All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Hey, guess what?

Only four more weekends until spring! And temperatures this weekend could get as high as 37 degrees!

After the jump, a few things to do that are better than sitting on the couch wishing for June.

Got something planned that didn't make the list? Drop it in the comments so everyone can see.

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

New York in Bloom
Friday-Sunday: The annual New York in Bloom show returns to the State Museum:

Spring arrives early at the New York State Museum where visitors will find more than 100 flower displays created by local garden club members, professional designers, and floral enthusiasts. Other activities include floral design and gardening demonstrations and children's arts and crafts activities.

Friday-Sunday 9:30 am-5 pm - $5 (cash) / kids 12 and under free with an adult

Circus at the Gasholder Building
Friday-Saturday: FAQ Circus will be at the Gasholder Building in Troy to perform "Running, a Contemporary Circus." As one of the organizers told us this week, it's more cirque than Ringling. Friday 7:30pm / Saturday 2 pm & 7:30 pm - $15 / $10 for kids (dress warmly)

Winter Carnival
Saturday-Sunday: If you can't beat winter, you can celebrate it. The Lake George Winter Carnival continues this weekend with motorcycle races, ice diving demonstrations, a chowder cook off, dogsled rides, fireworks, and marshmallow roasting. carnival continues every Saturday and Sunday for the month of February - free admission

Mac-n-Cheese Bowl
Saturday: More than 30 different Capital Region restaurants will be offering samples at the annual timesunion.com/Table Hopping Mac-n-Cheese Bowl at the Marcelle Athletic Complex at Siena College. Proceeds benefit the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Saturday 11 am to 2:30 pm - $20 for adults and $5 for kids

Saratoga Beer Week
The annual Saratoga Beer Week continues through Saturday with tastings, specials, beer dinners, and so on. There's a Cider Night this year (Friday at the City Center, $30), at which a bunch of cideries will be offering samples. And on Saturday the Saratoga Beer Summit will be at the City Center, with more than 80 breweries -- tickets are $40 ahead / $50 at door, and there are two sessions, 1-4 pm and 5-8 pm.

Stage

Proposals
Friday-Sunday: Neil Simon's memory play, Proposals, continues this weekend at Albany Civic Theater. It's a comedy-drama about an afternoon at a family's summer retreat in the Poconos, told from the perspective of the maid. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 3pm - $15, / $10 for students

The Complete History of America (Abridged)
Friday-Saturday: Home Made Theater continues a production of The Complete History of America (Abridged), an irreverent "roller coaster ride through the glorious quagmire that is American History." Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2pm - $24-$27

The Illusionists
Friday-Sunday: The touring magic stage show The Illusionists wraps up its week at Proctors. Blurbage:

This mind blowing spectacular showcases the jaw dropping talents of seven of the most incredible Illusionists on earth. The Illusionists has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

Here are recent reviews: NYDN, NY Post, NYT. Friday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

Comedy

Alf Pacino
Friday: The Mop & Bucket Company presents Alf Pacino at Proctors. Alf explores themes suggested by the audience, making up stories, skits, games and songs in a longform improv format. It's an evening of inspired, theatrical free association. Friday 8 pm - $14 / $6 students & seniors

More improv
Saturday: MopCo brings its improv show to the Sand Lake Center for the Arts in Averill Park. Saturday 8 pm - $16 / $10 under 18

Music

Friday: Winterpills + Suitcase Junket at Caffe Lena
Chamber pop + one-man rock. 8 pm - $18

Friday: This Land is Your Land at 75 at The Linda
A celebration of the 75th anniversary of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" with Michael Eck. (Guthrie wrote the song as response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America.") 8 pm - $12

Friday: Frnkiero And The Cellabration at The Hollow
Formerly of My Chemical Romance. With: Hard Soul. 8 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Umphrey's McGee at The Palace
Prog rock. With: Tauk. 8 pm - $25 ahead/$30 day of

Saturday: Mark Fell and Keith Fullerton Whitman at EMPAC
Experimental electronic. 8 pm - $18

