All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Into some weekends a little rain must fall. But a slightly soggy weekend is better than no weekend at all.

After the jump, a few things that are happening this weekend that we thought might interest you. Got something planned that you don't see here? Drop it in the comments so the rest of us can see.

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

Fusion
Friday: Albany Barn's annual Fusion fundraiser is Friday night at the Barn at 56 Second Street in Albany. Food, art, music and more. Friday 6 pm - $60

Stage
This is a big weekend for theater in the Capital Region:

Newsies
Friday: The popular Disney musical Newsies finishes its run at Proctors. Friday 8 pm - $20 and up

Other Desert Cities
Capital Rep's production of Other Desert Cities closes Sunday.

Company
The Local Actors Guild of Saratoga presents Stephen Sondheim's Company this weekend at the Saratoga Arts Center. Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $20

Chess
The Not So Common Players present Chess, the 1980s Cold War musical by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, this weekend at Shenedahowa High School. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm - free

The Liar
Schenectady Civic's new production of The Liar opens this weekend. It's the story of a charming young man with one flaw -- he cannot tell the truth. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - $17

Rocky Horror
The stage version of the cult classic continues this weekend at SLOC. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday a 2pm - $18/$25/$28

Neat. Sweet. Petite.
Home Made Theater continues its production of the musical The Addams Family this weekend. Friday & Saturday 8pm - $29/$26

John Waters
Saturday: Writer, actor, and cult film director John Waters brings his one-man show to Basilica Hudson in a fundraiser for Basilica and The AIDS Council of Northeastern New York. Saturday 8 pm - $125

The Only Brown Kid in the Trailer Park
Dion Flynn, former Capital Region resident and recurring guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, takes his autobiographical one-man show The Only Brown Kid in the Trailer Park to Hubbard Hall this weekend. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm - $30, $10 for students

Burlesque
Friday: C. Amanda Boutahorse and company present a burlesque tribute to Ghostbusters at The Hanger in Troy. Friday 9 pm - $15

Comedy

Steven Wright
Friday: (deadpan) Steven Wright will be at The Egg for a stand-up show. (/deadpan) 8 pm - $35 and up

MopCo
Saturday: The Mop & Bucket Company is holding an improv jam at MopCo World Headquarters (309 Union Street, Schenectady). You can come and play improv games with the company, or just watch and learn in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Saturday 8 pm - $5

The Machine: Midnight Meltodown
Saturday: The Machine in Albany is hosting a stand-up show featuring a slate of up-and-coming local comedians including Sam Gorenstein, Jennifer McMullen, and Sean Murphy. Saturday, 8pm. BYOB, $5 suggested donation.

Autumnal fun
The season is short, get your apple picking, foliage viewing, cider donut eating, pumpkin patch fun while you can.

Pick apples
Apple season is headed toward its finish at orchards around the region. Here's a list of local spots to pick apples. (The list is from last year, but much of the info should still be good.)

Check out a park
This is a great time of year to check out a local park or hiking spot, like the Saratoga National Historic Park, Vroman's Nose, Schodack Island, Cherry Plain, Moreau, Grafton Lakes or Peebles Island.

Also: There a recent Ask AOA question about favorite fall hiking spots turned up some good suggestions.

Spooky
We've entered the time of year when some people like to freak themselves out with ghost stories and haunted hayrides. Here are a few options this weekend:

Down the Hall: An Immersive Psychological Thriller
Modeled on Punchdrunk NYC's production Sleep No More, the Theater Institute at Sage presents Down the Hall. It's an original, immersive theater piece that takes audiences on a tour of the haunted history of Russell Sage College. Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm and 9pm through November 1 - $10 / $8 to the Sage community.

Saratoga Scare Fair
The Saratoga Scare Fair is an 8,000 foot haunted attraction at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. Friday and Saturday nights throughout October - 6:30pm to 10pm - $8

Ghost Tour of Albany
The people at Dutch Apple Tours are hosting historic ghost tours throughout October. There's one slated for this Saturday night at 7pm. $30

Schuyler Farms Haunted Corn Maze
Schuyler Farms in Schuylerville offers trips through the "Field of Screams," a haunted corn maze, every Friday and Saturday night in October. $14

Haunted Hayride
The Double M in Ballston Spa has haunted hayrides every weekend in October. various times and prices

Field of Horrors
The Capital Combat Zone paintball facility in Brunswick has turned itself into the new "Field of Horrors," with haunted hayrides and haunted houses. (Two of the haunted houses are "not recommended for children.") Friday-Saturday 6-11 pm - $22 with online discount

