All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Before you start worrying about turkeys, stuffing, trees, latkes, and pumpkin pies, you have one last pre-holiday autumn weekend. Use it wisely. Sure, you can get a jump on your holiday prep, but if you'd rather play, we've compiled a list of fun options after the jump.

Planning something you don't see here? Share it with the rest of the crowd. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend!

Holiday

Schenectady Daily Gazette Holiday Parade
Saturday: Schenectady kicks off the holiday season with the annual Daily Gazette Holiday Parade. (Some streets in Downtown Schenectady will be closing down around 4 pm.) Saturday 5-7 pm - free

Albany Train Show
Saturday: The Albany Train Show returns to the Polish Community Center in Albany. Working model trains, 100 vendor tables, food, face painting, and balloon animals. Saturday, 9 am to 3 pm - $5 / under 12 free

Chili, Chowder and SoupFest
Sunday: The Chili, Chowder and Soup Fest is the Washington Park Lakehouse in Albany as part of the lead up to the Capital Holiday Lights display. (You might have seen that the lights are up -- it opens for drive-throughs November 27.) Restaurants and delis will be offering samples for $1. There will also be vendors and Santa, and you can stroll through the holiday lights around Washington Park Lake. Sunday 4-8 pm - suggested donation of $5.00 per person or $10.00 per family

Get dressed up

Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration
Friday: The Alliance for Positive Health (formerly The AIDS Council of Northeast New York) hosts its annual Beaujolais Nouveau celebration this year at the ESP Convention Center. The celebration is centered on the annual release of the Beaujolais Nouveau. So there's win (of course), along with food from restaurants around the Capital Region. Friday 5:30-10:30 pm - tickets start at $85

Albany Pop! Gala
Saturday: The Albany Pop! Gala is a pop art-themed party at the Renaissance Albany Hotel to benefit Albany Center Gallery. Art, a silent auction, craft beer, wine, cocktails and dancing. Saturday 7 pm - $100 / under 35 tickets $75

Collar City Fall Ball
Satruday: The Takk House in Troy is hosting the first Collar City Fall Ball -- a prom for adults. The night includes drinks, gourmet comfort food snacks, a prom-style photo booth, and music from the Graham Tichy Band. Also: "No dates are required! Come alone to mingle with other singles or come with friends! Dance to all the best classics and replace all your awful prom memories with these!" Saturday 8 pm - $60 per person

Hudson-Mohawk Weavers' Guild 37th Annual Show & Sale
Friday-Sunday: The Hudson-Mohawk Weavers' Guild hosts its 37th annual show and sale at the Pruyn House in Colonie. Demonstrations of handwaving and spinning. Handwoven gifts and holiday items from rugs and home goods to scarves, shawls and jackets. Friday 10 am-9 pm / Saturday 10 am-5 pm / Sunday noon to 4 pm - free admission

Stage

ChipandGus
Friday: ChipandGus: A comedy with balls will be at Proctors. The show is both a play and a ping pong game. Blurbage:

The action takes place during an actual 90-minute game, with two college town colleagues meeting for their monthly session. But this night is different; there is something else in the room, and the evening becomes something more than just another match.

Friday, 7:30pm - $20 (the show is a fundraiser for Schenectady Light Opera Company)

Motown
Friday- Sunday: The touring production of Motown the Musical continues at Proctors. It's a jukebox musical featuring the hit songs of Motown. Friday-Sunday -- various times and prices

Master Class
Friday-Sunday: The National Museum of Dance presents a performance of Terrence McNally's Master Class. The Tony-winning play is a character study of opera diva Maria Callas. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm / Sunday at 2pm - $25

Charley's Aunt
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater opens a new production of the farce Charlie's Aunt. Friday and Saturday at 8pm / Sunday at 3pm - $24

Comedy

Sandra Bernhard
Saturday: Comedian/actress Sandra Bernhard brings her stand-up show to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. "A hybrid of stand-up comedy and rock 'n roll, a raucous mix of political satire, pop culture commentary and cabaret." Saturday 8 pm - $28 and up

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

Improv Jam
Saturday: If improv interests you, the MopCo Improv Jam will let you into the process of improv comedy. Watch MopCo improvisors create scenes and songs, or join in and try it for yourself. Saturday at 8pm at MopCo World Headquarters (309 Union Street in Schenectady) - $5 at the door or a dish to share

