fire. As for the score, figgis-vizueta is again defying tradition, planning for five singers, the use of electronics, and a fairly small and unusual ensemble of viola, trombone and piano. “Through this work, I’m trying to figure out what my relationship is to opera,” she says about the challenge of taking on a new form. “How can I play with structure, with the idea of making phantoms of these traditional forms while still giving arias to the soloists?”

figgis-vizueta has carved out a reputation in the classical music world for bold, experimental works liberated from traditional structures. Her music shimmers, bristles and roars with a virtuosity forblending and venturing into far-ranging and, at times, unexplored soundscapespunctuated by storms of lyricism and harmony.She’s worked with big names too—including two-time Grammy-winners the Kronos Quartet—and was named by Washington Post as one of 21 “Composers and Performers Who Sound Like Tomorrow.” 

“inti’s process and ideas about collaboration are truly inspiring to me,” says Birnbaum. “I think audiences will respond to inti’s optimism, her humor, and the real beauty of her music.”

This She Shed Gives New Meaning to the Term ‘Summer Getaway’

Natalie Moore
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This She Shed Gives New Meaning to the Term ‘Summer Getaway’

What if we told you there was a way to enjoy the tranquility of your garden this summer…without the bugs? That’s exactly what Jackcy Jacob of Jackcy J Design created in her own Delmar backyard.

Close up, you’d think you were looking at a regular (albeit gorgeously decorated and immaculately lit) living room. But pan out a bit, and you’ll realize the entire scene—electric fireplace, bar cart, West Elm sofa bed and all—is contained in what was once a utilitarian garden shed.

“Inside, the cottage is divided into a charming lounge area and a compact dining space suitable for small gatherings or a meal,” Jacobs says. “The ceiling height was maximized to make the room feel airy and beautiful, and French doors open to the garden.” Outside is a rustic garden gate and archway that twinkles with fairy lights in the evening, and a self-irrigating garden that produces flowers and vegetables all summer and fall. Come winter, the cottage’s small-but-efficient heating system keeps the space warm enough for overnight guests to sleep on the sofa bed surrounded by lightly falling snow.

“This project was a testament to the idea that any space, no matter how small or overlooked, can be transformed with creativity and thoughtful design,” says Jacob, who calls interior and exterior design her creative passions and her @JackcyJDesign Instagram her “right-brain account.” (By trade, she’s medical director of Ascend Wellness MD, a concierge medical practice focused on longevity and aging gracefully.) Born out of Covid, a time during which Jacob was under immense stress at her day job, the garden shed, she says, is a “well-designed space fit for a well-designed life that prioritizes health and wellness.”   

When George Balanchine Took the Stage at SPAC

Abby Tegnelia
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When George Balanchine Took the Stage at SPAC

The great choreographer George Balanchine not only created the New York City Ballet (NYCB) to rival the great companies in Europe, but he solidified its summer residency at SPAC in 1966. In 1977, he premiered his brand-new blockbuster hit Vienna Waltzes, first in NYC and then at SPAC in front of a packed house that included young ballet student Sue Jeffreys, who was on a date with her gramp, local celeb Joseph Tarantino, Sr. “It was magical,” she says. “When it ended, the audience stood and clapped through countless curtain calls. Finally, Balanchine came on stage with an uproar of even louder clapping.” The evening was one of many beloved NYCB memories for Jeffreys, who would swim at McGregor Country Club all day in July and hit SPAC with Tarantino at night. “My mom would put me in a pretty dress and white patent leather shoes with gloves—the whole thing,” she says. “Gramp would pick me up, and we’d park in the members lot, so it felt special. He would get tickets in the box in the balcony—the same exact one every season. By the time the 1990s came, Gramp was getting on in years and I was pregnant with my first child. During the performance, my son kicked me in my tummy as the music came on. It was the first time I had felt that, and my last memory of being at the ballet with my gramp.” Now a member of SPAC, Jeffreys still religiously goes to see NYCB when they’re in town, although nothing could rival the magical night of the Vienna Waltzes debut. “There were tears of joy and tingles,” she says. “We knew we had just experienced greatness.”

Franklin Square Unveils The Market Bar & Café

Natalie Moore
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Franklin Square Unveils The Market Bar & Café

Mark and Jullie Delos came to Franklin Square Market in a conscious effort to slow down their lives—to be in the restaurant business without exactly being in the restaurant business. That is, of course, until they decided to open up a restaurant. 

