All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Of all the weekends in all the world, we walked into this one.

And we're glad we did. Lots of sunshine, temperatures around the 80 degree mark, and a long list of springtime stuff to do.

After the jump, a few items we thought might interest you. Planning something else? Tell us about it in the comments.

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

Greek Festival
Friday-Sunday: St. Sophia's in Albany hosts its annual Greek Festival with music, crafts, rides, family activities and Greek food. Friday 6 pm to 11 pm / Saturday noon to 11 pm / Sunday noon to 7 pm - $3 / children under 12 free

Waterford RiverSpark Canal Festival
Saturday: The annual Waterford Canalfest is at the Waterford Harbor. Music, dance performances, vendors, children's activities, kayaking, educational walks, and presentations. Saturday from 9:30 am to 6 pm - free admission

Niska Day
Saturday: Niskayuna's annual festival -- Niska Day -- returns for the 34th year. This year's festival has a circus theme with "clowns, jugglers and feats that will amaze all ages." And, of course, there's the parade and fireworks. Saturday 10 am (parade) / noon (festival) / 9:15 pm (fireworks) - free admission

Lupine Fest 2015
Saturday: The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center hosts a celebration of spring and the lupines at Lupine Fest 2015. Performers, wildlife, a butterfly walk, face painting, kids activities, and a barbecue. Saturday 11 am to 5 pm - free admission

The 1780 Beer Challenge
Saturday: The Middleburgh Library, the Albany Ale Project, and Green Wolf Brewing Company are collaborating for an event called The 1780 Beer Challenge and Revolutionary War Festival in Middleburgh. The day will include Revolutionary War demonstrations, kids activities, and a "beer-infused re-enactment of the 1780 stand off in Middleburgh between New York's Loyalist raiders and the Albany County Militia--this time with hops, grain, and yeast, instead of muskets and cannons." Two Revolutionary War-era beers have been recreated for tasting. Saturday 1-5 pm - $15 / non-drinkers $10 / kids under 15 free

And if you're out in Middleburgh, take a side trip to Vroman's Nose.

SPAC Rock & Run
Sunday: SPAC's Annual Rock & Run include 5/10K races and a concert by 20 bands including Pony in the Pancake, Rob Jonas, and Bryan Thomas. Sunday starting at 9 am

Plant sales

This is a big weekend for spring plant sales:

Cornell Cooperative Extension - Albany County
Saturday: The Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County's annual Garden Education Day is at the cooperative extension facility in Voorheesville. Master gardeners will be there for tours and advice, but the big draw is the plant sale. It's intense. There are a bunch of high-quality garden plants -- including both vegetables and flowers -- for low prices. And people start lining up before it starts in order to get their pick of the offerings. So, get there early and have in mind what you're looking for. Saturday 9 am-1 pm

Capital Roots
Saturday: The annual Capital Roots spring plant is sale at the new Urban Grow Center in Troy at 594 River Street (it was formerly at the garden on 8th street). We've also shopped this sale in the past and we were able to score good plants. (It's not as intense as the cooperative extension sale.) It typically has veggies (including heirloom tomatoes), flowers, and perennials. Of course, Capital Roots is the new name for Capital District Community Gardens. Saturday 9 am-1 pm

Washington Park tulip dig/sale
Saturday/Sunday: The annual Washington Park tulip dig/sale returns. If you want your pick of the tulips, the day to go is Saturday around the Moses Fountain as volunteers dig up the bulbs (and get first pick) -- for every bag you dig for yourself, you dig one for the Sunday sale. And if you go to the Sunday sale at the lakehouse, go early -- the tulips sell very quickly. They're $5 for a bag of about 30 bulbs. Saturday/Sunday 9 am

Siberian Iris & Perennial Sale
Sunday: The Capital-Hudson Iris Society's annual Siberian Iris & Perennial Sale is in the parking lot of Main Square Shoppes in Delmar (318 Delaware Ave). Blurbage: "Siberian irises, daylilies, hostas, and a wide assortment of sun and shade perennials from our members' gardens. The prices and selection will be extraordinary." Sunday 9 am-noon