Candlelight Tour of the Schenectady Stockade
Friday: The Schenectady County Historical Society is offering candlelight walking tours of the historic Stockade neighborhood. Friday at 7pm and 7:30 pm - $10

Ghosts in the Yaddo Gardens
Yaddo is offering ghost tours in its gardens on Fridays and Sundays through October. 5 pm - $10

Music

Friday: Mary Lambert at the Massry Center
Of "Same Love" fame. With: Howie Day. 7:30 pm - $30 / $20 students

Friday: Amon Amarth at Upstate Concert Hall
Swedish melodic death metal. With: Sabaton, Skeletonwitch. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Friday: Habana Sax at The Egg
"[S]ynthesizes Afro-Cuban, Salsa, Latin and American jazz, venturing from mystical chant to rhythmic dance music to improvisational jazz." 7:30 pm - $24

Friday: Dryer at Putnam Den
Power pop! With: The Columbines, Gay Name, Small Axe. 8 pm - free

Friday: Ensemble ACJW at Zankel Center
Rising classical musicians from Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute. 8 pm - $8

Saturday: Shawn Colvin at Helsinki Hudson
Singer/songwriter. 9 pm - $45

Saturday: Brett Dennen at The Egg
Acoustic folk. 8 pm - $29.50

Saturday: Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at The Egg
"The New Jersey sound." 7:30 pm - $35 and up

Saturday: Kung Fu at The Hollow
Jazz funk. With: Groovestick. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Sunday: Drive-By Truckers at The Egg
Alt-country. 7:30 pm - $29.50

Sunday: Kalin and Myles at The Hollow
"Hip pop" duo and Vine stars. 7 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of)

Sunday: Mayday Parade at Upstate Concert Hall
Alt rock pop punk. With: Tonight Alive, Major League, PVRIS. 6:30 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Sunday: Erin McKeown at Caffe Lena
Folk singer/songwriter. With: MaryLeigh Roohan. 7 pm - $18

Film

Devdas
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute Film Series presents the Bollywood musical Devdas, "the story of three star-crossed lovers: an aristocratic young man, a middle-class woman who had been his beloved playmate as a child, and a beautiful courtesan with a heart of gold." Friday 7 pm, Page Hall on UAlbany's downtown campus - free

Boyhood
The Saratoga Film Forum is screening Richard Linklater's Boyhood-- a coming of age movie actually filmed over 12 years using the same young actor as the lead character. Friday and Sunday at 7:30pm - $7

The Exorcist
The Saratoga Springs Bow Tie Cinema is screening The Exorcist on Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30 pm as part of its Insomnia Theater series.

The Birdcage
The Saratoga Springs Bow Tie's monthlong tribute to Robin Williams continues with screenings of The Bird Cage on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 11 am.

Drive-ins
The Malta Drive-In is having an 80s flashback this weekend with a double feature of The Princess Bride and Stand By Me.

Albany Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair
Sunday: The 40th Albany Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair will be at the Albany Institute. "Dealers in antiquarian & out-of-print books, manuscripts, autographs, postcards, maps, posters, photographs and ephemera offer their best for sale." Sunday 10 am-4 pm - admission $6

Museums

New York realist
Saturday: The State Museum opens a new exhibit of work by realist painter Eugene Speicher, who was famous during the early part of the 20th century but is now little known. Speicher was from Buffalo and worked in Woodstock and New York City. Saturday exhibit tour 2 pm - free

Hops & Hogsheads
Saturday: The Schenectady County Historical Society is opening a new exhibit called "Hops & Hogsheads" that looks at how beer brewing has influenced the region from the early days of the Dutch settlers through today. The exhibit opens with a reception on Saturday at 2 pm at Mabee Farm with refreshments and samples of Wolf Hollow beer. $5

Food/Drink

Classes
Saturday: Deanna Fox is teaching an Oktoberfest class at Different Drummer's that includes pretzel-crusted schnitzel, sausage, red cabbage, and German potato salad. Saturday 6 pm - $65

Sunday: Jill Kavanaugh is holding a class on chowders at Different Drummer. Sunday 2 pm - $60

Stylin
Saturday: Stylin -- a fashion show to benefit the Albany Damian Center -- will be at the Taste Albany penthouse. Food and fashion. Saturday 7:30 pm - tickets start at $60

Farmers' Markets
Farmers markets will be moving indoors very soon, but right now they're out in the sunshine and flush with produce. Enjoy now -- it'll be fading out soon.
+ 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.

Capital Rep, Saint Rose and MopCo. AOA is a media sponsor for Basilica Hudson and the Albany Barn's Fusion event.

photo: Dean Van Meer