All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

This could be as close as it gets to the perfect fall weekend. Lots of sunshine, temperatures in the 70s, and a long list of stuff to do.

After the jump, a few things we thought might interest you.

As always, if you've got something planned that you don't see here, drop it in the comments. It's all more fun when you share.

And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Troy Night Out
It doesn't seem possible, but it's already the end of the month and time for Troy Night Out. On the list of events this month:
+ RPI After Dark: A bunch of RPI student groups will be performing throughout the night -- from robot groups, unicycles and jugglers to a cappella groups and a theater production of "The Complete History of America (abridged)".
+ 1st Playable will have an interactive Minecraft exhibit
+ Tight Knit's Friday Flea will be set up between Second and River Streets with local, handmade crafts and antiques.
+ The Arts Center of the Capital Region has closing receptions for its "Overgrown" and "Unsettled" exhibits.
+ There's a post party at Daisy Baker's as usual.

Also... there's going to be a Tardis photo booth at TNO. Apparently it's bigger on the inside.
For the complete listing and a map of events, checkout the TNO website or the Troy Night Out App.

Pearl Palooza
Saturday: Pearl Street in downtown Albany will be closed off for the annual Pearl Palooza festival, organized by WEQX. Headliners this year are Portugal. The Man. Here's the lineup with video clips. (The lineup changed after it was originally announced -- out: The Dirty Heads and Palma Violets; in: Portugal. The Man and Crystal Fighters.) Saturday noon-9:15 pm - free admission (though there is a $20 VIP ticket this year)

Stockade Walkabout
Saturday is the annual Stockade Walkabout. The Stockade in Schenectady is New York State's first historic district. This year the walkabout will include interior tours of eight of the more than 40 historic homes. Tickets are $20.00 and are on sale at Proctors Box Office, Open Door Bookstore, Schenectady County Historical Society and at Kulak's Nursery in Rexford or online. Tickets will also be available at the door for $25.

Inside the Obama Campaign
Saturday: The World Within Reach speakers series at UAlbany brings three of the top advisors to the Obama presidential campaign to campus: David Axelrod, David Plouffe, and Jon Favreau. (As mentioned.) The talk and discussion is open to the public, but tickets are required. Saturday 8 pm, SEFCU Arena - free (registration required)

Story Harvest
This Saturday at Freedom Square, The Sanctuary for Independent Media holds its 3rd annual StoryHarvest, a community event with food and music, from 1-5 pm. The event will also serve as the last stop for the Collar City Pre(R)amble, part of an effort to create a trail through Troy for non-motorized transportation. Speaking of which...

Collar City Pre(R)amble
A tour, parade, and celebration of the Collar City Ramble, "an all-access path to be constructed through and around Troy." The bike parade will start at Monument Square in Troy at noon and is expected to arrive at the StoryHarvest Festival at around 2:15.

Fall Festivals

Funtastic Fall Festival
Ganser Smith Park in Menands is hosting the Funtastic Fall Festival, a day of food, kids activities including "Cow Plop Bingo" to raise money for the Derek Murphy Fund -- a 12 year old boy with Muscular Dystrophy. Saturday from noon to 5 pm Free admission.

Latham Ridge Elementary Fall Carnival
Food, entertainment, pony rides and kids activities at the annual Latham Ridge Elementary Fall Carnival. Saturday from 11am to 3 pm. Free admission

Carrot Festival
Congregation Agudat Achim is hosting its 35th annual Carrot Festival with food, kids activities, entertainment and a mini farmers' market. Sunday, 10 am to 4:30 pm.

Oktobeerfest
German beer and food, entertainment, games and contests at the third annual Oktobeerfest at Saratoga County Fairgrounds on Saturday. 1-8 pm - $10 general admission

Souvlaki Fest
The annual Souvlaki Fest at Saint Sophia's in Albany is this weekend, with Menu items include Chicken or Pork Souvlaki or Gyro, Greek Salad, Spanakopita, baklava and more. Friday 4 pm to 9 pm and noon to 8 pm Saturday.