Theater

Mamma Mia!
Friday/Saturday: The tour of Mamma Mia! stops at Proctors this weekend. The hit Broadway musical combines some of ABBA's greatest hits to tell the story of a a young woman on a search for her father. Friday 8pm / Saturday 1 pm and 7 pm - $25 to $75

Spamalot
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera presents Monty Python's Spamalot. The musical version of the classic film features Molly Rose McGrath as The Lady of the Lake, and includes rabbits, French taunters, knights who say nee, and more. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm / Sunday at 2 pm - $18, $22, $28

Becky's New Car
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic Theater presents Becky's New Car, a comedy with serious overtones about what happens when a woman caught in middle age, middle management, and in a middling marriage starts taking chances. Friday and Saturday at 8pm / Sunday at 2:30 pm - $17

The Night of the Iguana
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic Theater presents Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm / Sunday at 3 pm - $15 / $10 with student ID.

Hamlet extended
Friday/Saturday: Capital Rep's new production of Hamlet wraps up its extended run. The TU calls the production "Vivid, brisk, emotionally resonant and achingly tragic." Friday and Saturday various times - $20 and up

The Diary of Anne Frank
Saturday/Sunday: The Local Actors Guild of Saratoga opens a production of The Diary of Anne Frank at the Arts Center of Saratoga. Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm / Sunday at 2 pm - $20

Confetti Stage Presents a Moulin Rouge Soiree
Saturday: Confetti Stage hosts its annual fund raiser with hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction, and an Exquisite Corpse -- a tag-team comedic play written by a group of local writers. Saturday at 7pm - $25

Comedy

Spontaneous Broadway
Friday: The Mop & Bucket Company continues its season of Spontaneous Broadway in the Underground at Proctors. In the first act performers improvise songs on the spot from audience suggestions. Then the audience selects one song and performers turn it into an entire improvised Broadway musical. Friday 8 pm - $14 / $6 for students & seniors

American Music Festival
Friday: The Albany Symphony Orchestra's American Music Festival continues at EMPAC with a performance by the Dogs of Desire. Friday 7:30 pm - $40
Saturday: The festival capstone concert: "This 'Migrations' program focuses on the traditions surrounding American History and features Michael Daugherty's Trail Of Tears Concerto with Amy Porter on flute, world premieres from Composer Educator Clint Needham and Andrea Reinkemeyer, and Derek Bermel's Migration Series for Jazz Orchestra." Saturday 7:30 pm - $36 and up (only a few tickets remain)

Music

Friday: Rhett Miller at Helsinki Hudson
From The Old 97's. With: Salim Nourallah. 9 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Friday: Dar Williams at The Egg
Folk star. With: Lucy Wainwright Roche. 8 pm - $29.50

Friday: Parmalee at Vapor
Country rock. 9 pm - $25

Friday: The Blind Owl Band at The Hollow
Bluegrass/rock/country/folk. With: Swamp Candy. 9:30 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

Friday: Slaid Cleaves at Caffe Lena
Singer/songwriter. 7 pm - $22

Friday: Ustad Shafaat Khan at Old Songs
"World-renowned Indian Classical musician." With: Coco Bastien and Adi Shivprasad. 8 pm - $20 / $5 kids 12 and under

Friday: Dogs of Desire at EMPAC. New music in a multi-media performance by Albany Symphony Orchestra's creative 18-member chamber orchestra. Friday at 7:30pm. $40.

