All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Hey, guess what? 63 days until spring!

Meanwhile, there's the weekend, which, for some of you, will be three days. You're going to need something to do. After the jump, a few interesting items we collected. Got something else planned? Tell us about it in the comments.

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

Wine & Dine for the Arts
Friday-Saturday: The Albany Chefs' Food & Wine Festival / Wine & Dine for the Arts is underway in downtown Albany and continues through Saturday. The festival includes many events such as tastings, receptions, and dinners, along with competitions for baristas and bartenders. Some events are already sold out, and other events have just a few tickets remaining. Friday-Saturday, various times - various prices

Monster Jam
Friday-Saturday: Monster Jam at the TU Center, "The most exciting form of family motor-sports entertainment on the planet," including 12-foot-tall, 10,000-pound monster trucks. Friday-Saturday 7:30 pm - $13 and up

Theater

How Water Behaves
Friday-Sunday: How Water Behaves, Sheri Kramer's comedic play developed at Capital Rep's new play festival, opens in previews this weekend. From the blurbage: "It all begins when sweet Nan and her out-of-work webmaster hubby, Steve, realize they can't afford to keep up the extravagant gift giving that has become their family's tradition. In an effort to make everyone happy, they announce that they have made a gift to a charity in everyone's name. Except it's a fictitious charity. No problem -- until the website that Steve creates to seal the deal becomes prey to cyberspace hijinks, with deliciously funny and unpredictable results." Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 3 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm -

Jersey Boys
Friday-Sunday: The touring company of the popular Broadway show Jersey Boys continues a its run at Proctors. (It's the second time through at Proctors -- the show originally played there in 2011 to many sold out performances.) The show is about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and, of course, features their music. Friday-Sunday, various times - $20 and up

Real Life: The Improv
Friday: In The Mop & Bucket Improv's latest format, Real Life: The Improv, improvisors create songs, and scenes based on the life of a Capital Region celebrity. Friday 8pm - $14

Bing Bamboo Room Burlesque
Saturday: Guy Smiley hosts the Bing Bamboo Room Burlesqueshow at the Low Beat. Saturday at 10pm - $15.

Movies

Academy Awards
The Academy Award nominations were announced this week, so catch the nominees that you can.

Temple of Doom
The Bow Tie in Saratoga Springs continues its Indiana Jones salute with screenings of Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom on Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30 pm.

Dear White People
Friday/Sunday: The Saratoga Film Forumis screening Sundance award winner Dear White People. "Dear White People follows a group of African-American students as they navigate campus life and racial politics at fictional Winchester University, a predominantly white college." Friday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 7:30 pm

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Saturday: The Saratoga Film Forum's Spring Street Classic at the Spring Street Gallery is the 1946 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice.

Comic Jam
Saturday: Artist Ira Marcks is hosting a comic jam at the Troy Public Library. People of all ages and skill levels are invited to come draw. Drop in or stay for the whole event, but registration is requested. Saturday 1-4 pm

Music

Friday: Extraordinary Night of Guitars with Dan LaVoie, Shun Ng, and Trevor Gordon Hall at Caffe Lena
Including "the world's premiere kalimbatarist." 8 pm - $20

Friday: Stranger at Home at The Low Beat
This cover of Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop" made us smile. With: Tambourelli & Her Supertrips, Frank McLaughlin. 8 pm

Saturday: Locksley at Vapor
Alt rock. With: The Lucky Jukebox Brigade. A free, 21-and-over EQX show. 7 pm - free

Saturday: ASO Mendelssohn's 'Scottish' Symphony at The Palace
Featuring percussionist Colin Currie. 7:30 pm - $19 and up

Saturday: Thirteen Four + Candy Ambulance at Putnam Den
There's a strong mid-90s vibe to Candy Ambulance. 9:30 pm - $5

Sunday: Elizabeth Pitcairn at the Massry Center
Violinist, plays the "Red Mendelssohn" Violin -- "The Red Violin" Stradivarius. A benefit for the Luzerne Music Center. 3:30 pm - $75

Sunday/Monday: Sean Rowe atCaffe Lena.
Sean Rowe's Sunday show at Caffe Lena is sold out, but there's now Monday matinee. Monday 3 pm - $25 / $12.50 students

Museums
It's a good time to go museum exploring. The Albany Institute, the State Museum (check out the new Shaker exhibit), The Clark (new building!) MASS MoCA, The Arkell, The Hyde Collection, and the Baseball Hall of Fame are all open this weekend.

Ice skating

Empire State Place
Bundle up and take a spin around the ice skating rink at the Empire State Plaza. The rink is open 11 am-8 pm daily, though it will be closed for maintenance this Friday. Skating is free. Skate rentals are $4 / $3 for kids under 12.

Other options
The city of Albany rink at Swinburne Park is open for the season (see the link for hours). And here's a list of other ice skating spots -- it's a bit out of date, so check before heading out.

Farmers' markets
Winter farmers' markets continue indoors:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be in the Troy Atrium in downtown Troy Saturday from 9 am-2 pm.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market will be at the Lincoln Baths on Saturday from 9 am-1 pm.
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket will be inside Proctors on Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market will be in Lincoln Baths Sunday from 10 am-3 pm.

MopCo and Capital Rep advertise on AOA. AOA is a media sponsor of Wine & Dine for the Arts and the ESP ice skating rink.