All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

We're starting the weekend a little early. But we wouldn't leave you without stuff to do this weekend...

Happy 4th of July weekend.

There are plenty of options for celebrating Independence Day this weekend, from fireworks, to parades, to drive-ins, to swimming pools, to baseball games, to summer theater.

So grab your sunscreen, bug spray, and your umbrella (just in case), check out our list of stuff to do and go pursue some happiness. You deserve it!

Doing something you don't see on our list? Drop it in the comments.

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

1st Friday
Friday: It's 1st Friday in Albany. Galleries and shops are open late with art, music, and other surprises. A few things you might want to check out:

+ Albany Barn's "Abstractions" show features work by Pat Hoffmeister, Gina Occhiogrosso, and Dorothea Osborn.

+ Empty House Recording and Expressive Arts Studios's "Black Picasso" exhibit -- a retrospective with collective works of artist Donald Jones. Live music, food and drink, $5 at the door.

+ Studio 40B "Men on Art" - featuring Gregory Maxwell Dunn with additional work by Alex Stokes and Radical. Music by Cannon the Brave, Erik Savage and Stoop Kids.

+ Upstate Artists Guild's "CARtoons" show with automotive humor and hot rod artwork. Featured artist: Nate Osborne.

+ The El Dorados are the featured band at the monthly 1st Friday swing dance at 25 South Allen. Lesson at 7:30 pm, dance starts at 8:30 pm - $15, seniors/students $10

4th of July fireworks and celebrations

Saturday is Independence Day, and there will be fireworks at many spots around the area this weekend.

Troy
Friday: There will be fireworks in Riverfront Park as part of a special Rockin' on the River. Friday at dusk

Saratoga Lake
Friday: There will be fireworks at both the north and south ends of Saratoga Lake. Friday night at dusk

Empire State Plaza
Saturday: The largest fireworks display in the Capital Region is the annual display at the Empire State Plaza, which has a different configuration this year. The ESP event also includes music, kids activities, and food vendors. Saturday starting at 3 pm / fireworks at 9:15 pm - free admission

Saratoga Springs All-American Celebration
Saturday: Downtown Saratoga Springs celebrates the 4th of July all day on Saturday with the annual All America Celebration. This year the celebration won't take place in Congress Park because of a private event. Instead Spring Street, Putnam Street, and Henry Street will be closed off for the event, and there will be events throughout downtown, including a parade, a classic car show and a barbecue and dessert festival. Saturday starting at 11 am / fireworks at 9:30 pm - free admission

Clifton Common
Saturday: Clifton Park is hosting a July 4th Celebration at the Clifton Common, including a parade, rides, games and craft vendors and music. Saturday starting at noon / fireworks at 9:30 pm - free admission

Waterford
Saturday: There will be fireworks along the waterfront as part of the Steamboat Meet (details below). fireworks Saturday at dusk

Lake George
Saturday: There are fireworks on the southern end of Lake George, and will be visible all along the waterfront. Fireworks in Shepard's Park on the 4th of July will be visible all along the waterfront. fireworks Saturday at 9:30 pm

Steamboat Meet
Saturday: The annual Steamboat Meet returns to Waterford with working antique steamboats, music, food, and kids activities. There are also fireworks at dusk, viewable from the Waterford quay, the river, and Peebles Island State Park Music, food vendors.Saturday starting at 10 am - free admission

Baseball

ValleyCats
Friday-Sunday: The Tri-City ValleyCats have home games Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Joe Bruno Stadium. Fireworks after Friday and Saturday's games. Friday and Saturday at 6:30pm, Sunday at 5pm - $5.75 and up

Vintage Baseball Game
Saturday: Bethlehem's annual 4th of July vintage baseball game is at the Elm Avenue town park. The game is played by the rules of the 1864 Civil War era, with bare hands, no equipment, replica uniforms, bats, and baseballs. Bring a lawn chair, blanket, and sit alongside the baseball field. Saturday at 12:45 pm - free admission

Circus Smirkus
Sunday: Circus Smirkus, the international youth circus, returns to the outdoor polo field at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Sunday and Monday at 1 pm and 7 pm - $25

Stage

WTF
The Williamstown Theatre Festival started its 2015 season this week with productions of two shows:

+ Off the Main Road: Kyra Sedgwick stars in the world premiere of a play by Pulitzer Prize-winner William Inge.

