All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

This is one of those weekends you dream about in February -- lots of sunshine on tap and festivals everywhere you turn -- from the River Street Festival in Troy to the Saratoga Arts Fest to Pride in Albany. If you don't have plans yet, check out the list we pulled together after the jump.

Doing something you don't see there? Drop it in the comments so the rest of us can see.

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

River Street Festival
The River Street Festival returns to downtown Troy on Saturday with food, music and the popular sidewalk chalk competition. Saturday 10 am-5 pm - free admission

Capital Pride
Friday-Saturday: Capital Pride week continues. The big pride parade and festival in Washington Park are on Saturday. The parade starts at noon at Sprague Street, heads down to Lark Street, and then wraps around to Madison Ave. The festival in the park runs until 5 pm. free admission

Saratoga Arts Festival
Friday-Sunday: The annual Saratoga Arts Festival continues with a bunch of events at venues all around Saratoga Springs. Just a few of the highlights:
+ Duncan Sheik is playing a show at the Zankel Center at Skidmore Friday.
+ Russell Banks will be doing an author talk at Northshire Bookstore on Saturday.

Some events are free, others required the festival pass ($40), and other require tickets (the festival pass gets you a discount).

Play Me I'm Yours
Friday: This year's Sculpture in the Streets display in downtown Albany -- "Play Me I'm Yours" -- officially opens. The exhibit, in which local artists decorate pianos, is part of an ongoing international series. The Albany Downtown BID is hosting a garden party downtown Friday to celebrate the new display. Friday 5:30 pm, Palace Theatre - $60 / $40 under 30

Play ball!
Friday: The Tri-City ValleyCats minor league baseball team open its season at The Joe with a game against the Connecticut Tigers. There are fireworks after the game. Friday 7 pm - $5.50 and up

Saturday: Comicon with the 'Cats. The ValleyCats play Connecticut again and fans are encouraged to dress like their favorite comic book characters or superheroes. There will be a costume contest during the game and local comic artists will be featured along the concourse. Oh, and it's another fireworks night.

Sunday: Father's Day Fan Fest at The Joe. A full day of activities for dads and kids, starting with a morning brunch. The game starts at 5 pm.

Strawberry Festival
Saturday: The Upper Union Street, Schenectady Strawberry Fest & Art show. Music, children's activities, pet friendly activities, art and food, including a marketplace with berry shortcake, pastries, salsa, jams, flavored waters, ice cream dog biscuits. 9 am-3 pm - free admission

Saratoga Brewfest
Saturday: Saratoga Brewfest is back at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. More than 150 beers from a variety of craft breweries from around the country will be available for sampling. Also: music and food vendors. Saturday 1-6 pm - $45 ahead / $55 door / VIP $65 ahead, $75 at the door

Pink & Brew
Friday: Pink & Brew at Proctors includes craft beer, shopping, cigars, stylists, fitness challenges, food samples, chair massages and more. Must be 21 or older. Friday 5:30pm - $30 / $15 for designated drivers

Renaissance Festival
Saturday-Sunday: Indian Ladder Farms is hosting the Capital District Renaissance Fair. Costumes, artisans, forgotten foods, a joust tournament and other Renaissance style entertainment. Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm - $12 / $5 kids

Festa Italiana
Friday-Sunday: The annual Italian American Community Center's Festa Italiana is this weekend in Albany. Italian food, music, carnival rides, games of chance and more. Friday 5pm to 10pm, Saturday noon to 10pm, Sunday noon to 6pm - $3 admission

Spring Festival of India
Saturday: The Tri-City India Association is hosting a festival at the ESP Convention Center. Indian dances, music, food, clothes. Internationally acclaimed duo Veena and Devesh Chandra will perform North Indian classical music at 1 pm ($10). Saturday noon-6 pm

Albany Comic Con
Sunday: Albany Comic Con is at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road, with a bunch of exhibitors and artists. Sunday 10 am-4 pm - tickets $10 at the door

Father's Day
Just a reminder: It's this Sunday.

