All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

A few of the headliners at this weekend's Rest Fest (clockwise from top left): the Kamikaze Hearts, The Loom, Mount Eerie, Sharon Van Etten.

This weekend is so full of stuff to do that you may not know what to do first.

Do not be overwhelmed.

The first step to making an informed decision is having the facts. So, after the jump, the facts about what's happening in the Capital Region this weekend -- from Rest Fest to Jazz Fest, to Wine and Food and Ferrari Fest, to tug boats to championship baseball. And pretty much any kind of music you could want.

If you're doing something you don't see here, drop it in the comments and let the rest of us know about it. Whatever you choose, have a fantastic weekend.

First Friday
Tonight is the last 1st Friday of the summer season. The weather should be fantastic for a stroll or trolley ride around Albany. A few things to look out for tonight:

+ Upstate Artists Guild is hosting an art and fashion exhibit.
+ Albany Center Galleries has a Japanese-influenced show called Layer and Line.
+ Albany Barn has its 8th annual Summer in the City exhibit of multimedia, cultural, historical, performance, artwork and poetry projects by kids from Arbor Hill and other downtown neighborhoods.
+ EBA is offering free sample classes in theater and dance for adults and kids.
+ Post-1st Friday you can check out the Capital Swing Dance with Patti- (Melita) and the Hip Hooligans at The Albany Elks Lodge on South Allen Street. The University Club hosts singer/songwriter Jeff Strange.

Here's the full schedule.

Saratoga Wine and Food Fest
The Saratoga Wine and Food and Fall Ferrari Festival is this weekend at SPAC. There are events Friday, Saturday, and Sunday -- events require individual tickets, so check the schedule. A few of the highlights: the "Epicurean Exploration" gala Friday night; the "Cast Iron Chef's Challenge" -- chef Suvir Saran will be judging -- Saturday morning; and the grand tasting Saturday afternoon.

Rest Fest
The annual Restoration Festival is back at St. Joseph's in Albany this weekend. This year's Rest Fest adds a third day of music -- Friday night -- to the schedule. The lineup includes headliners Sharon Van Etten, Mount Eerie, the Kamikaze Hearts, Willy Mason, the Loom, Brian Dewan, Common Prayer, and Hop Along -- plus a bunch of good locals.

A weekend pass for the whole festival is $50. Individual day tickets are $20 (Friday and Sunday) and $30 (Saturday).

Music

Sean Rowe
His new album -- The Salesman and the Shark -- was released last week. And he's playing a show to celebrate it Saturday night at Valentine's. The opener is Railbird. 7 pm - $10

Jazz Festival
The annual Port of Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival is Saturday at the amphitheater in the Corning Preserve. The lineup includes Way Down, Pedrito Martinez, Delfeayo Marsalis, Charlie Hunter, and The Mosaic Project featuring Terri Lyne Carrington, Nona Hendryx and Gretchen Parlato. It's free.

Music starts at noon with the winner of the Downtown Albany Jazz Fest Competition. Eight acts will be competing Friday night at venues around downtown Albany for the Saturday spot.

Music on the ESP
But, wait, there's more: the "Local Legends Live" music event is at the Empire State Plaza Saturday. The headliner is Mike Doughty (neither local nor a legend, just bow before the appeal of alliteration). The rest of the slate: Eastbound Jesus, John Brodeur and Charmboy, Karma's Army, The Chronicles, Catching Cadence, and Happy Birthday Dr. Jim. It runs from 2-9 pm. It's free.

Update Saturday: Cancelled because of threat of severe weather.

The Egg
+ Friday: Mary Chapin Carpenter plays a mix of country, folk, rock and blues at The Egg. 8 pm - $39.50
+ Sunday: guitarist Steve Vai will be at The Egg. 8 pm - $39.50 and up

Risk!
The Risk! storytelling show will be back at the Linda Saturday night. The nationally touring show/podcast was there this past spring, and host Kevin Allison said it was so successful they decided to come back. The lineup this time around includes locals and special guest Dave Hill. (Just a heads-up: this is not a show for kids.) 7:30 pm - $17

Tugboat Roundup
The annual Tugboat Roundup is this weekend in Waterford. It's pretty much what it sounds like -- a bunch of tugboats gather at the Waterford waterfront, and there are exhibits, games, food, stuff for kids. But the best part is checking out all the different boats. Admission to the festival is free.

Keep an eye out today (Friday) for the tugboat parade -- it leaves the Port of Albany at 2:45 pm, passes Troy at 3:45, and starts arriving in Waterford around 5 pm.

Designing for the Arts
The Foundry in Cohoes is opening a new exhibit that highlights design work by the Oberlander Group. "Designing for the Arts features more than 25 works that engage with challenges of marketing culture and provide insight into building an image and personality with which visitors and supporters can identify, increasing their emotional attachment and encouraging them to return." The exhibition features award-winning work for several world-famous cultural institutions including New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Miami City Ballet. The exhibit will include work from several well known photographers such as Rodney Smith, Ray Meeks, Richard Corman and Andrew Eccles.

There's an opening reception Saturday from 6-9 pm. It's free.

Pop-up gallery night
The Linda has a pop-up art gallery night Friday featuring work from four artists. 6 pm - free

Theater

+ Albany Civic presents Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Friday & Saturday 7:30pm , Sunday 3pm. $15.

+ Beth Henly's dark comedy Crimes of the Heart is at Curtain Call Theater. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm, $23.

+ Shakespeare and Company in Lenox has Satchmo at the Waldorf a one man show about Louis Armstrong. Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 2 and 7:30, Sunday at 2.

Baseball
The Tri-City Valley Cats have made their way to the playoffs. Their first home game of the postseason is this Saturday night at 7pm. If a game three is necessary, it will be at The Joe on Sunday at 5pm. $5.50-$11.50

Apples
Apple season has started in the Capital Region. This year's weird weather resulted in large crop losses at many orchards, so some of them don't have pick-your-own this year. But most of those orchards say they'll have apples available for sale in their farm stores.

Here's AOA's list/map of Capital Region apple picking spots, updated for 2012.

St. George Greek Festival
A three-day Greek festival with food, pastries, music, kids activities and more. Friday through Sunday at the Hellenic Center on Liberty Street in Schenectady. Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm. Free admission.

Get rid of those old electronics
There's a free electronics recycling day at the Saratoga Technology and Energy Park on Saturday.

Corn Maze
Fort Ticonderoga has opened one of the first corn mazes of the season. It's a six-acre maze with clues and a scavenger hunt. Open 9:30-4:30. $17.50 for adults, Seniors $14, kids $8. Under 5 free.

Soak up what's left of summer
You can still catch a drive-in movie at The Hollywood, Jericho or Malta. The Snowman, Kurver and a few of the seasonal ice cream stands are hanging on. Do it now. In February you'll wish you had.

Farmers' markets
The abundance of great farmers' markets is one of the best things about living in the Capital Region, and this is the best time of year to check them out. Among the markets open this weekend: Troy (Saturday), Delmar (Saturday), Saratoga (Saturday), and Schenectady (Sunday).

Road trip
One of the best things about the anticipated change in season? New Clothes. Try a shopping trip to Northampton . But who needs new clothes when you have good beer and cheese -- maybe a visit to a brewery or cheese farm. Or take a trip out to Western Mass and take in the flowers while you still can at the Berkshire Botanical Garden.

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.

The Downtown Albany BID and the Saratoga Wine and Food Fest advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of Rest Fest.

photos: Kamikaze Hearts - Joe Putrock | The Loom via The Loom Facebook | Sharon Van Etten via Sharon Van Etten Facebook | Mount Eerie via Phil Elverum website