All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

We're down to one of the last weekends before the holiday madness sets in, so relax while you can, folks. Put down the rake and check out our list of stuff to do this weekend instead. You can catch up later. Right now there's art, music, theater, comedy, and outdoor expos to get you ready for winter.

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

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

1st Friday
Friday: It's 1st Friday in Albany. Shops, restaurants, and galleries all over the city will be open with art, performances, and events.
+ The Opalka Gallery has a curator's tour of the "From Concept to Console: Art and Aesthetics in Video Game Design" exhibit and a performance by Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
+ UAG's Fired Up exhibit features work made with heat.
+ Albany Barn #BarnLife 2014-15 includes work by a host of Albany Barn artists in residence.
+ The Albany Elks Club hosts the monthly 1st Friday Swing Dance featuring the Alan Thomson Little Big Band,
+ And The Low Beat hosts a 1st Friday release party for the new album by bell's roar.

Vaudeville Circus
Friday: The Tang Museum at Skidmore College hosts the next installment of Saratoga's ArtsFest Friday. The evening includes vaudeville circus performances featuring tumblers, tricksters, tap dancers, violin by Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Mike Campese, and the headline act: the traveling one-man-band extravaganza known as The Suitcase Junket. Food from Circus Cafe. Friday 5-7:30 pm - free

BUILT
Saturday: Historic Albany Foundation Hosts its 14th annual BUILT: Albany's Architecture Through Artists' Eyes event. More than 170 pieces of Capital Region-themed artwork will be part of a silent auction with gourmet hors d'oeuvres, wine, and beer from Druthers Brewing Co. This year the event with take place at the New York State Museum. Saturday 7-10 pm - $75 / under 35 $50

Albany Ski and Snowboard Expo
Friday-Sunday: The Empire State Plaza hosts the annual Albany Ski and Snowboard Expo this weekend with outdoor sporting equipment and fashions, a craft beer garden, as well as demos Friday 4 pm to 9 pm / Saturday 10 am to 6 pm / Sunday 10 am to 5 pm - $10 / Free for kids under 10

SUNY Poly CNSE Community Day
Saturday: Get an up-close look at the world of nanotechnology at SUNY College Nanoscale Science and Engineerings Community Day. Hands on activities and demonstrations of nanotechnology at work and play. Saturday 11 am-3 pm - free

Comedy

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show: Beth Stelling
Friday: Writer, actress and stand-up artist Beth Stelling headlines Friday's Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show Ever in the Fenimore Gallery at Proctors. Stelling appeared on Comedy Central last month in a half-hour feature of her stand-up. And she has a new comedy album out, Simply The Beth. (Stelling is also playing a show at MASS MoCA Saturday night.) Friday 8 pm - $15

Electric City Improv
Friday: MopCo's newest format of short and longform improv games opens in the Proctors Underground. Friday at 8pm - $14, $6 for students and seniors

Sorry Not Sorry
Saturday: Capital Region improvisors Sorry Not Sorry celebrate their first anniversary with a show at The Low Beat. Saturday 2 pm

Stage

Ragtime
Saturday-Sunday: A new touring production of Ragtime is at Proctors this weekend. Saturday at 3 pm and 8 pm / Sunday at 2 pm $20-$55

The Night Alive
Friday-Saturday: Curtain Call Theater presents the regional premiere of Conor McPherson's The Night Alive, the story of a man who rises from the ashes of his life in Dublin. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm - $24

A Year with Frog & Toad: Presented by Park Playhouse
Sunday: The Palace Theater presents the Tony-nominated musical A Year with Frog and Toad, based on Arnold Lobel's children's books. Sunday 2 pm - $20 / free for kids 12 and under

Looking For Normal
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic opens a production of Jane Anderson's Looking for Normal, "a humorous, poignant look at gender issues and the social ties that bind." It's the story of a long-married couple from the heartland and how they cope when the husband decides he is a woman trapped in a man's body and wants a sex change. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm / Sunday at 3 pm

