All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Winter may be making a bit more of an effort this weekend with some snow showers and cooler temperatures. For those of you making an effort to reject the default hibernation urge that often kicks in at this time of year, there's wine, food, caffeine, theater, comedy, movies, museums and music to help you out.

We've compiled our weekly list after the jump. Doing something you don't see listed here? Tell us about it. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Wine & Dine for the Arts
Friday & Saturday: Wine & Dine for the Arts -- the Albany Chefs Food & Wine Festival -- returns with a range of events over the three days in downtown Albany. Among them: a cocktail party at City Hall, grand tastings, and competitions. Ticket prices vary by event, and many events are already sold out (or will be soon).

Monster Jam
Friday, Friday, Friday and Saturday, Saturday, Saturday: Monster Jam returns to the TU Center. Monster trucks, crushed cars, and "high-horsepower acrobatic chaos." Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm - $22 / $12 kids, and up

Theater

War Horse
Friday-Sunday: The touring company of the Broadway-hit play War Horse is at Proctors. Show blurbage:

As World War One begins, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped from England to France. He's soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

So how do you stage a play about a horse without an actual horse? A very complicated -- and remarkable -- puppet. Friday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

The Mountaintop
The Mountaintop, Katori Hall's fictional play about the last night in the life of Martin Luther King Jr, opens in previews this weekend at Capital Rep. Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm & 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $20-$60

Les Mis
Troy Acting Guild presents Les Miserable this weekend at Knickerbacker Middle School. Friday at 7pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 7pm - $13, $10 for students

Wit
Troy Civic Theater opens its new production of Wit at The Arts Center of the Capital Region. Margret Edson's one-act play about an English teacher diagnosed with ovarian cancer won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for drama. Friday and Saturday at 8pm - $15 & $13

The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told
Confetti Stage closes its production of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, a biblical satire that tells the story of Adam and Steve. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm - $15

Good People
Curtain Call Theater presents David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3 pm - $23

Comedy

Theater Sports
The Mop & Bucket Company is back at Proctors Underground on Friday night with their TheaterSports competition -- where teams of improvisors compete based on audience suggestions. Think, Whose Line is it Anyway? Friday at 8pm - $14, $6 students and seniors

Music

Friday: Guy Davis at The Linda
Blues guitarist. 8 pm - $20

Friday: Jupiter String Quartet at Union College
"Exciting, young" quartet playing Haydn and Schubert. 8 pm - $25 / $10 students

Friday: Sokea Piste at Valentine's
"Noisy, dischordant, rhythmic, and loud" punk from Finland. With: Aggressive Response, Kitty Little, Male Pattern. 8 pm - $7

Friday: M.R. Poulopoulos at Caffe Lena
Singer/songwriter folk. With: Caitlin Canty. 8 pm - $15

Saturday: Wild Adriatic at The Hollow
Album release party. 8 pm - $10 ahead / $15 day of

Saturday: Sheesham & Lotus at Caffe Lena
Vaudeville-era blues and ragtime. (Free kids concert at 3 pm.) 8 pm - $16

Sunday: Swear and Shake at Helsinki Hudson
Indie folk. 8 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

90s Throwback Night
Friday: The Fuze Box in Albany is hosting a 90s Throwback night with MTV-style music sets, VJs dropping old-school visuals and video games from Pastime Legends. Friday 9pm - $10 under 21, $5 over 21

The Madison
Friday: The Madison Theater in Albany re-opens under new ownership -- and a few upgrades -- with screenings of Paul Newman movies this weekend: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slapshot, Cool hand Luke and The Sting. various times - $5

Film

In a World...
The Saratoga Film Forum is screening the comedy In A World, the Sundance 2013 Best Screenplay winner that takes place in the world of movie trailer voiceover actors. Friday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 3pm

"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night."
This weekend's Movies and Mimosa flick at the Bow Tie in Saratoga is the Bette Davis classic All About Eve. Saturday and Sunday at 11am

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
The Bow Tie Saratoga's Insomnia Theater feature this weekend is Beetlejuice. Friday and Saturday at 11:30 pm

Museums

Lego Building Challenge 2014
The Albany Institute of History and Art is hosting its annual LEGO building challenge this weekend. This year's theme is "Egypt: Past, Present, and Future," in conjunction with "The Mystery of the Albany Mummies" exhibition. Basic building blocks will be supplied, but contestants may also bring their own. There is a $5 per person registration fee. Space is limited and registration is required. Teams can be 1-4 people (all ages). Building challenges take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday at various times. Also, on Monday the museum is open free of charge for Martin Luther King Day.

Albany During the Civil War
Sunday: Author Dennis Gaffney will be at the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany for "an in-depth look at the City of Albany and its involvement during the American Civil War." Sunday 1 pm - free

Toys and Trains
The Toys and Trains exhibit at MiSci in Schenectady closes on Monday.

Jewels of the Sea
Discovery Hall in Troy has its "Jewels of the Sea" exhibit on display this weekend, with 800 species and 1000 variations of seashells. Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 4pm, Monday 10am to 4pm

East Greenbush WinterFest
East Greenbush hosts its annual Winterfest this weekend with a pancake breakfast, chili contest, rock n' bowl, and fireworks. Events throughout the weekend. Check the schedule for details.

Ice skating
The ice skating rink on the ESP has a very high fun:cost ratio. It's open all weekend from 11 am to 8 pm, weather permitting -- be sure to check before heading out. $4 adults / $3 kids / free on Friday

Albany Poets
Albany Poets is kicking off a new year of poetry at The Linda with a reading on Saturday night.8 pm - $10

Farm to Glass
The Carey Institute for Global Good is hosting a farm-to-glass workshop on craft brewing with speakers and panelists. The workshop is billed as "for novice and intermediate hop farmers, brewers looking for hop suppliers, and anyone interested in hop and craft beverage production." Saturday 10 am-1 pm - $20 per person at the door

Farmers' markets
Indoor markets are open in Troy (Saturday at the Atrium), Saratoga (Saturday at the Lincoln Baths in Spa State Park), Schenectady (Sunday at Proctors), and the Spa City Farmers Market -- at the Lincoln Baths in Saratoga Springs (Sunday at the Lincoln Baths).

AOA is a media sponsor of Wine & Dine for the Arts. The Albany Institute of History and Art, MopCo, and Capital Rep advertise on AOA.

photo via Monster Jam media guide