Mark and Jullie Delos

This past winter, the downtown market and bar announced that the powerhouse couple, formerly of Mazzone Hospitality, had come on board as operating partners. “We made the decision to buy into Franklin Square Market as a career change, but also a retirement plan to finish out our golden years,” says Mark, who’d been at Mazzone for 35 years and most recently served as vice president of culinary operations. For Jullie, who previously managed Mazzone’s pop-up restaurant division and more recently worked as director of sales and events for Friends Lake Inn, it was the community surrounding the Market that drew her in. “I love the fact that the residents [in the apartments] upstairs come in,” she says. “We’ve gotten to know them and we love seeing the same faces every day.”

But the Deloses never really got to live out their vision of a slowed-down lifestyle. Shortly after coming on board, they announced that they’d be opening a full-service, à la carte restaurant in the market. Previously, small plates were available at the existing bar, but the new venture—The Market Bar & Café—offers table service and a full menu.

On that full menu? Mediterranean dishes with an Italian influence that capitalize on ingredients Franklin Square already carries in the market and at the fish counter, plus a full wine list. That menu will be available beginning at 5pm daily, while a lighter fare menu of finger foods will be available beginning at 3pm. “It’s a high-quality Saratoga restaurant,” Mark says. “It just happens to be in these four walls.”

The Market Bar & Café officially opened to customers in mid-May.

“We kind of just said, ‘If we’re going to do it, let’s do a full-service restaurant,’” Mark starts. 

“We already had the pieces,” Jullie adds. 

“Everything’s here—the food’s here.” (Mark again.)

“And there’s a demand for it.” (Yup, Jullie.)

If their work partnership is as seamless as their communication, we have no doubt it’ll be a huge success.  

‘Anomaly’ Puts the Capital Region’s Film Scene in the Spotlight

Jeff Dingler
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‘Anomaly’ Puts the Capital Region’s Film Scene in the Spotlight

Move over, Hollywood. Many filmmakers have a new cinema hotspot they’re hitting up these days: Saratoga Springs. “I’ve found that the Capital Region public really values art and wants to see it thrive,” says Spencer Sherry, a local filmmaker and producer from Laurens (near Cooperstown). “The generosity and excitement for the work is invaluable, and it’s the sort of support that doesn’t really exist in places like NYC or LA. It makes it all possible.”

Sherry recently became president of the 518 Film Network, a nonprofit that was formed in 2020 to help support and connect about 300 local filmmakers and members. He’s also an up-and-coming filmmaker who just released a new short movie called Anomaly. The film is about a magician who performs an inexplicable illusionthat draws the unwanted attention of an overly curious government agent. Anomaly was written and directed by one of Sherry’s closest friends, Ryan Jenkins, who came up with the plot while they were living together in Galway. The movie stars real illusionist Eric Mead and was filmed over three days at Cohoes Music Hall, where the movie will make its Upstate premiere on June 23. (The world premiere was at the Coney Island Film Festival in early May.) 

Former roommates Ryan Jenkins and Spencer Sherry teamed up on a new short film called ‘Anomaly’ that premiered at the Coney Island Film Festival in early May.

“We’re incredibly excited to screen the film in the same historic space it was shot in, as well as curate some other entertainment to round out the experience,” says Sherry. “That’ll be an unforgettable evening for sure.”

Upstate certainly looks glam on the big screen, but much of its current time in the limelight is due to less cinematic reasons. For one, big-name production companies including HBO (which recently filmed in the area for huge hit shows Succession and The Gilded Age) enjoy various New York tax credits for production work, specifically in the Upstate area. In turn, these big-budget shows and movies employ some local talent (think crew, tech, extras and background actors). As for smaller, independent projects such as Anomaly, they succeed in and around Saratoga because, according to Sherry, of the local community. “Many of the local filmmakers are striving to create a film culture here,” he says, “and help each other succeed.”

To that point, Sherry’s first film, The Monkey, based on a Stephen King short story, was shot all over the 518: The Rock Motel in Amsterdam, Albany Rural Crematorium, Hudson Valley Community College, the Jewish Community Center’s abandoned Camp Olam, and Haviland Cove in Glens Falls, to name a few. “Saratoga residents will definitely recognize the bar in the film: King’s Tavern,” says Sherry. “The signage made it impossible to rename the bar for the movie, so it’s immortalized in local film (and Stephen King) history forever.”

Saratoga, it’s time for your close-up.   

3 More Movies With Upstate Connections

Will Ferrell and Harper Steele hit the road in Josh Greenbaum’s new film.