Shader
Friday: There's a release party at The Low Beat for Daniel Nester's new memoir Shader. Nester will be reading from the book, and there will be music as well as "some surprises and goodies." Friday 6 pm

Music

Friday: Jane Monheit at The Egg
Singing the songs of Ella Fitzgerald. 8 pm - $34

Friday: Ciaran Sheehan at Troy Music Hall
Broadway star for "a night of traditional Irish songs, Broadway tunes, and a touch of the holiday spirit." 7:30 pm - $25 and up

Saturday: Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness + New Politics at Upstate Concert Hall
Alt rock. With: The Low Lows. 6:30 pm - $25

Saturday: Stephin Merritt at MASS MoCA
Of the Magnetic Fields. 8 pm - $29 ahead / $35 day of

Saturday: Dark Star Orchestra at The Palace
"Offering a continually evolving artistic outlet within the Grateful Dead's musical canon ..." 8 pm - $33.50

Saturday: Danilo Perez, John Patitucci & Brian Blade at The Egg
Celebrating "the musical spirit of jazz icon Wayne Shorter." 8 pm - $29.50 and up

Saturday: 7th Annual B3nson Family Funsgiving at The Low Beat/Pauly's
Seven bands across two stages. 7 pm

Saturday: Cabinet at The Hollow
Bluegrass/Americana. 10:30 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Saturday: Satoko Fujii and Tobira at Sanctuary for Independent Media
Avant garde jazz pianist. 7 pm - $15

Saturday: The Chandler Travis Three-O at Caffe Lena
With host David Greenberger. 8 pm - $20

Saturday: Beatlemore Skidmania at the Zankel Center
Popular annual celebration of Beatles music. (The Friday public show is sold out.) 2 pm - $10 / $7 seniors / $5 students and kids

Sunday: ASO: Harry Sonata and the Baton of Power at The Palace
"Young Harry Sonata doesn't want to be an ordinary wizard; he wants to be a musical wizard! But to do that, he'll have to do battle with the evil Lord Moldywart and learn to wield the 'Baton of Power.'" It's a kid-friendly ASO performance. 3 pm - $20 / kids in free

Sunday: The Klezmatics at The Egg
"Often called a 'Jewish roots band'..." 2 pm - $40 / $18 students

Film

The Man Who Invented Hollywood
Friday-Saturday: The Man Who Invented Hollywood is a tribute to legendary American director Cecil B. DeMille. This weekend the Pine Hills Film Colony and the Madison Theater will present three DeMill Films. Friday at 7 pm is The Ten Commandments at Saint Andrew's Church on North Main, complete with live organ and percussion accompaniment. On Saturday The Madison will screen DeMille's Madam Satan, Chicago, and for the first time ever a newly discovered and restored print of a DeMille film called The Golden Bed. Various times and prices

Things To Come
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute film series presents at screening of the 1936 H.G. Wells sci-fi film Things to Come. Friday 7:30 pm, downtown UAlbany campus, Page Hall - free

Wizard of Oz
Saturday-Sunday: The Bow Tie in Saratoga Springs is screening the 1939 classic version of The Wizard of Oz. Saturday and Sunday mornings at 11 am.

I am Thor
Saturday: It Came From Schenectady presents I am Thor, the story of steel-bending, brick-smashing, bodybuilding 70s and 80s cult rock star Jon Mikl Thor and his rise, fall and comeback attempt. Prizes, surprises, themed drinks and comfy couches. Saturday 7 pm - $9 / $6 students

Pathways to Iran
Sunday: The Pathways to Iran film series returns to Proctors. The evening includes a performance of international music from Capital Region group KoriSoron and two short documentaries by director Mojtaba Mirtahmasb that share common themes of music and censorship in Iran. Back Vocal explores the prohibition of female solo singing in Iran and Off Beat looks at a group of fans hold an internet contest for underground rock bands in response to restrictions on performing. Sunday 4 pm - $10

Hockey
The Albany Devils have home games on Friday and Saturday. Friday 7 pm / Saturday 5 pm

Road trip
Sometimes you just need some new scenery. Try one of theseday trips.

Museums/galleries

+ 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.

Farmers' markets
Stop by a farmers' market and pick up something delicious for Thanksgiving.
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is inside the Atrium. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is indoors at the Lincoln Baths. 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 is at 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

Troy Music Hall, The Mop & Bucket Company, and the Hudson-Mohawk Weaver's Guild advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration.