All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Welcome to the last weekend of winter. Sure, it's cold. Sure, it's windy. But tulip season is getting closer everyday. Still, watched tulips won't bloom any faster, so if you're looking for something else to do this weekend, check out the list after the jump.

If you've got something planned that didn't make our list, drop it in the comments and share with the rest of the group.

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

St. Patrick's Day (observed)
It's Saint Patrick's Day weekend. Though the day itself is on Monday, much of the celebrating will be done this weekend. Albany's annual St. Patrick's Day parade starts at 2pm at the corner of Central Avenue and Quail Street. Here are a few other ways to celebrate St. Paddy's Day in the Capital Region.

Film

The Quiet Man
Friday: In time for St. Patrick's Day, The NYS Writers Institute's Classic Film Series is screening the John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara classic The Quiet Man. Friday 7:30 pm, UAlbany downtown campus, Page Hall - free

"Leave the gun, take the cannoli"
The Godfather is this week's Movies & Mimosa flick at Saratoga's Bow Tie Cinema. Saturday and Sunday at 11 am - $5.50 tickets, $2 mimosa

Shoot Me
The Spectrum is screening Shoot Me, a documentary about 87-year-old Broadway legend Elaine Stritch, the woman who puts the "f" in fabulous .

Farm Film Fest
Sunday: The Crandell Theater in Chatham hosts the annual Farm Film Festival, with films such as Crafting the Cider Comeback, about the rise of hard cider and apple spirits crafting in the Hudson Valley; Hopped Upstate, about the rise in hop farming in Upstate New York; and The Beekeeper (can you guess what that's about). Sunday 1 pm - admission is free, but a donation of a non-perishable food item for the Chatham Silent Food Pantry is requested

12 Years a Slave
The Oscar winner for best picture -- 12 Years a Slave, based on the story of Solomon Northup, a man from Saratoga Springs -- is back in some local theaters, including The Spectrum, the Saratoga Springs Bow Tie, and the Crossgates Regal.

Muppet double feature
The Madison is screening The Muppets Take Manhattan and The Great Muppet Caper this weekend. Rounding out the weekend: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Airplane ("Stop calling me Shirley"), and Edward Scissorhands. As they say on Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other."

Theater

The Book of Mormon
The touring production of The Book of Mormon continues its run at Proctors this weekend. Tickets for the shows sold out pretty much right away. But there's a pre-show lottery for a small group of remaining tickets -- the Proctors website includes details on how to take part in the ticket lottery.

Gypsy
The Sondheim/Arthur Laurents musical based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee is in previews this weekend at Capital Rep. The show features Broadway veterans and a number of talented actors from the Capital Region, including Benita Zahn and George Franklin. Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 3 pm and 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm

Urinetown
CR Productions at Cohoes Music Hall presents Urinetown, the Tony-winning satirical musical about a town where a water shortage drives a ban on private toilets. Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm - $25-$25

King Lear
Hubbard Hall in Cambridge presents Shakespeare's King Lear this weekend. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $25

Figaro
Curtain Call Theater presents Figaro, an adaptation of the sequel to The Barber of Seville. Friday & Saturday 8 pm

War Horse
The Spectrum is screening the National Theater Live production of War Horse. Sunday at noon (there's another screening on Monday at 7 pm) - adults $15 / children 12 and under $12

Finnegan's Farewell
From the people who produced Tony & Tina's Wedding, Finnegan's Farewell is a comedy dinner theater performance of an Irish wake and funeral service where the actors mingle among the audience. Saturday at 1:30 and 7:30, Sunday at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm - $65-$75

Comedy

Theatersports
The Mop & Bucket Company is back at Proctors Underground on Friday night with its TheaterSports competition -- in which teams of improvisors compete based on audience suggestions. (Think Whose Line is it Anyway?) Friday at 8pm - $14 / $6 students and seniors.

