All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Well, here we are -- in the first official weekend of summer. Remember back in February, when it seemed sooooooo far away?

Weather-wise, today looks like the best day of the weekend, so if you cut out early, we promise not to tell. Meanwhile, after the jump, a list of stuff to do this weekend that looks
like fun to us.

Let us know what we missed. And have a great weekend!

Swimming!
Most of the community pools will be open as of this weekend, and the beaches at Grafton, Thacher and Moreau State Parks have been open for a few weeks. Don't forget your sunscreen!

TNO
Weather-wise, tonight may just be the most perfect Troy Night Out ever. Go out and play in the Collar City. Don't miss the Sunmark/Bilinski BBQ! The folks from Bilinski's will be serving up free chicken sausage. Yep...free. TNO sponsor Sunmark Federal Credit Union will be there with all kinds of other free goodies. Also, check out Hello Pretty City host Laura Glazer's photo exhibit at The Paper Sparrow and the official unofficial after party with the Goodship DJs at Daisy Baker's. Free *

Art on Lark
Artists, crafters and fair food all along Lark Street Saturday for Art on Lark. Check out the Local 518 stage at the Madison Avenue end of Lark for music by Railbird, Ashley Pond Band, We are Jeneric, Super 400 and other local favorites. At the Washington Avenue
stage you'll find Matthew Carefully, the Lark Diva's Drag Show and the Lark-Ternative Hair Show and Competition. Starts at 10. Free.

Biergarten Block Party
The US Plays Ghana in the World Cup on Sunday afternoon, and Wolff's is holding another block party/watch party to celebrate. Big screen TV's under tents, beer trucks--the works. $5

Family Fun day
Another good kid pick --Sunday is Family Fun Day in Ballston Spa. Music, contests, prizes and fireworks at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. Free

Jazz Fest
Fill a cooler, grab a friend and a beach blanket and spend a day..or the
whole weekend -- listening to jazz on the lawn at the Freihofer Jazz Festival at SPAC. Saturday catch Al Jarreau, Taj Mahal,
Al DiMiola and plenty of others. If you like standards, Ann Hampton Callaway is one of the greatest interpreters of the American Songbook, she's there on Sunday along with Gladys Knight and the Ramsey Lewis Trio. But sometimes the best thing about this festival, is discovering new artists and hearing them before they become the next big thing.

More music
Tonight
The Brooklyn based Americana band Yarn is Caffe Lena in Saratoga tonight. $16 in advance, $18 at the door.
Sean Rowe is at Bread & Jam in Cohoes tonight. $5
Timbre Coup is playing camp bisco in July, but tonight they'll be at Red Square with Dopapod. 8PM
Valentine's hosts Maaze and My Pet Dragon
Local jazz favorite Jill Hughes is at 9 Maple Ave. tonight at 9.
Captain Squeeze & the Zydeco Moshers are playing a free concert in Scotia's Freedom Park.
Brown Shugie & the Shugie Daddies are at The Midtown Tap & Tea Room*
Nona Hendryx has a free concert on Sunday night in Schenectady Central Park

Saturday
Scientific Maps and Man Scouts are at Valentine's on Saturday
Alta Mira is at Red Square with The Tins. 8PM

Treasure Hunt
The Round Lake Antique Festival is this Saturday from 9 to 5. The village itself is something really neat to see. It's a former religious meeting camp complete with a meeting house with a huge, and very cool old pipe organ. The old Victorian cottages are packed tightly together and painted all sorts of fun colors. Oh, yeah... and the annual antique show really is an awesome place to pick up some fun old treasures.

Plant shopping
The Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center is having a Native Plant Sale on Saturday. Perennials, plants, shrubs and trees -- most from $5 - $10.

Bike Ride
The Critical Mass Bicycle Ride meets up tonight at 5:30. Anyone can join them for a group bike ride at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in Washington Park.

For the birds
Head over to The Berkshire Bird Paradise. It's a short drive from anywhere in the region and it's totally worth it. The first thing that will hit you are the sounds -- cooing, cawing, clucking, whoo-ing, squawking -- There are birds from all over he world. Be sure to go all the way to the back to see the eagles and the emu. Their website has more info.

Cats and dogs
The Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society is holding a Walk & Wag festival on Saturday morning at The Crossings park in Colonie. It's a fund raising dog walk to benefit the humane society. They'll have music, vendors and prizes for fund raising teams. Registration starts at 8:30 and the walk kicks off at
10.

Hike
Celebrate the first summer weekend with a hike. The Albany Pine Bush has a good hike for families on Saturday from 1-2:30.
$2 per person, $5 per family, kids under 5 are free. Sign up at 518-456-0655

For a more grown up hike you can do in half a day, you may want to try the Indian Ladder Trail.

Comedy
The Mop & Bucket Company does an improv show Underground at Proctor's every Friday night -- but every Friday night it's a totally different show.

You've seen John Pinnette in movies like Dear God and episodes of Seinfeld. This Saturday the actor and stand up comedian is at The Egg with a comedy act based on America's obsession with food. stand up act a

Tie Dye
Make some fun summer shirts without getting your kitchen dirty. The Albany Art Room is holding a summer Tie-Dye workshop from noon to 4 on Saturday. $5 Buy shirts there or bring your own.

Mass MoCA
Take a drive out to Mass MoCA for the art and stick around for the music. The Fred Jacobs Oddessy perform on Saturday night at 8 as part of Mass MoCA's cabaret under the stars series. Comic Dave Hill, The Ukuladies, and Clare and the Reasons are also on the bill. $12 in advance, $16 day of, $10 students/Members.

Road trip
Spend 12 hours here, here or here. Or take a shopping trip to Northampton or Woodstock

Ice cream and patios
In case you need them, here are the ice cream tour and outdoor dining maps.