+ Legacy: Jessica Hect and Eric Bogosian star in the world premiere of a play by Daniel Goldfarb.

Many of the shows at WTF sell out, so it's better to get tickets sooner rather than later.

Park Playhouse
Park Playhouse in Albany has opened its 2015 season with a production of Singin' in the Rain. Friday-Sunday 7:30 pm - reserved seats $16 and up / lawn seats are free

Film

The Audience
Saturday-Monday: The National Theater Live screenings of The Audience, the play starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in private audiences with her prime ministers, sold out at The Spectrum last week. They've added three more screenings -- Saturday and Sunday at noon and Monday at 7pm.

Bow Tie
This week's Movies and Mimosa and Insomnia Theater movie at The Bow Tie in Saratoga Springs: Goonies.

Madison
The original Rocky is screening at The Madison Theater in Albany this weekend.

Drive ins
+ Jericho: Inside Out / Terminator Genisys
+ Hollywood: Inside Out / Terminator Genisys
+ Malta: Screen 1 - Ted 2 / Jurassic World | Screen 2 - Inside Out / Terminator Genisys

Swim

Swimming pools
Many municipal pools are now open for the season. Here's a list.

Beach
The beaches at Moreau Lake State Park and Grafton Lakes State Park are open for the season.

DMB
The Dave Matthews Band will be back at SPAC Friday and Saturday nights. Add in the fact that it's also July 4 on Saturday, and Saratoga Springs will be busy this weekend.

Music

Friday: Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood
Opening night with an all-American program: Harbison, Gershwin, Copland, Ellington. 8:30 pm - $22 an dup

Friday: Eastbound Jesus at Troy Riverfront Park
And fireworks. With: The Hawbuckees. 5 pm - free

Friday: Upbeat on the Roof at the Tang Museum
Students from Skidmore's summer jazz institute perform on the roof of the Tang Teaching Museum. Friday 7 pm - free

Saturday: Built4BBQ's Star Spangled Bonanza at The Low Beat and Pauly's
The End Men, Party Boat, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Kimono Dragons, The Slaughterhouse Chorus, Charmboy, Henry's Rifle, The Radicals, and The Savage Randys at both venues. 6 pm - $6

Saturday: The James Taylor concert at Tanglewood is sold out.

Sunday: Boston Pops + Bernadette Peters at Tanglewood
Afternoon show. 2:30 pm - $22 and up

Sunday: Darlingside at Caffe Lena
Folk/chamber rock. With: Kyle Morgan. 7 pm - $18

There is no Music Haven show this week because of the holiday.

Art

Van Gogh and Whistler
The Clark recently opened a Van Gogh exhibit focused on his paintings of nature. The exhibit runs through September 13.

And on July 4 the institute opens an exhibit titled Whistler's Mother: Grey, Black, and White. "The painting serves as the centerpiece of the exhibition Whistler's Mother: Grey, Black, and White, which also features a selection of Whistler's prints and drawings, Japanese woodblock prints that inspired the artist, and ephemera that explore the image's role in popular culture." It's on display through September 27.

(Also that Bierstadt work The Clark "won" as part of its Super Bowl bet is on display through July 19.)

The Late Drawings of Andy Warhol
The Hyde Collection presents an exhibit featuring some of Any Warhol's drawings created between 1973 to 1987, one of Warhol's most prolific periods. Many of the drawings are on view to the public for the first time. Through September 27 as part of regular museum admission. Closed on July 4th

Strawberry season
It's berry picking season. Here are a few places around the region where you can pick your own.

Farmers' markets
Capital Region farmers' markets are outdoors:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be on River Street Saturday from 9 am-2 pm.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market will be in High Rock Park. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is open for the season at Bethlehem Central Middle School. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Colonie Farmers Market is at the Crossings. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ 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

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