All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

AOA is headed off for a long weekend, and we'd like to suggest, if possible, you do the same. Before we go, we've put together a list of some fun ways to spend it. You'll find it after the jump.

Doing something you don't see on our list? Drop it in the comments and share with the rest of the crowd. And whatever your plans are, we hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Troy Night Out
Friday is Troy Night Out. Civil War reenactors will dedicate a new flag in a ceremony at Monument Square,
and the Collar City shops and galleries will be open late with music and entertainment.

The Track
The 2014 meet continues this weekend at Saratoga Race Course. Among the things going on this weekend: Friday is College Day -- every college student to register for a scholarship gets a $5 voucher for the track. Also Friday: the first of a series of craft beer and cider tastings. And Sunday is a gate giveaway day, a Saratoga pilsner glass.

County Fairs

Saratoga County Fair
The Saratoga County Fair, at the fairgrounds in Ballston Spa, runs through Sunday, and includes all the usual fair fare: rides, music, food, contests, agricultural displays, and so on. admission is $10 / free for those 52 inches and shorter / free for active military with ID / $40 for season pass

Schoharie County Sunshine Fair
The 2014 Schoharie County Sunshine Fair in Cobleskill starts on Sunday and runs through August 2. Tractor pulls, a parade, fireworks and more. Admission $12 for adults, free for children under 12 and under. Eight-day passes are available online at $45 for adults until July 26. After the start of the fair, they're $40. Also this year: the fair will not be accepting the Statewide Fair Pass.

Theater

WTF
This is the first weekend for the Williamstown Theatre Festival production of Sam Shepard's Fool for Love opens. The production stars Sam Rockwell and Nina Arianda (who won a Tony for Venus in Fur). It runs through August 2.

Park Playhouse
This is the last week for Park Playhouse's production of Hands on a Hard Body. Shows Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Free if you bring a blanket or low chair. $22 for seats up font.

Cap Rep
Capital Rep's production of Smokey Joe's Cafe continues this weekend.

Macbeth
Saratoga Shakespeare Company continues its season of free Shakespeare in Congress Park with Macbeth. Friday and Saturday at 6pm, Sunday at 3pm

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein
The Mac Haydn opens a production of the musical version of Brooks' 1974 film. Friday 8pm, Saturday 4pm and 8pm, Sunday 2pm and 7pm - $28-$30, $12 for kids

Classic Theater Guild at Indian Ladder
Classic Theater Guild's annual summer festival is this weekend at Indian Ladder Farms. This year's shows are A Midsummer Night's Dream (Friday through Sunday at 7pm) and Pinocchio (Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. free

Film

Moonstruck
Friday: The first film of the Schenectady's Dan DiNicola Memorial Little Italy Film Festival, Moonstruck, will be screened in the parking lot behind Perecca's. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Friday 8:15 pm - free

Drive-ins:
+ Malta: Screen 1: Lucy / The Purge: Anarchy | Screen 2: Planes: Fire and Rescue / Planet of the Apes
+ Jericho: A Million Ways to Die in the West / Neighbors
+ Hollywood: Planes: Fire and Rescue / Earth to Echo

Stickball
Sunday: Troy's Little Italy is hosting the Stick it to Hunger Stickball Tournament. Come and watch local teams play stickball on Hill Street, between Washington and Liberty Streets, and bring donations to help the Joseph House and local food pantries. The El Dorados perform at 2pm. Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm

Baseball
The Tri-City ValleyCats are in town this weekend, with games Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. Saturday is Medieval Times night.

Blueberry Festival
Sunday is the 15th annual Blueberry Festival in Old Austerlitz, with 19th century craft demonstrations, antiques, sheep shearingm and all things blueberry. Sunday 9 am to 4pm - adults $6, under 12 free

BaconFest
Saturday is BaconFest at the City Beer Hall. Sweet and savory bacon treats. Items are purchased with tickets. Tickets are $7 each or $25 for a book of five.

