SPORTS + RACING

What to Do During Belmont Week in Saratoga

By Natalie Moore

June 2, 2025

Last year, Saratogians didn’t know what to expect when Belmont came to town. Now, we’re old pros, and the city is gearing up for a week of festivities in honor of the occasion. At press time, the New York Racing Association hadn’t yet released its schedule of Belmont week highlights (last year’s festival featured beverage sampling, a fashion contest, and a performance by Idina Menzel at the track itself), but elsewhere around the city, the social calendar for the first week of June is filling up fast.

Tuesday, June 3

Embrace the Belmont II

Universal Preservation Hall

Back by popular demand, Embrace the Belmont will bring the community together to learn the basics of handicapping from a panel of experts ahead of the 2025 Belmont. (Racing begins on Wednesday.) Emceed by former jockey and current horse racing reporter Donna Brothers, the event, going on from 5:30–7:30pm at Universal Preservation Hall, will raise money for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga. thsaratoga.org

Wednesday, June 4

Belmont on Broadway

Broadway

Another fan-favorite event is back for Belatoga’s second year. On Wednesday evening, head downtown for Belmont on Broadway, a free concert that this year will be headlined by ’90s rockers the Gin Blossoms. Saratoga’s main drag will be shut down from City Hall to Van Dam Street, and the show begins at 7pm with opener Uprooted, featuring Michael Glabicki, formerly of Rusted Root. discoversaratoga.org

Thursday, June 5

The Belmont Gala

Canfield Casino

It wouldn’t be a momentous Saratoga occasion without a gala to go along with it! The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will host an evening of fine dining and live music in honor of the Belmont’s return and the museum’s 75th anniversary. The party, a fundraiser for the museum, will recognize the connections of 2024 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch, including trainer Danny Gargan and jockey Luis Saez. racingmuseum.org

Friday, June 6

Belmont Bites and Brews

National Museum of Racing

New this year is Belmont Bites and Brews, a free food and drink festival held in the parking lot of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Local breweries, food trucks, and family-friendly events will be in high supply. racingmuseum.org

Saturday, June 7

The Belmont Stakes

Saratoga Race Course

New York racing’s marquis event returns to Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, but it’s not just the Belmont that’ll be bringing the heat and high stakes. Saturday’s racing card features eight stakes races, including the Grade 1 Woody Stephens, Metropolitan Handicap, Resorts World Casino Manhattan, and Jaipur. Can’t make it to the track? FOX will present live broadcast coverage on the day of the big race. nyra.com

Sunday, June 8

Belmont Family Fun Festival

National Museum of Racing

The fun doesn’t end after the August Belmont trophy is hoisted. On Sunday from 10am–2pm, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will once again open its doors to the public, this time for a carnival-style festival complete with bounce houses, games, a rock wall, a petting zoo, face painting, and plenty of fair food. racingmuseum.org

Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is the editor of Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living magazines. A native of Ballston Lake, she began her career as an editorial intern at Saratoga Living, and, essentially, never left. In addition to overseeing the creation of the print magazines, she is the main contributor to Saratoga Living After Hours, a Substack newsletter that covers the Spa City’s social scene. In an alternate reality, she is a professional pickleball player.