All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

There is absolutely no shortage of stuff to do in the Capital Region this weekend -- from Santas in Speedos to tree festivals to ice skating, theater and a PechaKucha.

After the jump, a list of stuff we thought would be fun. If you're planning something that you don't see on the list, drop it in the comments and let everyone know about it.

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

1st Friday
It's the last 1st Friday of the year. Shops, galleries and some museums in Albany are open late with art, music and performances. A few things that looked interesting:
+ The First Presbyterian Church at 362 State Street has a show inspired by Washington Park with works by Laura McCarthy, Kevin Kuhne and others.
+ The Albany Barn presents "Gifted," a group exhibition and artisan craft fair.
+Albany Center Gallery presents its 10th annual members show.
+Upstate Artists Guild is hosting a vendor style show with holiday shopping.

Santa Speedo Sprint
Saturday: The Santa Speedo Sprint returns. People will be dashing down Lark Street in scant, holiday-themed attire. The event, organized by the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, is a fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at the Albany Medical Center. The sprints have raised more than $125,000 over the years. There's still time to register. And if even if you're not sprinting, it's fun to stand along the street and cheer people on. sprint starts at 2 pm Saturday at Lark and Madison

Troy Victorian Stroll
Sunday: Downtown Troy will be decorated for the annual Troy Victorian Stroll. It includes all sorts of holiday whatnot, including music, food, decorated store windows, and people in costume. Sunday 11 am-5 pm - free admission

Trial Before Christmas
Sunday: The Trial Before Christmas -- a mock trial to settle who really wrote "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," first published in the Troy Sentinel -- will once again be held at the Rensselaer County Courthouse in downtown Troy during the Victorian Stroll. Last year's trial had an overflow crowd, so there will be video feed outside the courtroom this year, along with an online live feed. Sunday 2 pm - free

ESP holiday tree lighting
Sunday: The annual lighting of the ESP holiday tree is Sunday evening. Music, ice skating, reindeer, fireworks, a really big tree. The Taste NY Holiday Expo is also that day at the State Museum ($5). And the Great Train Extravaganza is in the ESP Convention Center ($7 / 12 and under free). events start at 1 pm, fireworks at 5:30 pm - free admission

Taste NY Expo at the State Museum
Sunday: Along with the activities on the plaza, there's also the Taste NY Expo at the State Museum. "For five hours on Sunday, December 7th, the Museum will be transformed into a bustling shopping emporium for the state's finest specialty items, including cheese, chocolates, apples, hand-crafted beer, wine and spirits, maple products, and other edible gifts." Also: demos, activities, and a chocolate fountain. 11 am-4:30 pm - $5 / 12 and under free

Great Train Extravaganza 2014
Sunday: Along with the ESP events, and the Taste NY Expo, there's the the Great Train Extravaganza at the Empire State Convention Center. More than 310 tables of model railroad dealers and exhibitors with model train displays. Sunday 10 am to 4 pm - $7 for adults / under 12 free

More holiday stuff

Friday-Sunday: Holiday Greens Show at the Hart Cluett House
The 58th annual Holiday Greens Show, organized by the Van Rensselaer Garden Club and the Rensselaer County Historical Society, is at the Hart-Cluett House in downtown Troy. It's annual holiday display of decorations with "fresh trees, flowers, and greens." various times - various prices

Friday: It's a Jazzy Christmas at Massry Center
Popular annual concert of Vince Guaraldi holiday music (you know, as heard in the Peanuts cartoons). It's a fun show -- and a good one for kids. 6 pm - $20 / $10 students / kids 5 and under free (with ticket)

Friday: Have a Blue (Grassy) Christmas at The Linda
With Sara Milonovich, Jim Gaudet, and members of Daisycutter and the Railroad Boys. 8 pm - $15

Friday-Sunday A Christmas Carol at The Theatre Institute at Sage
A new adaptation of the Dickens classic, produced at the Schacht Theatre on Sage's Troy campus. (There are also morning shows December 3-5, 10-12.) Friday and Saturdays 7 pm / Sundays 2 pm - $15 / $12 students and seniors