Music

Friday: Lionel Richie + CeeLo Green at SPAC
"All the hits all night long." 7:30 pm - $25 and up

Friday: Stephin Merritt at Helsinki Hudson
Of Magnetic Fields fame. With: Brian Dewan. 9 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Friday: Consider the Source at The Hollow
"Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion." With: Ampvene. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Friday: Great Mutations at The Low Beat
Debut album release show for Troy trio. Kind of Pavement-y. With: Hammerhawk, The Firs. 9 pm

Saturday: The Samples at Putnam Den
The 90s live. With: Rich Ortiz. 9 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Saturday: The Subdudes at The Egg
Roots rock. 8 pm - $35

Saturday: Lil Durk at Upstate Concert Hall
Rapper from Chicago. 8 pm - $25 ahead / $30 day of

Sunday: Cage the Elephant at Upstate Concert Hall
Alt rock. With: Bear Hands. 8 pm - $25 ahead / $28 day of

Sunday: Marc Cohn at Helsinki Hudson
Walking in Hudson? With: Amber Rubarth. 8 pm - $35

Sunday: James Cotton at Music Haven
Blues harmonic player. With: Matt Mirabile. 7 pm - free

Bang on a Can
MASS MoCA's annual Bang on a Can Festival kicks off on Saturday with three concerts. In the afternoon there's a concert in the gallery that currently contains the "Izhar Patkin: The Wandering Veil" exhibit. The evening features Ban on a Can All-Stars featuring Shara Worden. And then there's a late-night solo concert by Worden's alter-ego, My Brightest Diamond. various times and prices

Ajkun Ballet Theatre's Revolution
Sunday The internationally-renowned Ajkun Ballet Theatre performs Leonard Ajkun's new science-fiction, contemporary ballet titled "Revolution" at The Egg. The work is "about human power in surviving a post-apocalyptic world." Sunday at The Egg.Sunday 7:30 pm - $29 / $19 kids

Polo
Saratoga Polo hosts matches on Friday and Sunday at Whitney field. Friday and Sunday 5:30pm - $20-$50

Million Dollar Duck Race
Saturday: 6,000 little rubber ducks will float down Haviland Cove in Glens Falls for the annual Million Dollar Duck Race. Buy a duck for $5 and watch it race to the finish line. One winner could win $1 million. Music & kids activities. Saturday 11 am to 2 pm

Boats, Beers and BBQ!
POSTPONED Saturday: Dutch Apple Cruises and the Albany Pump Station are pairing up for Beers, Boats and Barbecue on the Hudson. Food from Anton's Greek-American Eatery, beer from C.H. Evans, and a cruise on The Dutch Apple. Saturday 3:30 to 7 pm - $40 per person

The Puppet People
Sunday: The Puppet People bring their free show to Freedom Park in Scotia. Sunday 7 pm

Magic
Saturday Our Own Productions presents magician Jeffrey Jene's Grand Illusions show -- a two act magic show with comedy and audience participation, at Quest in Schenectady (826 State Street). Saturday at 7:30pm - $15 / $13 for students and seniors

The Clark
The much-anticipated expansion of The Clark Art Institute -- designed by architect Tadao Ando -- is now open. The Clark is in Williamstown, about an hour's drive east of Albany. If you're headed that way, you might think about a combo ticket for The Clark, MASS MoCA, and the Williams College Museum of Art.

Berkshire Botanical Gardens
The Berkshire Botanical Gardens are a lovely place to to wander or have a picnic. Combine it with a dinner in Stockbridge or a trip to the Berkshire Theater Festival.

Check out a state park
Visit a local state park, like Cherry Plain, Moreau, Grafton Lakes or Peebles Island.

Swimming
A bunch of Capital Region pools and beaches are open for the season. Here's a collection of public pools around the area.

Farmers' Markets
Outdoor farmers' markets should be flush with produce:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be on River Street in downtown Troy Saturday morning.
+ 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.

Photo: Richard Lovrich

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