Theater

Bent
Confetti Stage opens Martin Sherman's play Bent, a historical drama about being gay in Nazi Germany. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm - $15 general admission

The Music Man
The Mac-Haydn Theater in Chatham is open for the season with Meredith Wilson's classic, The Music Man

Comedy

Alf Pacino
Friday: This long-form 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

Sol LeWitt
Friday: Saratoga Film Forum is screening a documentary about Sol LeWitt, regarded as the founder of minimal and conceptual art (you can find examples of LeWitt's work in a long term exhibit at MASS MoCA). Friday 7:30 pm

Five Easy Pieces
Saturday: The Saratoga Film Forum's Spring Street Classic this week is the Hollywood New Wave flick Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson in his first major starring role. Saturday at Spring Street Gallery (110 Spring Street) - 7:30 pm

Where were you in '62?
Saturday: The Ballston Spa Film Festival's classic film at Ballston Spa High School this month is American Graffiti. Saturday 6:45 pm - free

Diamonds are a girls best friend
The Bow Tie Saratoga classic film this weekend is the Marilyn Monroe flick Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Saturday and Sunday 11 am

The Meaning of Life
The Insomnia Theater film at Saratoga's Bow Tie this weekend is Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. Friday and Saturday 11:30 pm

Driving Miss Daisy
Sunday: The Spectrum is screening a recent production of the play Driving Miss Daisy, starring Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones. Sunday at noon

Drive-ins
Malta: Screen 1 - How to Train Your Dragon and Maleficent | Screen 2 - 22 Jump Street and Edge of Tomorrow
Hollywood: How to Train Your Dragon & X-Men
Jericho: How to Train Your Dragon & Maleficent

Music

Friday: The Chronicles at the Tang Museum
The first Upbeat on the Roof show of the season. 7 pm - free

Friday: Wild Adriatic at The Hollow
With: Waylon Speed, Rival Galaxies. 8 pm

Friday: Grainbelt at Caffe Lena
Local "Beer Battered Twang & Roll." 8 pm - $14

Saturday: Journey and Steve Miller Band at SPAC
Don't stop believin' that they're touring together. With: Tower of Power. 6:45 pm - $36 and up

Saturday: Melissa Etheridge at The Egg
A solo acoustic show. 8 pm - $59.50 and up

Saturday: Million Dollar Quartet at The Palace
Musical based on a recording session with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. 8 pm - $35 and up

Saturday: Wreckless Eric at The Low Beat
New wave original. With: Erin Powers. 8 pm - $10

Saturday: Eric Andersen at Caffe Lena
Folk singer/songwriter. 7 pm - $28

Saturday: Flag Day Industrial Dance Party at Basilica Hudson
DJ sets by Shannon F of Light Asylum and guest performances by Crush, Love Pig, and Evildoers, with a fireworks show at dusk. 8 pm - $10

Sunday: Goo Goo Dolls and Daughtry at SPAC
A boy named Daughtry? With: Plain White T's. 6:45 pm - $27 and up

Sunday: Albany Father's Day Concert
The USO Show Troupe is performing a Father's Day concert in Albany Riverfront Park. (Food will be available for purchase starting at 6pm.) Sunday 7 pm - free

Fields Sculpture Park
The Fields Sculpture Park at Art Omi in Ghent opens this weekend. The sculpture garden includes large scale works by internationally recognized contemporary and modern artists.

Victoria Pool
The lovely Victoria Pool at Spa State Park is open for the season. It will be open weekends 10 am to 6 pm until June 28 when it opens seven days a week for the rest of the summer. $8 adults / $4 kids and seniors / kids under 5 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.

Doughnuts and cronuts
Saturday: Deanna Fox teaches a class on making doughnuts and cronuts at Different Drummer's Kitchen. Saturday noon to 2:30pm - $55

Farmers' Markets
Outdoor farmers' markets are open for the season:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be in Riverfront Park this Saturday because of the River Street Festival. The twilight market will also be open Friday from 6-9 pm at Broadway and 2nd.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is at the High Rock Park pavilions on Saturday.
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is at Bethlehem Central Middle School 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.

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