SLINGERLANDS – The inaugural Fall Festival and 5K on the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail and Firefighter’s Memorial Park kicked off on a brisk Saturday morning, Sept. 24 from the Hilton Barn in New Scotland.
Festivities began with the running of the “Barn to Bridge Fall Fest 5K” managed by Albany Running Exchange Event Productions. The race drew nearly 300 runners to the starting line at 11 a.m. The course looped around neighborhood roads before proceeding past the historic Hilton Barn on along the rail trail. The finish line was marked just beyond the former Delaware & Hudson bridge that spans across New Scotland Road in Slingerlands.
Cameron Davis, 21, of Delmar, won the race at a time of 15:17. Karen Bartasso, 38, or Selkirk, led all women racers with a time of 17:02.
The Fall Festival that followed featured family fun, including a baggo tournament, a kids fun run, yoga sessions, food trucks, drink vendors, a bounce house and dunk tank, face painting, a business expo and musical performances from local favorites Rick Bedrosian, Playin’ with Fire, Andy the Music Man and Bethlehem Traditional Irish Dance.