All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather, to summer things, to The Track, to fairs, to Scottish Games, to bacon, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast:

Monday: Cloudy, lows 80s. Slight chance of rain during the day, increasing at night.

Tuesday: Cloudy and rainy to start, then sunny later in the day. Low 80s.

Wednesday: Sunny and mid 70s.

Thursday: Sunny and low 80s.

Friday: Sunny and mid 80s.

Weekend: Sunny and warm to start, cloudy and a bit cooler to end.

You've done well, August.

Summer now

This is the last week of August, and Labor Day is next Monday (three day weekend!).

So summer is almost over. That means now is the time to do all those summer things you've wanted to do, or wanted to do again. Go swimming, go to Jumpin' Jack's, hit up the ice cream stand, go to the Track.

Get crackin' -- you won't regret it come January.

In related news: fall is will soon be here. That's not a bad thing -- just a different set of things to which to look forward.

The Track

This is the last week of the racing season at the Saratoga Race Course (remember, no racing on Tuesday). The final day of racing is next Monday (Labor Day).

Among the special events this week:
+ Wednesday is veterans day -- all veterans and active military members get in free with military ID.
+ Sunday and Monday are Family Fun Fest days -- "the backyard area will host a variety of family-friendly attractions such as carnival games, face painting, caricatures, spin art and pony rides."
+ Sunday is the last giveaway day of the season: a red Saratoga fleece blanket -- free with paid admission while supplies last.

Fairs 'o the week

County fairs this week:
+ The Fonda Fair in Montgomery County - Tuesday through next Monday - $10 / children 6-11 $2 / kids under 6 free.
+ The Columbia County Fair in Chatham - Wednesday through next Monday - Adults $10 (Sunday is $12). It's $8 every day if purchased before August 29 / under 12 - free.
+ The Schaghticoke Fair - Wednesday through next Monday - Adults $10, $11 Saturday-Monday / Opening Day is $5 / children under 13 - free.

Moonrise Kingdom

Proctors is showing Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom this week on its main stage screen. Given Anderson's aesthetic, the Proctors main stage seems like the right place to see the film. Monday-Thursday various times - $5

Scottish Games

The annual Capital District Scottish Games are this Saturday and Sunday at the Altamont Fairgrounds. All sorts of Scottish things: dancing, music (bagpipes!), dogs, and the ever-popular caber toss.

Tickets are $22 for Saturday ($18 pre-sale) and $12 Sunday ($10 pre-sale). Kids under 12 are free.

Bacon Fest

The first Bacon Fest NY is Sunday in Hudson. From the blurbage on what such a fest involves:

Restaurants and eateries from NYC, the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks and into the Berkshires will be featuring their bacon creations, area smokehouses will have a spectrum of flavors to sample, artisans of all crafts - edible and non - will have their wares on display, farms and CSA's will delight us with pig knowledge AND the delightful croonings of area musicians will wash over us as we all drift into a food coma.

The music lineup includes: Ramblin' Jug Stompers, Sgt. Dunbar, Lucky Jukebox Brigade, Eastbound Jesus, and... Unexplained Bacon.

General admission tickets are $10 ($8 ahead of time). Kids under 10 are free.

Music

Wednesday: Built to Spill at Upstate Concert Hall
Influential band from the 90s. With: Helvetia, Revolt Revolt. 8 pm - $16 ahead / $18 day of

Wednesday: Blue Hand Luke at Troy Rockin' on the River
The last Rockin' on the River of the summer. 5 pm - free

Wednesday: The Sun Parade at Caffe Lena
Indie folk rock duo. 7 pm - $5

Thursday: American Idol Live at TU Center
A bunch of the contestants from Idol, including Phillip Phillips. 7 pm - $30.50 and up

Thursday: Up Up We Go! at Red Square
New Orleans-style Americana -- from Vermont. With: Sunny Side of the Street Band; Dan Johnson and His Expert Sidemen. 8 pm

Thursday: Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real at Helsinki Hudson
Country rock. You might know Nelson's dad, Willie. With: Sarah Borges. 8 pm - $18 ahead / $22 day of

Friday: Bryan Thomas at Upbeat on the Roof at the Tang
Mr. Soul Rock. 7 pm - free

Friday: Train at Tanglewood
This is the part where someone mentions the Train-Saratoga connection. 7 pm - $22 and up

Friday: Y La Bamba at Helsinki Hudson
Indie folk pop. Here's an NPR Tiny Desk Concert with them. 9 pm - $15

Friday: Roomful of Teeth featuring Missy Mazzoli at MASS MoCA
Vocal group collaborating with Mazzoli, "one of the fastest-rising young composers in America." 8 pm - $15 / $10 students

Saturday: Jon Herrington Band at The Linda
Guitarist for Steely Dan. 8 pm - $18

Saturday: Q-Ruption at SPAC
Big lineup that includes Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, P.O.D. and others. $20 and up

Saturday: Tequila Mockingbirds at Caffe Lena
Blues/jazz duo. 8 pm - $14 ahead / $16 at door

Saturday: Brazilian Big Beat Dance Party with Nation Beat at MASS MoCA
Described as "European, African and Latin sensibilities come together in the spirit of a Friday-night party after a week of hard work." 8 pm - $15 / $10 students

Saturday: Evanescence and Chevelle at... Tanglewood
Maybe the weirdest act/venue pairing of the year. 7 pm - $22 and up

Sunday: Boston Pops Orchestra - The Great American Songbook at Tanglewood
With Michael Feinstein and Christine Ebersole. 2:30 pm - $21 and up

Sunday: Jason Mraz at SPAC
With: Christina Perri. 7:30 pm - $15 and up

These are a just a few things for this week. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

Look for our "Stuff to do this weekend" post on Friday.

The Saratoga Race Course advertises on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of Bacon Fest.

photo: Capital District Scottish Games