All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Congratulations, you squeezed everything you had to do into a four day week. Or you didn't. Either way, it's almost time to kick back. Got weekend plans? If not, you'll find a few suggestions after the jump.

If you're planning something you don't see here, drop it in the comments and share with the rest of us.

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

Troy Night Out
It's the last Friday in May already. That means Troy Night Out. A few events tonight:
+ The opening of Rare Form Brewing. (Here's more on Rare Form)
+ Paint night at Troy Music Academy ($35 per person). BYOB wine and painting night with instruction.
+ 1st Playable is offering game studios and you can try the latest games or check out the interactive Minecraft exhibit from 5-8 pm.
+ Tech Valley Center of Gravity is offering tours of their maker space.
+ We Love Bikes, a one-night-only outdoor art show based on Carrie Will's book We Love Bikes, documenting the bike community in the Capital Region. Images from the We Love Bikes photo art project will be projected onto the wall in back of Footsy Magoo's with the help of a bike powered generator.

Here's the full TNO Schedule.

Greek Festival
Friday-Sunday: Saint Basil's in Troy is hosting its annual Greek Festival. Homemade food, music, dancing, crafts, kids activities and fireworks. Friday 5pm to 10pm, Saturday noon to 10pm, Sunday noon to 5pm - free admission

Freihofer's Run for Women
Saturday: The annual Freihofer's Run for Women is in the downtown Albany/Washington Park area. The 5k race features some very high level runners from around the world. Here's the course map if you'd like to watch and cheer. (And last-chance registration ends today.) race starts at 9:45 am Saturday at the State Museum (that's also the finish line

Parking and road restrictions: The race also prompts some parking restrictions and road closures -- here's a list.

Roller Derby
Saturday: The Albany All Stars take on Port City Roller Derby at the Washington Avenue Armory in their final home bout of the season. Saturday, doors open at 6pm, whistle at 7pm - $12 / kids $4.

BikeFest
Saturday: The Troy Bike Rescue's annual fundraising party will be at the Sanctuary for Independent Media. Blurbage: "Join the TBR cast of volunteers for a kids bike rodeo, raffle prizes, delicious burrito dinner with live acoustic music with Rosary Beard, and a covetous cake auction. All to be followed by bicycle cinema, including the capital region premiere of the new film Riding Bikes with the Dutch." events start at 3 pm - free admission, $10 dinner

GuilderFest
The Guilderland High School class of 2014 hosts the annual GuilderFest on Sunday at the GHS track/football field. Carnival games and prizes, face painting, martial arts demonstrations, bouncy houses, an obstacle course, petting zoo and pony rides, and food. Saturday from noon to 4pm - $5 per child, adults are free

Comedy

Alf Pacino
Friday: This longform comedy improv group -- part of The Mop & Bucket Company -- is playing a set tonight as part of MopCo's weekly improv show at Proctors. It's like good improvised jazz -- creating scene after scene of variations on a theme provided by the audience. And it's pretty funny stuff. Friday at 8pm. $14, $6 students

Film

Holy film festival, Batman!
Saturday: It Came From Schenectady celebrates 75 years of Batman with a Batman Film Festival at Proctors. It's screening six Batman films at in the GE Theater. That's 13 hours of Batman -- from the 1966 Batman: The Movie, right through The Dark Knight. begins Saturday at 11 am - Bat-Pass: $25 for the whole day / Half-Bat Pass: $15 (Block 1 or Block 2 ~ 6.5 hr) / student pass: $15 (with ID)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
The Bow Tie Cinema in Saratoga Springs is screening the 1976 film Jaws as the Cine Classic on Saturday and Sunday at 11 am, and its Insomnia Theater film on Friday at Saturday at 11:30 pm.

Drive-ins
+ Hollywood: Maleficent, Blended
+ Jericho: X-Men, The Other Woman
+ Malta: Screen 1 -- X-Men, Neighbors / Screen 2 -- Blended, Godzilla

Goodfellas/Godfather
It's mob weekend at The Madison Theater with screenings of Goodfellas and The Godfather.

Theater

Phantom of the Opera
Friday-Sunday: A new touring version of a re-imagined production of The Phantom of the Opera continues its run at Proctors. (Here's an interview with the producer about ways the production has evolved). The Proctors run continues through June 8. various times - $25 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

Dave Matthews Band
Friday-Saturday: Dave Matthews Band will be back at SPAC for two nights of shows (with two sets each night). That also usually means big crowds in and around Saratoga Springs. 7 pm - $75.00 / $40.50 lawn

Music

Friday: Northeastern Western Swing Explosion at Helsinki Hudson
Featuring Lauren Ambrose, you know, from Six Feet Under. 8 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Friday: Oumar Konate at Sanctuary for Independent Media
Guitarist from Mali. 7 pm - $10

Friday: Dubl Handi with Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards at Caffe Lena
Roots. 8 pm - $15

Saturday: Charlie Daniels Band with Bret Michaels at the TU Center With: Marshall Tucker Band. 7 pm - $35 and up

Saturday: Diego Garcia at The Linda
He can't stay away. With: Ashley Sofia. 8 pm - $17

Sunday: Mary Gauthier at Caffe Lena
Folk singer/songwriter. 7 pm - $22

Burlesque
Saturday: Roxxi Tarts 1920's Speakeasy Revue will be at Franklin's Tower in Albany. doors open at 8pm, show at 9pm - $15

EBA Spring Salon Dance Theatre
Friday-Saturday: EBA will be hosting Maude Baum's annual Spring Dance Theater Concert, including a piece called 24 Hour Watch, based on the lives and work of Albany firefighters, done with ladders. Friday and Saturday 8 pm - $20, $15 student/seniors, $5 for firefighters and their families

Unbelievable History of Troy comic workshop
Illustrator Ira Marcks will host a collaborative comic workshop about creating fictional comics based on history -- using characters and events from Troy. Saturday, 1pm to 4pm at the Troy Public Library. It's a drop in event, so you can stay for a few minutes just to check it out, or the whole time. Free.

Beaches
The beaches at Moreau Lake State Park, Thompson's Lake at Thacher State Park, and Grafton Lakes State Park are open for the season.

Flowers & plants

Lupine Walk
Saturday: The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center is hosting a guided walk among the lupines. Saturday 11 am-12:30 pm - $3 per person / $5 per family / registration required

Native plant sale
Saturday: The Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center in Thacher State Park is holding a native plant sale at the overlook. Saturday 10 am

Berkshire Botanical Garden
The Berkshire Botanical Garden is open for the season. Take a drive and a stroll. Here's a little peek.

Star party
Friday and Saturday: The Landis Arboretum is hosting a public star viewing parties this weekend. Amateur astronomers will help visitors view the night sky through a variety of telescopes. Friday and Saturday nights at 10pm - free

Downtown Troy History Walk
Saturday: This week's Rensselaer County Historical Society History Walk is focused on the ornamental ironwork and cast-iron storefronts of downtown Troy. The walk leaves from the Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market information table at 10:30 am. $5

Food

Italian Classics from Scratch
Saturday: Deanna Fox is leading a hands-on class at Different Drummer's Kitchen about making lasagna bolognese and tiramisu from scratch. Saturday 6 pm - $65.

Farmers' markets
As we head into summer, more farmers' markets are opening:
+ The Delmar Farmers' Market opens for the season on Saturday at Bethlehem Central Middle School.

Outdoor farmers' markets already open for the season:
+ 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.

Live Nation, the Arts Center and The Mop & Bucket Company advertise on AOA.

photo: Danny Clinch