Sweeney Todd
Friday-Sunday: The Wood Theater in Glens Falls presents Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the story of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm / Sunday at 2 pm - $30

Music

Friday: The Indigo Girls at Troy Music Hall SOLD OUT
With: A Fragile Tomorrow. 8 pm - $32 and up

Friday: Mavis Staples + Joan Osborne at Proctors
Together on a "Solid Soul" tour. 8 pm - $20 and up

Friday: Jake Shimabukuro at The Massry Center
Ukelele master. 7:30 pm - $35 / $25 students

Friday: Joshua Radin at The Egg
Solo and acoustic. 8 pm - $35

Friday: Jubilee Riots at Putnam Den
Formerly Enter the Haggis. 9 pm - $15

Friday: bell's roar at The Low Beat
Album release show. With: Prince Harvey. 8 pm

Friday: Tall Heights at Helsinki Hudson
Indie folk. With: Gracie and Rachel. 9 pm - $15

Saturday: Charlie Hunter Trio at Parish Public House
Jazz. 8 pm - $20

Saturday: JR JR at The Hollow
Formerly Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.. 8 pm - $10.27

Saturday: Albany Symphony Orchestra - "Tchaikovsky's Winter Dreams" at the Palace
Featuring violonist Benjamin Beilman. 7:30 pm - $19 and up

Sunday: The New Deal at Putnam Den
Electronic. With: Lord Electro. 9 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Film

Edward Burns
Friday: Filmmaker/actor/screenwriter Edward Burns will be at UAlbany for two events as part of the NYS Writers Institute visiting writers series. Burns will first be on the uptown campus to read from his new memoir Independent Ed (4:15 pm, uptown campus, Lecture Center 5). Then he'll be on the downtown campus for a screening of two episodes of his TNT series Public Morals -- of which he's directs, writes, and stars (7 pm, Page Hall, free).

Hamlet
Sunday: The Spectrum is screening an encore presentation of The National Theater's newest version of Hamlet, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role. Sunday at noon SOLD OUT

Fantasia
Sunday: The Spectrum is also screening Walt Disney's Fantasia along with a look at the making of the soundtrack. Sunday at noon - $15 / 12 and under $12

Marvel Universe Live!
Friday-Sunday: Marvel Universe Live -- a live superhero show in which Spiderman, Ironman and The Hulk battle super-villains comes to The Times Union Center. (This looks very much like a kids thing.) Friday-Sunday, various times and prices

Get out of town
Sometimes you just need some new scenery. Try one of theseday trips.

Museums/galleries

Mummy Birthday
Sunday: The Albany Institute of History and Art is hosting a 106th birthday party commemorating the anniversary of the arrival of the museum's mummies in Albany. While you are there you an check out The new Capital Region in 50 Objects exhibit continues at The Albany Institute of History and Art. It's a look at 50 iconic objects and images that help tell the story of the Capital Region. Sunday at noon - Free with museum admission.

More museums
+ A new work from painter Barbara Takenaga is on a 100-foot wall at MASS MoCA.
+ The Hyde Collection recently opened an exhibition of American printmaking.
+ The Arkell has relatively new exhibitions of winter landscapes and the work of illustrator William Joyce.
+ And the Clark has a new exhibitlooking at how the museum collects art.

Have a cider donut
It's that season. Here are are a few good options.

Farmers' markets
Some of the farmers' markets are moving indoors this weekend, but there is still plenty of autumn bounty to be had.
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is inside the Atrium. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market has moved indoors at the Lincoln Baths this weekend. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is indoors at the Bethlehem Central Middle School. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket has returned to its indoor location at Proctors. Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market is inside at the Lincoln Baths Sunday from 10 am-3 pm

Albany Institute, The Spectrum, Helsinki Hudson, and The Mop & Bucket Company advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of BUILT