Saturday: Caffe Lena's 55th Anniversary Celebration at the Zankel Center
With: Sara Milonovich, The Suitcase Junke, The Wiyos, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Jim Gaudet & the Railroad Boys, Beaucoup Blue. 7 pm - $25

Saturday: Young Buffalo at Vapor
A free show thanks to EQX. With: Carl Daniels + The Black Box. 8 pm - free

Saturday: Willie Nile at The Linda
Veteran rocker. With: Jefferson Grizzard. 8 pm - $20

Saturday: Super 400 + more at The Low Beat
A benefit for Nepal, with Kimono Dragons, Dearest Vendetta, Victory Soul Orchestra, Henry's Rifle. noon -

Savoy Diamond Dance
Friday: Saratoga Savoy holds its monthly Diamond Dance at the Saratoga Music Hall. The Boilermaker Jazz Band headlines. Friday 7:30 pm - $15

Film

It Came From Schenectady: Schlock & Awe
Saturday: The It Came From Schenectady film series presents Schlock & Awe, a day of cult film titles that they consider "completely awesome, completely bad or just awesomely bad." Shorts, trailers, contests, games, surprises and themed drinks will all be part of the day. Films include The Warriors, Butcher, Baker Nightmare Maker, Zombeavers, Barbarella, I am a Knife with Legs, and Showgirls. Saturday 11 am to midnight - full festival pass $30 / block A or B pass $20

"A spoonful of sugar..."
Saturday/Sunday: Walt Disney's Mary Poppins is the Saturday and Sunday morning Movies & Mimosa flick at the Saratoga Springs Bow Tie Cinema.

Freaks
Friday/Saturday: The Insomnia Theater film at The Bow Tie in Saratoga Springs is MGM's 1932 film Freaks.

Jaws
Saturday: "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water..." The Ballston Spa Film Festival's monthly classic film this month is Jaws. Saturday at the Ballston Spa High School auditorium at 6:45 pm - free

Drive ins
+ Jericho: Avengers / Furious 7
+ Hollywood: Age of Adeline / Avengers
+ Malta: Screen 1 - Avengers/Furious 7 | Screen 2 - Mad Max/Hot Pursuit

Sesame Street Live!
Friday-Sunday: Sesame Street Live is at The Palace. Friday-Sunday, various times and prices

Kite Day Festival
Saturday: Saratoga Independent School will host a kite festival at the school on Lake Avenue. Bring your own kite or buy one for $7. Saturday 10 am to 2 pm - free admission

History

The Hidden History Of Insane Asylums in 19th Century New York
Saturday: Michael T. Keene, author of Mad House: The Hidden History of Insane Asylums will be giving a talk and book signing at the Mabee Farms Historic Site. Saturday 2 pm - free

Troy History Walk
Saturday: The Rensselaer County Historical Society's weekly walking tours are back. Tours meet at the Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market. The theme of this week's tour is "Wining and Dining in Troy: From The Paradise to The Puritan." RCHS historian Kathryn Sheehan will focus the tour on famous mid-20th century eating and drinking establishments. Saturday 10:30 am - $5

Triple Play
The Triple Play baseball exhibit is still running at the Albany Institute of History and Art. It includes 450 historical objects and images celebrating our passion for the sport. On Sunday Tom Swyers, the author of Saving Babe Ruth, a novel about one man's quest to save his town's little league team, will speak at the institute. Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Food

Taste of N'Awlins
Friday: The Cooking School at Market Bistrois hosting a class in New Orleans cooking with chicken and sausage gumbo, shrimp and grits, and beignets. Friday at 6 pm - $55

Rock 'N Roll Brunch
Sunday: The Low Beat just announced a Rock N Roll Brunch for this Sunday with food by chef Josh Colleto. Sunday starting at 10:30 am, get there early because there's often a line to be seated

Farmers' markets
Capital Region farmers' markets have moved outdoors.
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be on River Street on Saturday from 9 am-2 pm.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market will be in High Rock Park. Saturday from 9am to 1pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket will be around Schenectady City Hall. Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market will be outside the Lincoln Baths Sunday from 10 am-3 pm

Capital Rep, Albany Institute, and MopCo advertise on AOA.