Friday-Sunday: It's A Wonderful Life (Live on Stage) at Proctors
Classic Theater Guild's production of the classic in a "faithful adaptation." various times - $18.50 / $15.50

Friday-Sunday: Saratoga Festival of Trees
Trees, crafts and more at the Saratoga City Center. various times - $8 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children 10 and up, kids under 10 go free

Saturday: Hudson Winter Walk
"Every year, Hudson's mile-long Warren Street is transformed into a festive boulevard with twinkling lights, brightly decorated shops, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, live reindeer, horse-drawn wagons, carolers, and a legion of characters and performers." 5-8 pm - free admission

Saturday: West Point Jazz Knights at The Linda
Annual big band holiday concert. 7 pm - free (reservation required, and it's filled up in years past)

Saturday: Rockin' Christmas 2014 at Troy Music Hall
With Whitney Wolanin and Her Shenanigans. 8 pm - $27 and up

Saturday-Sunday: Northeast Ballet's Annual Nutcracker at Proctors
With principal dancers from the New York City Ballet. Saturday 7 pm / Sunday 2 pm - $20 and up

Saturday-Sunday: Mountain Snow and Mistletoe at The Egg
The annual bluegrass holiday show. Saturday 7:30 pm / Sunday 2 pm - $24

Sunday: ASO Magic of Christmas at The Palace
Popular annual Christmas shows. 3 pm - $25 and up adults / $14 and up kids

Capital Holiday Lights in the Park
The Capital Holiday Lights in the Park continue in Washington Park. Friday and Saturday at 6-10 pm / Sunday 6-9 pm - $15 per vehicle

Local holiday shopping

Center Crafts Show
The Saratoga Arts Council's annual Center Crafts Show and Sale is this weekend. Fifteen invited artists will showcase giftable artwork. Saturday 11am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm.

Shaker Craft Fair
The Shaker Heritage Society is hosting a Christmas craft fair with over 75 local and regional artisans offering hand made crafts and food items. Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Made By Hand Invitational
Local artists and artisans offer hand crafted jewelry, accessories,housewares, paper goods and more at The Foundry's Made By Hand Invitational. Saturday 11am to 5pm.$2 admission.

PechaKucha
Friday: The local PechaKucha series returns to the Opalka Gallery at the Sage Albany campus. The lineup for super-short presentations: Ken Ragsdale, Martin Hull, Mike Wagner, Chet Boehlke Jr, Scott Ian Berry, Amy Halloran, Dorothea Osborne, Danny Goodwin, Joanne Curran and Kate Cohen. Friday 6:30 pm - free

Theater

Shrek
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera opens its production of Shrek: The Musical with some of the most talented youth actors in the Capital Region. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $18/$22/$28

The Secret Garden
Friday-Sunday: Capital Rep continues its production of Tony Award-winning musical The Secret Garden various times - $20 and up

Hollywood Confidential
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call theater opens the regional premiere of the comedy Hollywood Confidential, about an actor whose bad day keeps getting worse. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm - $24

Comedy

Gabriel Iglesias
Friday: "Fluffy" comedian Gabriel Iglesias brings his "Unity Through Laughter World Tour" stand-up show to The Palace. Friday 8 pm - $33 to $68

Theater Sports
Friday: Improv comedy teams compete against each other creating scenes and songs from audience suggestions in the Mop & Bucket Company's annual Theater Sports competition Underground at Proctors. Friday 8 pm - $14

Burlesque
Saturday: The Bing Bamboo Room plays The Low Beat with a holiday burlesque show. Friday 8 pm

Music

Friday: Lucius at The Hollow
Indie pop. With: Bahamas. 8 pm - $16 ahead / $18 day of

Friday: Pharmakon at EMPAC
"An intensely intimate and confrontational performance by Pharmakon, a death industrial music project from Margaret Chardiet." 8 pm - $18

Friday: The Orwells at Putnam Den
Indie garage/punk rock, with a frontman named Mario Cuomo. (David Letterman was charmed. ) With: The McLovins. 9:30 pm - free thanks to EQX