Will & Harper

Saratoga native Josh Greenbaum had a hot, new documentary drop earlier this year. Will & Harper covers a quirky, heartfelt cross-country road trip with famed comedian Will Ferrell and best friend (and fellow SNL alum) Harper Steele, who transitioned at the age of 61. It received a standing ovation when it premiered at Sundance in January. 

Erasing Faces & Spaces 

Premiering last year, this short documentary looks at the long-lasting, negative impact of urban renewal on the Spa City’s Black population. C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios on Beekman Street made Erasing Faces & Spaces as part of a series of community conversations and art-making events. Look out for a final version of the documentary this summer.

Saratoga: The Turning Point

Nearly 250 years after the Battle of Saratoga, local producer and veteran Mark O’Rourke is looking to turn the battle into a feature film. Although previously covered in documentaries, the Revolutionary War’s turning point hasn’t yet received the silver-screen treatment. O’Rourke aims to premiere the picture in 2026 for the 250th anniversary of the Revolution. 

MVP: Lorna Chavez is Enjoying the Ride

Natalie Moore
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MVP: Lorna Chavez is Enjoying the Ride

If you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting exercise rider Lorna Chavez, chances are you haven’t spent much time on the Saratoga backstretch. 

“She knows everybody and everybody knows who she is,” says fellow rider Caroline Nally. “Even the spectators know her.”

Part of the reason for Chavez’s celebrity is that she never misses an opportunity to tell someone “Good morning” or ask “How are you, sweetie?” Plus, she’s been exercise riding for nearly 35 years.

Born in England, Chavez grew up around horses. After her pony died when she was 18, she got a job to save up to buy another horse and eventually get a show jumping sponsorship. “Flipping through the yellow pages, I found a racehorse trainer,” she says. “I had no clue what that was. I ended up going for an interview and got the job.”

But instead of getting paid and getting out, Chavez began riding for the trainer, eventually becoming the first female professional, licensed steeplechase jockey in England. It was that move that led her to America, where she got a job working for trainer Jonathan Sheppard. She didn’t immediately take to racing in America, and even considered moving back home. But she changed her mind upon coming to Saratoga for the first time. “That was it,” she says. “Once I went to Saratoga I was like, ‘Whoops, I don’t think I’m going anywhere.’”

That was back in the mid-’90s, and Chavez has been exercise riding in the States since then. She has a house in Saratoga and splits her time between the Spa City, where she works for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, and Florida, where she freelance rides. After exercising horses in the morning, she returns to the track for more in the afternoon, when she runs a pony business that takes jockeys to the starting gate. Her husband, Mark, is a retired jockey who now works on the starting gate. She’d never worked the Belmont before, but rode for Englehart and ponied in the afternoons at this year’s four-day racing festival at Saratoga.

“I live for horses,” she says. “There’s nothing else I could do. There’s nothing else I want to do. I just love riding horses.”

And the rest of the backstretch community loves having her ride horses. “She makes you smile, she makes you feel cared for,” Nally says. “She’s a phenomenal horsewoman—a great rider—and she knows so much. She is the Saratoga backstretch.”

The Sembrich Celebrates its Centennial Season

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The Sembrich Celebrates its Centennial Season

Exactly 100 years ago this year, internationally renowned Polish soprano Marcella Sembrich (1858-1935) opened a teaching studio in a Spanish revival building on a 55-acre estate on the shores of Lake George. A former member of the Juilliard Graduate School and Curtis Institute of Music faculties, Sembrich had performed in the Metropolitan Opera’s first season in 1883, and in 1925 began welcoming students to study with her at her lakeside property. She hosted students each summer holiday until her death in 1935, when her daughter-in-law preserved a 4.5-acre parcel of her estate containing the studio. It was opened as a memorial to Sembrich in 1937, and since then has grown into a unique cultural experience that welcomes world-famous artists and exhibits to Bolton Landing for a summer-long festival.

And its centennial season festival is poised to be the best one yet.

“We’re so excited to celebrate this monumental year with a spectacular lineup of concert artists and exhibitions,” says Caleb Eick, Director of Institutional Advancement at The Sembrich. “The festival is in full swing, and our next event is a program we’re co-presenting with Opera Saratoga called A Juneteenth Celebration. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Anthony Davis, whose opera X: The Life and Times of Malcom X just premiered at the Met this past fall will appear in a special studio talk discussing his journey in opera.” In that program, Davis will also treat audience members to a piano improvisation and discussion of his works. The program is—yes—on Wednesday, June 19, the Juneteenth holiday!