Bacon Festival
Saturday is the Bacon Festival at City Beer Hall with "amazing array of bacon creations": bacon beer, bacon sweets, bacon cocktails, bacon snacks, and more." The bacon-y goodness can be purchased a la carte for $7 per item, or you can get a book of five tickets for $25.

Theater

Venus in Fur
Venus in Fur David Ives' comedy about power and eroticism, is in previews this weekend at Capital Rep. Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 3 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm. $20-$60

One Slight Hitch
The Curtain Call Theater production of Lewis Black's One Slight Hitch continues this weekend. It's a comedy about a family and a wedding day gone wrong. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm - $23

Seussical
Troy Civic Theater presents Seussical The Musical this weekend at The Arts Center of the Capital Region. The Cat in the Hat leads a musical trip based on the stories of Dr. Seuss. Saturday 2 pm and 8pm, Sunday 2 pm - $15 / $13 students and seniors

Do you hear the people sing?

+ The Theater Institute at Sage presents the musical Les Miserable at the Schacht Fine Arts Center. Saturday night at 7 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - $15.

+ Less than 20 minutes away, Cohoes Music hall also has a productionn of Les Miserable. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm

Scott and Hem in the Garden of Allah
Barrington Stage is winding down its season with the world premiere of Scott and Hem in the Garden of Allah: "In 1937, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, famous authors and frenemies, meet in Hollywood at the notorious Garden of Allah apartment complex. A humorous and heated exchange ensues about the cost of love, friendship and the price of being a writer." Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday 4pm & 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm - $40 and up.

Little Shop of Horrors
Molly Rose McGrath stars in the Ashman and Menken cult musicalLittle Shop of Horrors this weekend at the Glove Theater. Friday 8 pm, Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2pm

Lincoln's Last Debate
Grants Cottage hosts a staged reading of Lincoln's Last Debate, a play about a visit by Abraham Lincoln to the Obama White House. Saturday and Sunday at 7 pm (twilight tour at 6:30 pm) - $10.

Comedy

Chortal Combat
Mop & Bucket Company's official opening night for its Proctors season is Friday, with Chortal Combat. Teams of improvisors compete by creating scenes and songs using audience suggestions. Post show opening night party at MopCo's Union Street headquarters. Friday at 8pm - $14 for adults, $6 students/seniors.

Music

Friday: Eilen Jewell at Helsinki Hudson
Americana/blues/rockabilly singer. Has the best nickname: "The Queen of the Minor Key." 9 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Friday: Pepper at Upstate Concert Hall
Reggae rock. With: Grieves, RDGLDGRN. 8 pm - $15 ahead / $17 day of

Friday: Moonalice at The Linda
Group of musicians who have a played with a bunch of well-known acts. 8 pm - $15

Friday: Butchers Blind at Red Square
Alt-country. With: Sweet Clementines. 8 pm

Saturday: Richard Thompson at The Egg
British folk rock veteran. Opening the show: his son, Teddy. 8 pm - $39.50

Saturday: Richard Barone at Valentine's
Former frontman for the Bongos, back again. With: Tim Livingston and Nick Bisanz of the Last Conspirators. 7 pm - $9

Saturday: Sirsy at Putnam Den
Back from a tour of the West Coast. With: Margo Macero. 9 pm - $5 ahead / $8 at the door

Sunday: Steve Hackett at The Egg
Guitarist for Genesis, revisiting the band's music. 7:30 pm - $38

Sunday: The Knights at Troy Music Hall
Chamber orchestra from NYC. A Troy Chromatics concert. 7:30 pm - $40 and up

Sunday: The Singing Anchors at The Linda
Benita Zahn, Jerry Gretzinger, and Jessica Layton. They anchor! They sing! 2 pm - $25

Film

"Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then"
EMPAC is screening of Brent Green's film "Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then" with a post-show Q & A with Green. More about the film:

Through live action and hand-drawn stop-motion animation, Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then tells the true story of a man who fought against reason and nature to save the woman he loved from illness. Heartbreaking, darkly humorous, and philosophically challenging, Brent Green touches on everything from the vastness of space and the existence of God to the futility of our actions and the power of human will. Green narrates the film and provides a soundtrack along with his band.