Friday: Eilen Jewell & The Sacred Shakers at Helsinki Hudson
With Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers. 9 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Friday: Solas at The Egg
"Quintessential Irish-American band." 8 pm - $24

Saturday: French Montana at Upstate Concert Hall
Rapper. With: Rowdy Rebel. 9 pm - $25 ahead / $28 day of

Saturday: Eastbound Jesus at Parish Public House
Release show for live album recorded at the club. 8 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

Saturday: The Grand Slambovians at Proctors
Gandalf Murphy and company. 7:30 pm - $26 ahead / $28 day of

Sunday: Hot Tuna at The Egg
Blues rock. With: Donna The Buffalo. 7 pm - $36.50

Sunday: Self Defense Family at The Low Beat
With: Soft Powers, Blood of Spain, Broken Field Runner. 7 pm

Sunday: The Gibson Brothers at Caffe Lena
Bluegrass and country. 3 pm - $25

Sunday: Shtreiml at Caffe Lena
"[A] high-octane mix of not-so-traditional Eastern-European Jewish and Turkish music." 7 pm - $20

Arts and sciences

1971: The Film
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute will be screening the documentary 1971: THE FILM, about the COINTELPRO domestic spying program and how it was brought to light, at UAlbany. Following the screening, journalist Betty Medsger -- who, while at the Washington Post, received secret documents about the program -- will be there to talk about the film. Medsger has written a new book about the people who obtained the files, The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI. Film editor Gabriel Rhodes, who worked on 1971: The Film, will be joining her. Friday 7 pm, downtown campus, Page Hall - free

Dave King
Friday: The Frequency North series at Saint Rose wraps up its fall season with a reading by novelist/poet Dave King, author of The Ha-Ha. Friday 7:30 pm, Neil Hellman Library - free

Slavery at the Ten Broeck Mansion
Sunday: Archaeologist Matthew Kirk will be at the Albany Institute to discuss research indicating there was slavery at the Ten Broeck Mansion in the late 18th century. "With a unique mix of archeology and history, these findings provide insight into the slave/master relationships shortly before abolition. They suggest we reconsider our modern concepts of slavery in the north at the end of the eighteenth century." Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Antique Postcard Show
Over a million vintage postcards will be on display at the 4th Annual Antique Postcard Show at the Albany Polish Community Center. Saturday 9:30am to 3pm. $3

Film

Rocky Horror with live cast
Friday: The Madison's new performance venue is hosting a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with live cast The Kids of Albany. Prop kits and toilet paper will be sold at the door. Friday 8 pm and midnight - $10

We don't talk about Fight Club
Friday: It Came From Schenectady presents a screening of Fight Club at the GE Theater at Proctors, complete with ICFS prizes and drink specials. Friday 7 pm - $9 adults, $6 students

White Christmas
Saturday-Sunday: The Bow Tie in Saratoga Springs is screening the 1942 classic White Christmas as part of its Cine Classics series. Saturday and Sunday morning at 11 am

Rocky Horror
Friday-Saturday: The Bow Tie's Insomnia Theater film this week is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Friday and Saturday at 11:30pm

Magic in the Moonlight
Friday, Sunday: The Saratoga Film Forum is screening Woody Allen's The Magic in the Moonlight. Friday and Sunday at 7:30pm.

Hoops
Friday: The Siena men's basketball team faces Quinnipiac at the TU Center. Friday 7 pm - $12 and up

Hockey
Saturday, Sunday: The Albany Devils have home games Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 3 pm at TU Center. $14.50 - $26

Holiday cookie class/exchange
Friday: Market Bistro's Cooking School is hosting a holiday cookie class/exchange (with wine). Friday 6pm to 9pm - $55

Ice skating
Bundle up and take a spin around theice skating rink at the Empire State Plaza. The rink is open 11 am-8 pm. Skating is free. Skate rentals are $4 / $3 for kids under 12 (and skate rental is free on Fridays).

Cap Rep, MopCo, Troy Music Hall, Saint Rose, and Siena advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the ESP ice skating rink.