Saturday: ASO at Troy Music Hall
Featuring Philadelphia Orchestra tubist Carol Jantsch. 7:30 pm - $19 and up

Sunday: Mavis Staples at Helsinki Hudson
R&B/soul queen. 8 pm - $55

Sunday: Ashley Sofia at Caffe Lena
Folk rock singer/songwriter. 7 pm - $16

Film

QFest
Saturday: The fifth annual QFest is this weekend at Proctors. QFest is a free weekend of films and panel discussions celebrating the LGBT community. This year's slate of films includes The Crying Game, Kinky Boots and Love is Strange. Saturday starting at 1 pm - free

Oscars
Sunday: Proctors is screening the Academy Awards on the big screen in the GE Theater. Sunday 7 pm - free

Oscar Nominated Shorts
The Spectrum is screening the Oscar nominated animated and live action short films this weekend.

"As you wish."
Friday-Sunday: The Bow Tie Cinema in Saratoga Springs is screening The Princess Bride as both its Saturday and Sunday morning Cine Classic film and its Friday and Saturday 11:30 pm Insomnia Theater feature.

Banff Film Festival
Friday: Skidmore's Zankel Center hosts the Banff Mountain Film Festival tour, a presentation of short films from around the world that focus on mountain culture, extreme sports, and environmental issues. Friday 7 pm - $15 / $8 students

Nothing Sacred
Friday: The William Wellman Film Festival continues this month at the NYS Writers Institute with a screening of the screwball comedy Nothing Sacred. Friday 7:30 pm in Page Hall on the UAlbany downtown campus - free

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Saturday: The Ballston Spa Film Festival's monthly classic this weekend is the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, starring Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn. Saturday 6:45 pm, Ballston Spa High School auditorium - free

Hoops

UAlbany
Friday: The UAlbany's men's basketball team takes on Hartford at the SEFCU Arena. Great Danes take on Hartford at the SEFCU Arena. Friday 7 pm - $12 adults / $3 kids

Siena
Saturday: The Siena men's basketball team takes on Manhattan at the TU Center in its last regular season home game of the season.Saturday 7 pm - $12 and up

Museums
Cold winter weekends are great for catching up on museum exhibits.

Triple Play
Ready for spring yet? The Albany Institute of History and Art recently opened a new baseball exhibit. Triple Play is an exhibit of baseball memorabilia from the major leagues and the Capital Region.

This Sunday Janet Marie Smith, an architect and urban planner who is supervising renovation of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, will be at the museum for a talk about baseball stadiums. Smith has been involved with multiple stadium projects, including the construction of Camden Yards. Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Butterflies
miSci's butterfly exhibit is open. It's an indoor butterfly house with brilliantly colored native butterflies. The exhibit is open through April 19. Free with museum admission.

More museums
If you haven't caught the State Museum's Shaker exhibit, now's your chance. You can also check out the new building at The Clark, or see the recently-opened "Bibliothecaphilia" exhibit at MASS MoCA. And the The Hyde Collection or the Baseball Hall of Fame make good day trips.

Earlier:
+ Day trip: Glens Falls and the Hyde Collection
+ Day trip: Williamstown and the Clark

CBA Indoor Yard Sale
Friday-Saturday: Christian Brothers Academy is holding an indoor yard sale. Thousands of items including furniture, clothing and sporting goods. Friday 6-8:30 pm / Saturday 8 am-3 pm - $5

New moon night hike
Saturday: The Huyck Preserve is hosting a free guided full moon hike. Snowshoes or crampons are required. Limited number of snowshoes available for a $5 rental fee. Saturday 7 pm - free

Ice skating

Empire State Plaza
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. Skating is free. Skate rentals are $4 / $3 for kids under 12.

More ice skating
We recently updated our list of ice skating spots -- both outdoor and indoor -- around the Capital Region.

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, Helsinki Hudson, The Albany Institute of History and Art and The Spectrum advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the ESP ice rink.

photo via ANTI Records