Music

Friday: Andrew Tyson at The Massry Center
Rising young concert pianist. 7:30 pm - $20 / $10 students

Saturday: The Straits at The Palace
Former members of Dire Straits, playing the music of Dire Straits. 7 pm - $27.50 and up

Saturday: Harriet Tubman & Cassandra Wilson at The Egg
That would be the band Harriet Tubman."Black Sun bridges the worlds of jazz, pop, and rock, as it melds the cultures of Ms. Wilson's native Mississippi and Tubman's native New York while connecting them back to Africa." 8 pm - $34.50

Saturday: Body/Head at MASS MoCA
Body/Head = Kim Gordon + Bill Nace. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Saturday: Matthew Shipp Trio at Sanctuary for Independent Media
Jazz pianist playing the Sanctuary's recently acquired Baldwin concert grand piano. 7 pm - $15

Saturday: Chelsea Cavanaugh at Putnam Den
Country singer/songwriter. With: Bobby McGrath, Decadence. 9:30 pm - $8

Sunday: Danú at Troy Music Hall
"[O]ne of the very best traditional Irish ensembles." 4 pm - $22 and up

Classes

Dirt
Friday: Capital District Community Gardens is linking up with Honest Weight for a class about garden soil. "On the agenda: info on organic fertilizers for feeding garden plants, materials for effective mulching, and different tilling and weeding techniques to support healthy soil and plant growth." Friday 6 pm at HWFC - free (registration required)

St. Patrick's Day treats
Friday: Deanna Fox will be at Different Drummer's Kitchen leading a hands-on class about St. Patrick's Day baking -- Irish soda bread, brown bread, Guinness cake, Blarney Stone cookies, shamrock marshmallows, scones. Friday 6 pm - $65

Chicken dinner
Friday: Gio Culinary Studio has a hands-on "culinary boot camp" class lined up. It'll cover knife skills, how to break down a chicken, how to make chicken stock, how to roast a chicken, and how to make gravy. (We'd add: If you can a handle on how to do those things, you're well on your way to making some tasty, substantial dinners.) Friday 6:15 pm - $65

Cooking with beer
Friday: Healthy Living Market has a hands-on class about cooking with beer -- cheddar ale soup, beer-steamed mussels, porter short ribs, chocolate beer cheesecake. Friday 5:30 pm - $35

Museums/galleries

A Night of Fashion at the NYS Museum
Spring and summer collections by Daniel Mozzes will be displayed in a runway fashion show at the New York State Museum. Friday from 6-9:30 pm - $25, proceeds go to help the Food Bank

Butterflies
The indoor butterfly house is open this weekend at miSci.

Jewels of the Sea
The Jewels of the Sea exhibit is open this weekend at Discovery Hall in Troy. More than 800 species and 1000 variations of seashells. Saturday and Monday 10 am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 4pm - $5 / 12 and under free.

Hockey
Albany Devils are at home at the TU Center with games on Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm.

Outdoors

Almost Full Moon Hike
Friday: A guided one mile night hike of the Pine Bush Preserve. All ages. Dress appropriately. Friday 7-8 pm - $3 per person / $5 per family / children under 5 are free - registration required

"Ordered to Join the Northern Army in Canada"
Saturday and Sunday: Fort Ticonderoga has a living history event lined up that tells the story of soldiers during the Revolutionary War. "See how New York soldiers used British military drill to put their muskets and fowlers to use against their enemy. Smell the sawdust and watch the wood chips fly as carpenters hew down logs to build another sled to keep the train of supplies rolling into Canada. Visit the Continental Store to see how the American army supplied its troops or pick-up a needle and thread to help sew mattresses for soldiers at the Fort's tailor shop." Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm - $10 per person / under 4 free.

Adirondack Winter Weekend
Saturday and Sunday: Camp Santanoni, a historic Adirondack camp in Newcomb, is hosting its last Winter Weekend open house of the season. You can cross country ski or snowshoe to the camp, take a self-guided tour, talk with staff about the history and renovation of the camp and warm up at the lodge and artists studio. Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 3 pm.

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).

Saint Rose, Honest Weight, the Arts Center, Troy Music Hall, and the Spectrum advertise on AOA.