Michael Hallisey

3 days ago | spotlightnews.com | Michael Hallisey

ALBANY — Capital Region BOCES will host a Careers in Education Fair on Wednesday, June 11, to support individuals exploring a future in the education profession. The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the BOCES main campus at 900 Watervliet Shaker Road. Organizers say the fair is designed for career changers, college-bound students, and anyone interested in the teaching field.

4 days ago | spotlightnews.com | Michael Hallisey

ROUND LAKE — What does it mean to improvise? For electric harpist and educator Alexandra Chang, it’s not just about spontaneity or playing without a plan. It’s about deep listening, shared energy, and rethinking the rules that typically separate art forms. That philosophy is the foundation of the Improv Spaces Music Festival, a daylong exploration of musical and interdisciplinary improvisation happening Saturday, June 7, at the Round Lake Auditorium.

5 days ago | spotlightnews.com | Michael Hallisey

ALBANY — State and local officials joined cultural leaders on a modest stretch of grass near the Waterford lock of the 200-year-old Erie Canal to announce plans for its upcoming bicentennial celebration. A translucent podium bearing a bicentennial sign stood outside a tent atop a hill overlooking the Mohawk River, where nearly a dozen speakers reflected on New York’s layered history—from the American Revolution to the stories of immigrants who helped build the Empire State.

5 days ago | spotlightnews.com | Michael Hallisey

ALBANY — Clad in ponchos, race bibs and determination, nearly 2,000 women runners speared through driving rain for Saturday morning’s 47th annual Delightful Run for Women on May 31. Gray skies set the scene downtown, but the mood was anything but dreary for what has become one of the Capital Region’s most celebrated community traditions — a 5K run that now stretches well beyond sport.

5 days ago | spotlightnews.com | Michael Hallisey

DELMAR — Barbara’s School of the Dance continues to take great strides after 50 years in business, announcing a new addition to its programming: a production company that will give students a separate platform for theatrical storytelling outside the traditional recital format. The company, with a name to be announced in the coming months, will launch in fall 2025 and rehearse weekly throughout the season. Its first full-length production, “Sleeping Beauty,” is set to premiere in May 2026.