The festival features more than 20 events and runs from June 5–August 31. Other notable events going on this summer include the woodwind quintet WindSync presenting Peter and the Wolf, a family concert in Bolton Landing’s Rogers Park on July 25; From Steam Launch to Stucco, a presentation and tour centered around the architecture of Sembrich’s studio and the across-the-street property “Pine Hill” on August 2; Composers Sembrich Knew, an evening of chamber music by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra on August 4; the world premiere of At That Hour, Act One, a chamber opera composed by Richard Wargo on August 24; and the Chopin by Candlelight gala, featuring dozens of candles surrounding a piano and nothing but Chopin on August 31.

Before all that, though, comes A Night at the Museum, an exclusive, one-night-only evening offering a glimpse into the Gilded Age life of Marcella Sembrich by way of rarely displayed possessions including a diamond tiara and a gold bracelet from the Czar of Russia. “We’re also unveiling the Queen of the Night costume worn by Marcella Sembrich at the Met in 1900,” Eick says. “Last year we were able to raise $70,000 to bring this exquisite costume back to displayable condition and preserve it for generations to come.” The event, which has been dubbed the museum’s centennial benefit, is on Thursday, July 11.

And let’s not forget this season’s new exhibition: Mastering Mozart, which will showcase four Mozart opera roles that propelled Marcella Sembrich to fame, featuring photographs, musical scores and costume pieces—including 130-year-old bolero jackets and the aforementioned Queen of the Night costume. Make the short trip up the Northway to see the exhibition any day now through October 14.

One hundred years in, The Sembrich shows no signs of wavering on its mission. “We want to continue to grow and continue to engage with our community while preserving the artistic legacy of Marcella Sembrich,” Eick says. “As the world changes around us, we want to continue offering a glimpse into the rich cultural and musical history of Lake George, Bolton Landing, and the entire Adirondack Region.”

Greg Montgomery’s 2024 Poster-Palooza

Natalie Moore
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Greg Montgomery’s 2024 Poster-Palooza

Greg Montgomery admits he was in the dark when the whole Belmont-coming-to-Saratoga thing was announced. “Someone said, ‘Aren’t you doing something for the Belmont?’” the graphic illustrator remembers. “And I said, ‘I’m sorry, I’ve been sick or something. Tell me what you’re talking about.’ And they said, ‘The Triple Crown is coming to Saratoga. It’s only the most important thing that ever happened!’”

Nearly 40 years after he started creating Saratoga’s now-iconic Travers posters, Montgomery knew how big of a deal this was. And he knew that as the Spa City’s preeminent visual documentarian of major horse racing events, he had to do something. The only problem? He had nothing on which to base his design—a prerequisite simply didn’t exist. 

“My formula has been to take last year’s [Travers] winner and some recognizable location at the track and put the two of them together through the magic of Photoshop,” he says. “I can’t do that. This has never happened before.”

To further complicate matters, the winner of last year’s Travers was Arcangelo, son of 2016 Travers winner Arrogate. If Montgomery put Arcangelo on this year’s Travers poster, it’d look too similar to the poster he did commemorating Arrogate’s victory less than a decade ago. But at the same time, the artist felt he had to honor Jena Antonucci, the first woman to win the Midsummer Derby since 1938.

Montgomery’s solution to the conundrum? Three posters—one in honor of the Belmont being run at Saratoga, one in honor of Jena Antonucci’s historic wins in both the 2023 Belmont and Travers, and the regularly scheduled, yet-to-be-released Travers poster.

While we can’t unveil what Montgomery came up with for the Travers poster just yet, we can show you the other two. The Antonucci one, featuring Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano and the aforementioned Arcangelo, will be gifted to attendees of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Belmont Gala on June 6 at the Canfield Casino, with a limited number of signed prints becoming available later this summer. The other? A poster featuring the August Belmont Trophy, which was commissioned by the eponymous namesake of the Triple Crown race in 1896 and fashioned by Tiffany & Co. out of 350 ounces of sterling silver. Montgomery’s illustration of the trophy took more than a month to draw, and utilizes 1,100 pieces of color to capture all its reflections just right. Behind it, you can just make out the Saratoga grandstand’s iconic skyline.

“Impressions sold 75 of them in seven days,” says Montgomery, who will be donating proceeds from the poster to charities including the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. “The scale of this race and its interest is new to me.”

And you’d better believe that shortly after this year’s race, Montgomery will start collecting photos of its winner. Why? Well, in preparation for his 2025 Belmont at Saratoga poster, of course.