Friday 7:30pm -- $6 gets you the screening, Q&A and a copy of the just released DVD

Who ya gonna call?
The Hollywood Drive-in hosts another retro-weekend to wrap up the season, with a double feature: Ghostbusters and Christine. Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 - $9, $5 for kids 5 to 11

People on a Sunday
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute screens the 1930 German film Menschen Am Sonntag (People on Sunday) -- about flirtations on a beach in Weimar Germany -- which inspired filmmakers such as Billy Wilder and Fred Zinneman. 7:30 pm, Page Hall, downtown campus - free

I'm not dead, yet!
The Ballston Spa Film Festival's monthly film series presents a screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail Saturday night at Ballston Spa High Schoool. 6:45 pm - free.

Showcase of Homes
The Saratoga Showcase of Homes starts this weekend with house tours on Saturday and Sunday. High quality home gawking at 14 homes in and near Saratoga Springs. Proceeds benefit Northern Saratoga Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together Saratoga County.11 am-5 pm - tickets $20

Museums

Robotic Dinosaurs
This is the last weekend to see the giant robotic dinosaurs at MiSci in Schenectady. While you're there you can check out the planetarium and other exhibits.

Mummies

The Albany Institute's "The Mystery of the Albany Mummies" is now open. The new exhibit builds around the institutes' two mummies and new research about their histories. Here's a look from a preview last week.

Unofficial Civilized Ride
The weather should be lovely this Sunday and the organizers of the Tweed Ride will be gathering at Washington Park Lake House on Sunday at noon for a "civilized" ride to the Albany Institute to see the mummy exhibit.

Tail of the Fish Regatta
You can watch the crew races at the Tail of the Fish Regatta on Saratoga Lake. Saturday starting at 8 am

Intercollegiate Iron Pour
Watch student teams turn pounds of molten iron into cast iron at this weekend's Intercollegiate Iron Pour at Salem Art Works. You can also explore SAW's 119.4 acre sculpture park and create a scratch block of art cast in iron. Friday-Sunday - free

Animals

Great American Pet Festival
The Great American Pet Festival is this Saturday on the grounds of the Methodist Church in Clifton Park. There will be ponies, a petting zoo, kids activities, adoption opportunities and pet vendors. Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm - $5 for adults, children are free.

Responsibly Dog Owners Day
The Albany Public Library is hosting a free event for dog owners at the Delaware Branch of on Saturday, designed to teach children and adults how to better care for their dogs. Saturday 1:30-3 pm - free

Apples and cider donuts
Pick your own season is underway at a number of Orchards around the Capital Region Check the website of your favorite. (or give 'em a call).

Also in season: cider donuts. Pick an orchard or farm stand and get them while they're still warm. Perhaps the Tours de Cider Donut can inspire your choice.

Corn Maze
The giant maze at Fort Ticonderoga is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm -- free with admission to the fort. And the corn maze at Samascott's Garden Market in Kinderhook is now open -- 11 am to 5 pm Saturday-Monday, $7 per person (kids under 4 free).

Farmers' markets
It's the best time of year to take a trip to one of the local farmers' markets. Markets are open in Troy (Saturday), Delmar (Saturday), Saratoga (Saturday), Schenectady (Sunday), and the new Spa City Farmers Market -- at the Lincoln Baths in Saratoga Springs (Sunday).

Take a kid to Hoffman's
Hoffman's Playland closes for the season on Sunday. The half-a-century old amusement park will close for good at the end of next season, unless a buyer is found -- so make some old school memories while you can.

Take a walk
It's our favorite season for strolling. Here are some of our favorite autumn walks.

The Troy Music Hall, Proctors, Mop and Bucket Company, City Beer Hall, and Capital Rep advertise on AOA.