All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Welcome to June! The weekend could be a bit wet. But you won't melt. (Unless you're made of sugar, in which case we can't help you.)

After the jump, a bunch of things we thought you might want to know about. Got other plans? Share, please.

Have a great weekend.

1st Friday
Tonight is 1st Friday. Shops and galleries are open late all around Albany. The Albany Barn's Lost and Found show -- a photo exhibit of the St. Joseph's Academy building by Jesse Bouley, Paul Gallo, Darren Ketchum and Julia Zave is at the Barn's Stage 1 on North Swan Street. 17 Chapel is hosting a satellite exhibit from Albany Center Gallery, and a Chefs on Parade Cooking Competition featuring Carmine Sprio ($10). Post 1st Friday events include Burlesque at Paradiso ($12) and The Capital Swing Dance at 25 South Allen ($15). Here's the full list of events.

34th Annual Freihofer's Run For Women
The annual Freihofer's Run for Women begins on Saturday morning at 10 am in downtown Albany. "Last chance" registration is open until 7 pm Friday if you show up in person at the ESP. And, of course, you can always just go cheer on the runners.

Troy Flea
This is the opening weekend for Troy Flea, a new TightKnit market that includes "include "handmade, vintage and antique art and goods." It's on the block of River Street in Troy south of the farmers' market, from 9 am-2 pm.

Theater
Avenue Q
Yes, there are puppets, but there's also "full frontal puppet nudity" and songs like "It Sucks to Be Me" and "Schadenfreude," so leave the kids at home for this one. The Local Actors Guild of Saratoga presents the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q this weekend at the Saratoga Arts Center. Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - $20

Laughs
MopCo.: You never know. The Mop and Bucket improv company has a new show Underground at Proctors. It's a mix of short-form scenes and improv games, and it's different every week. Friday at 8 pm - $14, $6

Armenian Festival
The Capital Region's annual Armenian festival is this weekend at St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet. Armenian food, cooking demonstrations, music, games, shopping and carnival games. Saturday noon-7 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. Free admission.

Beer
The first Saratoga Beer and Music Fest at the Saratoga Polo Club is Saturday afternoon. It includes a beer sampling (we couldn't find a list online) and a homebrew competition. And live music is on the slate, too. It's a benefit for The Creative Place International, a new arts group in Saratoga. 1-4 pm - $25 ahead / $30 at door

Beefsteak Dinner
All you can eat filet mingon, fries, salad and pitchers of beer at Wolf's Biergarden's Spring Beefsteak Dinner on Saturday at 4 pm. Reservations are required -- tickets are $55.

Balloons
The Washington County town of Cambridge is holding its annual Balloon Festival this weekend. Hot air balloons and other festivities, including an auto show, fireworks and tours of the New Skete Monasteries where they raise dogs and make cheesecakes. Today through Sunday.

Parade of Homes/Chefs on Parade
Today through Sunday from you can tour 15 homes constructed by Capital Region builders on the Parade of Homes Tour. Today-Sunday 11 am-5 pm. $15

For $35 you can do the Chefs on Parade event, where Capital Region chefs do cooking demonstrations and offer samples in the kitchens of the model homes.

Underground wells and tunnels at Art Omi
This Alice Aycock exhibit at Art Omi is a land art sculpture dating back to 1975. It's "a subterranean network of passages set up for the purpose of operating below the surface of the earth." The exhibit opens Saturday. 1-3 pm - free.

Natural Living Show
The Altamont Fair Grounds is hosting a Natural Living Show this weekend, with 150 local business and vendors demonstrating green building and eco friendly products and services. Saturday and Sunday 10 am-4 pm - $7

Kids Arts Festival In Schenectady
Saturday around Schenectady city hall: The Kids Arts Festival -- free, hands-on arts activities for kids, plus music, puppets and street performers. Saturday from noon-4 pm - free.

Elvis
The Lake George Elvis Festival is this weekend. It features more than 60 "Elvis Tribute Artists." And if you're feeling impulsive, you can get married by Elvis. Tickets are required for some performances -- check for prices.

Capital Pride week
The annual Capital Pride week in Albany starts this weekend with a bunch of events. (The big Pride parade and festival are next weekend.)

Mountain Jam
The annual Mountain Jam music festival is this weekend at Hunter Mountain. Among the many acts in this year's lineup: Ben Folds Five , The Roots, Steve Winwood, Gov't Mule, Michael Franti, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Zee Avi, a James Murphy DJ set, and a bunch of others. A three-day pass is currently $180. Day passes start at $60.

Music

Friday: Zac Brown Band at SPAC
Country. First big concert of the season at SPAC. 7 pm - $40 and up

Friday: Eilen Jewell at Helsinki Hudson
The "Queen of the Minor Key." With: Los Straightjackets, who play wearing Mexican wrestling masks (why not). 9 pm - $20 ahead / $22 day of

Friday: Treasa Levasseur Trio at Caffe Lena
Blues. With: Sarah Blacker Duo. 8 pm - $10

Saturday: Man Man at Valentine's
Kind of crazy indie rock. And self reflective about it. (They're also playing Helsinki Hudson Sunday night.) 8 pm - $13 ahead / $15 at door

Saturday: The Psychedelic Furs at The Egg
Molly Ringwald wouldn't have been Pretty in Pink without them. 8 pm - $28

Saturday: Bonnie Raitt at The Palace
With: Marc Cohn (the "Walking in Memphis" guy). 8 pm - $52 and up

Saturday: Rustic Overtones at Bootlegger's on Broadway
Combustible. 8 pm - $15 at door

Saturday: THE 70's Party at Putnam Den
"A night proving that not only is disco still alive, but so is phenomenal, soulful rock music. Come kick out some hustle, and whatever else your inner disco-freak might desire." With: Wild Adriatic, Dead Horse Beat, Odeophex, DJ Tony Platinum, DJ Wayne Pensiero. 9 pm-4 am - $5

Sunday: The Honeycutters at Caffe Lena
Americana. 7 pm - $14 ahead / $16 at door

Dancing with the Queen, Marching with King
A former executive assistant to Nelson Rockefeller, Alexander "Sam" Aldrich recounts his journey from a life a privilege to a life of public service in his new book Dancing with the Queen, Marching with the King. Aldrich will share stories from his remarkable life on Sunday at the Albany Institute of History and Art. 2 pm - free with museum admission

Farmers' markets outside
The outdoor seasons for farmers' markets are in swing in Troy (Saturday), Delmar(Saturday), Saratoga (Saturday), and Schenectady (Sunday).

For the birds
The Berkshire Bird Paradise is open for the season. As long as you don't have any Tippi Hedren-like phobias, this place is really neat. There's clucking and squawking and colorful feathers. It's a fun diversion on a trip out to Grafton Lake.

Beach
Beaches at Grafton Lake State Park and Moreau Lake State Park are open for the season.

Ice cream

Tour de Hard Ice Cream
The results of Daniel B's Tour de Hard Cream are in. Now you can try the winners out for yourself.

Moxie's
Moxie's in Wynantskill is open for the season. If you like ice cream, you owe it to yourself to go at least once. They make six different types of vanilla -- and you can get them all in a sampler!

Brunch
It's one of the best ways to spend a lazy weekend morning. Here are a few fun brunch options and some great diner breakfast stops.

Mop & Bucket Company advertises on AOA. The Delmar Farmers' Market advertises on AOA. 17 Chapel has advertised on AOA in the past.

photo: Sebastien Barre