Fenimore Asset Management Celebrates 50 Years, New Albany Office

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Fenimore Asset Management Celebrates 50 Years, New Albany Office

The world of investing has certainly changed a lot in the last half-century. But for Fenimore Asset Management, the core principles upon which the Cobleskill-based investment firm was founded 50 years ago are what have allowed the family business to prosper well into the 21st century.

In 1974, Tom Putnam founded Fenimore Asset Management after his family sold its textile business and in turn came into a small sum of money. He did so with four core principles, which current president Christian Snyder says endure today, in mind: offer exceptional service, help provide financial peace of mind, serve with integrity, and be a friend—to clients, investors and in the community. Adherence to those principles has allowed Fenimore not only to endure for the last 50 years, but to thrive and expand. In 2016, the firm opened a satellite location in Stuyvesant Plaza to serve its growing base of clients in the central Capital Region. It has since outgrown that space, and this year Fenimore celebrated the opening of its new, more prominent location on Wolf Road.

“A big part of our business is welcoming people through our front doors,” Snyder says. “You don’t need an appointment. We love when people walk in. It was probably a little hard to find our old office. It’s much easier to find the new one and we hope people will come visit.”

Fenimore Asset Management President Christian Snyder

That desire to be a part of the local community is perhaps a not-so-secret fifth tenet that has contributed to Fenimore’s success over the years. In 1984, Forbes magazine featured Fenimore in a story headlined “Making a Name in the Catskills.” The article asked, “Does being tucked away in a small town hurt a stock picker?” and answered, “Not if you know how to invest the way Thomas Putnam does.” Forty years later, with Putnam’s daughter Anne now at the helm, that clearly remains true. “We pride ourselves on being present and participating in the communities that we serve,” Snyder says. “We are a firm with a national footprint and a national presence, but the heart of the firm is in a small town. Local roots equals local values.”

Of course, community values only take you so far; Fenimore’s success is also derived from its employees’ knowledge of what constitutes a compelling investment. In deciding what businesses to invest in, Fenimore’s management looks for four criteria: businesses that are doing things the Fenimore team understands; have strong financial statements, low debt, and solid long-term prospects;  are run by experienced management teams (Fenimore makes a point to meet with all of its portfolio companies), and are available at a reasonable price relative to the economic worth of the company.

While Fenimore is very particular in choosing those portfolio companies, it accepts all types of investors. Whether you’re just getting started, doing a 401(k) rollover, saving for retirement, funding your child’s education, saving for a specific life goal, or acting as a fiduciary, Fenimore can guide you. When, though, is the right time to invest? “We believe time in the market beats timing the market,” Snyder says. “The earlier you invest, the better. If you have a long-term view, there’s no better time to invest than now.”

To get started, visit fenimoreasset.com/contact, or, as Snyder suggested, visit the firm’s new Wolf Road location. “This is home,” he says of the Capital Region, “and this is where our real focus is.”

Securities offered through Fenimore Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, and advisory services offered through Fenimore Asset Management, Inc.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, carefully read the fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. FAM Funds’ prospectus or summary prospectus contains this and other important information about FAM Funds and should be read carefully before you invest or send money. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus and performance data that is current to the most recent month-end for each fund as well as other information, please go to fenimoreasset.com or call (800) 932-3271.

The principal risks of investing in the fund are: stock market risk (stocks fluctuate in response to the activities of individual companies and to general stock market and economic conditions), stock selection risk (Fenimore utilizes a value approach to stock selection and there is risk that the stocks selected may not realize their intrinsic value, or their price may go down over time), and small-cap risk (prices of small-cap companies can fluctuate more than the stocks of larger companies and may not correspond to changes in the stock market in general).

Neither this presentation nor any of its contents may be distributed or used for any other purpose without the prior written consent of Fenimore. The description of certain aspects of the market herein is a condensed summary only. This summary does not purport to be complete and no obligation to update or otherwise revise such information is being assumed. These materials are provided for informational purposes only and are not otherwise intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, any security or other financial instrument. This summary is not advice, a recommendation, or an offer to enter into any transaction with Fenimore or any of their affiliated funds. This presentation may contain statements based on the current beliefs and expectations of Fenimore’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any references herein to any of Fenimore’s past or present investments, portfolio characteristics, or performance, have been provided for illustrative purposes only. It should not be assumed that these investments were or will be profitable or that any future investments will be profitable or will equal the performance of these investments. There can be no guarantee that the investment objectives of Fenimore will be achieved. Any investment entails a risk of loss. Unless otherwise noted, information included herein is presented as of the date indicated on the cover page and may change at any time without notice.

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