All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

OK, rumor has it that the sun is supposed to be a guest at most of the weekend's activities. So make sure you've got the right SPF when you go out, but bring and umbrella just in case.

Now, for what to do. Here's this week's list of options. Mix them, match them, trade them with your friends -- and as always, if we missed something, let us know about it.

Have fun!

Art Night
Tonight is Art Night in the Electric City. Check out music, art and performance venues around Schenectady. Here's the scoop on what you'll find and where you'll find it. This month there should be more to do because it's being held in conjunction with Schenectady County's "Summer Night" celebration.

Baseball
The Saratoga Phillies are at home tonight at the East Side Recreation field.Free.

On Saturday night at 7:30 the Dutchmen play The Phillies at Albany's Bleeker Stadium. ($4.50, $3 for kids, $3.50 students and seniors).

It's fair time
The Saratoga County Fair is open for the season. Hey, where else can you get racing pigs and fried oreos. Mmmm... fried oreos.

Pig Out!
Speaking of pigs--the annual Troy Pig Out starts on Saturday morning at 11. Chefs from across the country will be barbecuing in the Troy's Riverfront Park all weekend. Music, vendors, BBQ competition and other fun stuff. 11-10 Saturday, 11-4 Sunday. It's free to go, but samples are $1 a piece.

Roller Derby
The lovely ladies from The Hellions of Troy take on The Slaughter Daughters in Frear Park on Saturday night at 7:00. $10 in advance, $12 night of.

Everybody dance
Saturday night is the monthly Saratoga Savoy Diamond Dance at The Saratoga Music Hall (the top floor of City Hall on Broadway.) There's a free lesson at 7:30, then for $15 you can dance until your coach turns into a pumpkin ( or until 11:30, whichever comes first). This month's band is "Slick Fitty." Oh, and there's free Ben and Jerry's too.

Or watch other people dance
It's the last weekend for the New York City Ballet at SPAC. You can catch performances tonight and tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Remix
Video remixers Eclectic Method will be doing their video remixing thing at Red Square on Saturday night at 9. $9.

Camp Bisco
The 8th annual Camp Bisco music festival is already underway and runs through tomorrow night at Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville. The Disco Biscuits will play both today and tomorrow. You can also catch Nas & Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Asher Roth and a whole mess of others. Tickets start at $75.

Other Music
We are Jeneric and Space Lounge are tonight's "garage bands" in the Albany Public Library garage band series. 6-8PM in the garage behind the Washington Avenue branch o the APL. Oh, and it's free.

Scientific Maps and Kitty Little are playing Tess' Lark Tavern tonight at 9:00. $5

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women are at Rev Hall tonight with Grainbelt. Doors open at 8:00. $22.

Theater
There's lots of summer theater going on all over the Capital Region. Here are a few shows that look interesting.

The Bakerloo Theatre Project is doing a streamlined adaptation of Hamlet called "Hamlet: What Dreams May Come." The play is focused only on the scenes Hamlet is actually in or observes himself. It's being performed at RPI's Academy Hall on 15th Street in Troy.

The Daily Show's Nate Corddry stars in Sam Shepard's True West at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Tonight at 8, Saturday at 4 and 8 and Sunday at 2. $50-$59

Shear Madness is at Capital Rep. This mystery/comedy is different every night since the audience decides the outcome. Tonight at 8, Saturday at 3 and 7:30, Sunday at 2:30. $15 -$46

Party with the stars
The Landis Arboretum and The Albany Area Amateur Astronomers are hosting star viewing parties at the arboretum tonight and Saturday night at 10. Free.

Stop and smell the flowers
Nine gardens in the Burnt Hills/Scotia area are open for tours from 11-3 on Saturday. The tours are a fund raiser for the Landis Arboretum. $25 gets you into all the gardens.

Swim
It may even be warm enough to check out the public pools in Albany, or the Peerless or Victoria Pools in Saratoga. If you're more of a beach person try Grafton or Moreau.

Free Carillon Concert
Grab a blanket or hit a park bench near Albany City Hall on Sunday at 1 to hear what the city's carillon sounds like.

Georgia O'Keefe at The Clark
Take a drive out to Williamstown and check out The Clark Art Institute. They're regular exhibits are wonderful and right now they've got a temporary exhibit of flowers and southern landscapes by Georgia O'Keefe.

Giant Sculpture
This could be a good weekend to go check out the giant outdoor sculpture at Omi International Arts Center. Free.

Al Fresco
This could also be a good weekend for outdoor dining. Pick your favorite local patio and order up a snack and a drink with a little umbrella in it.

Ice Cream
Did you know ice cream has fewer calories when it's hot and muggy outside? OK, that's not at all true, but when it's hot and muggy outside, ice cream makes you happy. Here are some of our favorite ice cream joints.

Photo: Flickr user jalalspages