Celebrating Our 60th Anniversary in 2026
For sixty years, Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been a vibrant home where art, nature, and community converge. Nestled within a 2,400-acre park — surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and mineral springs — SPAC has welcomed generations of artists and audiences to experience the magic of performance in harmony with the natural world.
From the timeless artistry of our resident companies — New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center — to the electrifying Saratoga Jazz Festival and concerts by Live Nation, SPAC has long been a destination for lovers of art, culture, and beauty.
In recent years, SPAC has blossomed into a year-round cultural home, expanding beyond the summer season with signature programming in dance, jazz, classical, and world music at the intimate Spa Little Theater, just steps from the iconic amphitheater. Guided by a vision that embraces an ever-widening definition of the arts — from performing to literary, culinary, visual, and healing — SPAC continues to evolve as a place of shared, transformative experiences where creativity and nature intertwine to educate, connect, and inspire us all.
$19.66 Anniversary Lawn Tickets
Celebrating 60 Years of Art, Nature, & Community
Co-sponsored by Skidmore College & Times Union
Meet us on the lawn this summer! Gather up your blankets and lawn chairs, your go-to picnic fare, and your favorite people for the perfect summer afternoon matinee or magical evening performance under the stars.
Enjoy more SPAC with $19.66 Anniversary Lawn Tickets to New York City Ballet and most performances of The Philadelphia Orchestra.*
*Excludes Philadelphia Orchestra performances: film nights, Josh Groban, and Gregory Alan Isakov.
VisualArts@SPAC:
This Place Loves You Back
On view in The Pines @ SPAC, This Place Loves You Back is a new VisualArts@SPAC exhibition by artist Whitney Browne. Drawing from SPAC’s archives, the exhibit highlights the intimate, in-between moments that define the audience experience — capturing the spirit of connection that has lived on SPAC’s grounds for generations.
Attendees at evening performances of BalletX, New York City Ballet, and The Philadelphia Orchestra are invited to explore the exhibit as part of their SPAC experience! Additional viewing times may be added.
Limited-Edition Stewart’s Ice Cream Flavor: Fireworks on the Lawn
In partnership with Stewart’s Shops, we’re introducing a limited-edition ice cream flavor inspired by one of our most beloved traditions! Fireworks on the Lawn — a creamy vanilla ice cream with a tart cherry swirl and red and blue Pop Rocks™ — will be available May 18 through August 30 at Stewart’s Shops locations throughout the Capital Region, bringing a taste of SPAC’s summer magic to the community.
Stewart’s Shops will also be onsite at SPAC serving free scoops during The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists on May 31 and at Family Nights @ SPAC: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 10) and Tchaikovsky Spectacular (August 5).
Diamond Anniversary Sweepstakes
To commemorate SPAC’s 60th “Diamond” Anniversary and the return of New York City Ballet’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream—the ballet that opened SPAC in 1966—we’re hosting a special sweepstakes.
Enter the SPAC Diamond Anniversary Sweepstakes by May 13 for your chance to win a diamond necklace and a VIP SPAC experience!
Tell us your SPAC Story!
In celebration of our 60th anniversary, we’d love to hear your SPAC stories… memories and moments you’ve experienced over the past ten years at SPAC. We’re looking for your stories for a chance to be featured in SPAC videos and content to be used throughout 2026 to commemorate 60 years of art, nature, and community.
There’s no right answer — we’re looking for personal stories, emotions, and moments. Speak from the heart. 60 stories will be selected throughout the year to win SPAC prizes like free tickets, merchandise and more!
Four Seasons Anniversary Campaign
Since 1966, SPAC has been your summer home for arts, nature, and community.
We are proud to now serve the Capital Region and beyond all year long with inspiring and accessible programs for people of all ages and interests. At SPAC, there’s something for everyone. To celebrate our 60th anniversary, we are launching the Four Seasons Campaign, with the goal of raising $17.5 million. These funds will help sustain and expand vital resources to ensure that SPAC’s new and signature programming thrives for generations to come.
Your contribution to the Four Seasons Campaign will help keep a strong and vibrant arts culture alive in the Capital Region.
Spa Little Theater Renovations
In honor of SPAC’s 60th anniversary, Spa Little Theater is undergoing a $12 million renovation, its first major renovation since it was built in 1935. View the gallery to explore the renderings or see the latest renovation updates and photos by clicking below!
