All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally more of a make-your-own-fun kind of weekend -- barbecues, picnics, hikes -- that kind of thing. But if you're looking for something to do we've pulled together a few ideas after the jump.

Got something planned that you don't see here? Drop it in the comment section so the rest of us can see what's up. And whatever you're up to, have a good holiday weekend.

Parades
Sometimes lost in the barbecue and other three-day weekending is the fact that Memorial Day is a commemoration of people who died serving in the country's armed forces. (The holiday traces its roots back to the Civil War.) Here are a few parade marking the day:

+ Lake George will host a Memorial Day parade on Saturday at 11:30 am down Canada Street to Shepard Park.
+ Watervliet's Memorial Day Parade starts on Saturday at 10 am at Watervliet High School.
+ Albany's Memorial Day Parade starts Monday at 9:30 am at Central and Partridge and continues down Washington to the State Education Building.
+ Bethlehem's Memorial Day Parade is Monday at 11 am beginning at the Elsmere Fire House and ending at Veterans Memorial Park.

Film

"There's no place like home..."
The Saturday and Sunday morning Cine Classic film at The Bow Tie Cinema in Saratoga Spring is The Wizard of Oz.

"A Royal with cheese"
The late night Insomnia Theater flick at the Saratoga Springs Bow Tie is Pulp Fiction.

Murray/Martin
This weekend at The Madison: Caddyshack, Little Shop of Horrors, Stripes and The Jerk

Drive in
+ Hollywood: Blended / Godzilla
+Jericho: X Men:Days of Future Past
+Malta: Screen 1 - X Men / Neighbors| Screen 2 - Blended / Godzilla

Food

Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival
Saturday-Sunday: This weekend is the Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Wineries, distilleries, food vendors and crafters from around the region will be represented. Celebrity chef/musician Johnny Ciao will prepare dishes onstage and perform Saturday. Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm - $25 one-day tasting ticket.

Cast iron
Friday: Deanna Fox will be at Different Drummer's Kitchen to lead a class about cast iron cooking: skillet potatoes, caramelized onions, corn bread, skillet seared steak, fruit cobbler, and tarte tatin. Friday 6 pm - $65

A Taste of Italy
Sunday: The Carey Institute for Global Good hosts the third installment of its "Pleasures of the Palate" series -- A Taste of Italy. Oleologist Nicholas Coleman of Eataly market in NYC and wine director Dan Amatuzzi will host an Italian olive oil tasting. Sunday 4-6 pm - $35, reservation required

BBQ Benefit
Sunday: Susie's Pub is hosting a BBQ benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Sunday afternoon. All-you-can-eat BBQ buffet featuring pulled pork with homemade South Carolina BBQ sauce, baby back rib chili, shrimp and 'collard' style kale, and Mac & Cheese with and without pork belly. Raffles with prizes from Bombers, Patsy's Barber Shop, Wolff's, Old English Pub, Seasons, Lark Tattoo and other local businesses. Proceeds from the benefit will go towards cystic fibrosis research. Sunday 1pm to 4pm - $10

Theater

The God Game
Friday-Sunday: Capital Rep's production of The God Game closes this weekend. The play by Suzanne Bradbeer is about a US Senator nominated for vice president: "There's just one little hitch: he needs to sound just a bit more Christian. Trouble is, Tom is an agnostic, who thinks religion is a private matter, not to be mingled with public life or politics. His devout Christian wife, Lisa, will stand by her man, as long as he doesn't lie on the campaign trail just to get the job." Friday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

The Grapes of Wrath
The Ghent Playhouse presents The Grapes of Wrath, the play based on the Steinbeck novel. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $10-$18

Bing Bamboo Room Burlesque
Saturday: The Bing Bamboo Room and Scooter Pie at Midnight Rock-n-Roll Burlesque team up at Red Square in Albany. Saturday 9 pm - $15 / $5 extra at midnight for the Scooter Pie show.

GottaGetGon Family Folk Music Festival
Friday-Sunday: Gotta Get Gone is a traditional family-friendly folk music festival held annually at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. This year's acts include: The Murphy Beds, Michael Jerome Browne, and The Irregulars. Friday through Sunday, various times and prices.

Music

Friday: Rod Stewart at Carlos Santana at TU Center
Old school. 7:30 pm - $39.50 and up

Friday: The Howlin' Brothers at The Linda
"Bluegrass heartache soul." 8 pm - $10

Friday: Girls Guns and Glory + Sarah Borges at Putnam Den
Americana, rock. (Also at Helsinki Hudson on Saturday.) With: Last Daze. 9 pm - $10

Friday-Saturday: Both Modest Mouse shows at Brewery Ommegang are sold out.

Saturday: Jack Johnson at SPAC
First show of the season at SPAC. Opener is Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. 7:30 pm - $79 (pavilion appears almost full) / lawn $46.85

Saturday: MASS MoCA 15th anniversary celebration
With: Red Baraat and DJ Rehka. 4 pm-midnight - $30

Saturday: Mary Fahl at Caffe Lena
Folk singer/songwriter. 8 pm - $22

Sunday: Loudon Wainwright III at Caffe Lena
"An evening with" the folk singer and actor. 7 pm - $55

Flowers

Tulip Bulb Sale
The annual Washington Park Tulip Bulb Dig and sale is Saturday and Sunday. It starts at 9 am both days. On Saturday gardeners can dig their own bulbs from select beds around the Moses fountain. For every bag participants fill for themselves, they will be asked to fill one for the Sunday sale. On Sunday, the bags of dug-up tulip bulbs will be sold at the Washington Park Lakehouse. The cost both days will be $5 for a bag of 20 bulbs, or $20 for 5 bags. (This can be very popular, so arrive at the start. And if you want your pick of bulbs, the day to go is Saturday.)

Botanical Gardens
The Berkshire Botanical Gardens are open for the season.

Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga's King's Gardens open for the season this weekend.

Wildflower Walk
Saturday: There's a wildflower walk at the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center in Thacher State Park. Saturday 1 pm - free but registration is required

Beach time
The beach at Moreau Lake opens for the season this weekend.

Fence Show
The annual Fence Show at the Arts Center of the Capital Region just opened, and will be on display for the next month. The gallery is open 9 am-5 pm on Saturday if you'd like to stop by during the farmers' market. (It's also open noon to 4 pm on Sunday.)

Farmers' markets
Outdoor farmers' markets:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be on River Street in downtown Troy on Saturday.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is at the High Rock Park pavilions on Saturday.
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is around Schenectady City on Sunday.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market will be on the front lawn of the Lincoln Baths Sunday.

Grilling
Time to clean off the grill and get it going for the season. Here are some tips on how to host a great barbecue and how to make a great summer cocktail from some experts.

Capital Rep, Live Nation, and the Arts Center advertise on AOA.

photo via Jack Johnson FB