60th Anniversary Season Art
Our official 60th anniversary season artwork marks this milestone moment in SPAC’s history and sets the tone for a year of reflection, celebration, and forward momentum.
Designer Shawn Carney (The New York Times Style Magazine, Wall Street Journal): “The final design is intentionally tactile and handcrafted. My hope is that the artwork reflects the craft, labor, and human touch behind sixty seasons of live performance. It also highlights the subtle and poetic side of the venue and the experiences within its gates. The design feels classic and timeless, nods to SPAC’s history, but leaves open space for more of its future to be recorded.”
SPAC’s 2026 Theme
Seasons
To commemorate 60 years of SPAC and its recent blossoming into a vibrant, year-round destination, the theme of Seasons is inspired by how nature and humans alike move through cycles of growth, transformation, reflection, and renewal. Each season brings its own mood and meaning, shaping both the world around us and the landscapes within us.
60th Anniversary Programming & Events
Anniversary Night @ SPAC — Thursday, July 9
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of SPAC’s opening night on July 9, 1966, which was also A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by New York City Ballet!
On Anniversary Night, partake in a birthday party celebration honoring SPAC’s 60th, with festivities that will make for a perfect evening out at the ballet with your loved ones. Toast to 60 years with complimentary tastings from Whitman Brewing Co., enjoy sweet treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes, capture the night with a souvenir photograph from On the Spot Photos, and take part in other local tastings and fun onsite activities (to be announced). The party starts at 5:30PM when gates open!
BalletX: The Four Seasons Reimagined
Thursday, June 11 @ 7:30PM
BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet company, will present The Four Seasons Reimagined in a special one-night, pavilion-only performance. This exciting new work arrives in Saratoga just days after its world premiere and was co-commissioned by SPAC.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
New York City Ballet
Wednesday, July 8 @ 7:30PM
Thursday, July 9 @ 7:30PM
Friday, July 10 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, July 11 @ 2PM
Relive the magic of SPAC’s opening night in 1966 with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the very first piece performed for audiences on the SPAC stage. Plus, join us at Anniversary Night on Thursday, July 9 for a birthday party celebration before the performance and help us toast to 60 years!
Innovators & Icons
New York City Ballet
Friday, July 10 @ 2PM
Saturday, July 11 @ 7:30PM
Celebrate 60 years of SPAC and New York City Ballet’s historic partnership with works by innovative and iconic choreographers both past and present, featuring George Balanchine’s iconic Serenade, which was first performed at SPAC during our inaugural season in 1966.
Tchaikovsky Spectacular
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Wednesday, August 5 @ 7:30PM
Kick off The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 60th season at SPAC with our annual opening night tradition, Tchaikovsky Spectacular, featuring the 1812 Overture with live cannon fire and a brilliant fireworks display! It’s also Family Night, with pre-show lawn games, activities & crafts, face painting, free Stewart’s ice cream, and more.
American Dreams with Brian Stokes Mitchell
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Friday, August 7 @ 7:30PM
Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to SPAC to lead a program anchored by a tribute to Marian Anderson’s landmark performance of Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait at SPAC 50 years ago.
Beethoven’s Ninth with Yannick
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Saturday, August 15 @ 7:30PM
Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to SPAC to anchor the 60th anniversary season with the return of the piece that opened the Orchestra’s first season at SPAC in 1966, Beethoven’s iconic Ninth Symphony.
David Kim Leads The Four Seasons
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Wednesday, August 19 @ 7:30PM
Concertmaster and violinist David Kim takes center stage as both leader and soloist in a performance celebrating SPAC’s 60th anniversary theme, Seasons. Anchoring the program is a paired performance of two iconic works: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
60th Anniversary Commemorative Merch
Introducing new merchandise to commemorate our 60th anniversary year, including our official SPAC throw blanket!
We’re also releasing a special collection of vintage poster prints from the archives by legendary graphic designer Milton Glaser, known for his iconic I Love New York logo and groundbreaking visual style. A curated selection of digital prints, signed posters, and limited edition signed and numbered silkscreens are available for purchase. Own a piece of SPAC history!
Keep an eye on our online store as new products are announced.
