All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

In between the shopping and the decorating, make time to have a little (more) fun this weekend. The Capital Region holiday season is well underway with Victorian strolling, holiday markets, shows, exhibits -- all kinds of stuff.

Take a look at the list we've pulled together. We checked it twice but if we're missing something you're doing, be sure and tell us in the comments. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Skating on the plaza
Friday: The ice skating rink at the Empire State Plaza is scheduled to open (weather permitting). And it's a free skate rental day. Friday (and on through the season) 11 am-8 pm - free to skate

1st Friday
Friday: It's Albany's final 1st Friday of the year. Here are a few things you can check out:
+ Albany Institute: Free admission from 5-8 pm, including a talk on Egypt with Peter Lacovara
+ UAG: Gingerbread house decorating and a local art market with small works at small prices
+ The College of Saint Rose's Picotte Gallery: Totems & Tokens: A selection of objects collected, combined and contextualized by the advanced sculpture students in the fall semester
+ Albany Center Gallery: Members show, showcasing 125 artists.
+ Capital Swing Dance: Post 1st Friday at the Albany Elks Club, with headliners Eight to the Bar. $15, $10 for students and seniors

Here's the full rundown of events.

Saratoga ArtsFestFridays - Home Made Theater
Friday: Saratoga ArtsFest Friday moves to Home Made Theater this month for a holiday celebration. The theme will be Miracle on 34th Street with activities reminiscent of a 1947 New York City street scene. Behind-the-scenes theater tours, theater dress-up and makeup for kids, and other family-friendly activities. There will be a heated outdoor area with food and hot drinks and screening of Miracle on 34th Street. For the adults, Corey Aldrich will be hosting at Blivet's Lounge -- a pop up 1940s-themed lounge with drinks from Druthers and Springbrook Farm Distillery and music by Useless Cans Trio. Friday 5-7:30 pm - free admission

Holiday

Victorian Stroll
Sunday: The Victorian Stroll returns to Troy with caroling, food, music, and kids activities downtown. Sunday 11 am-5 pm - free admission

Taste NY Holiday Gift Market
Sunday: The New York State Museum is hosting a Taste NY Holiday Gift Market. New York foods and beverages to sample and purchase, chocolate fountain, cooking demonstrations, and family friendly activities. Sunday 11am to 4:30pm - $5 / children 12 and under admitted free

Empire State Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting and Fireworks Festival
Sunday: The Holiday Tree Lighting on the Empire State Plaza will be celebrated with ice skating, caroling, outdoor mini-golf, visits with Santa and his reindeer and fireworks. Sunday 1-8 pm - free admission

Great Train Extravaganza
Sunday: The Empire State Convention Center hosts the Great Train Extravaganza, a public model train show and sale with 200 tables of model trains, train sets, parts, accessories and more. Sunday 10 am to 4 pm - $7 / kids under 12 admitted free

The Nutcracker
Saturday-Sunday: Northeast Ballet presents its annual holiday tradition production of The Nutcracker at Proctors this weekend. Saturday at 7 pm & Sunday at 2 pm - $20-$65

Schenectady Festival of Trees
Saturday-Sunday: The Schenectady County Historical Society and the YWCA are hosting the annual Festival of Trees. Trees will be on display at the society's downtown location at 32 Washington Ave and the YWCA at 44 Washington Ave. Tree raffles and a contest for the best decorated trees. Saturday & Sunday 10 am to 4pm - $5 / children $2 / under 5 free (purchase of one ticket is good for both locations)

Delicious December
Saturday: Renowned food historian Peter G. Rose will be at Mabee Farm historic site on Saturday to discuss her book Delicious December -- a look at holiday food history. Saturday at 2pm -- $5

Upper Union Street Tree Lighting
Sunday: Schenectady's Upper Union Street shopping district lights its 40-foot evergreen on the corner of Upper Union Street and Woodland Avenue as part of its holiday celebration. Sunday 4 pm - free admission

Capital Holiday Lights
Friday-Sunday: The Capital Holiday Lights in Albany's Washington Park are open for the season. You can drive through 125 light displays and stop at the lake house for a snack and a visit with Santa and the reindeer. Friday-Sunday 6pm to 9pm - $15 and up

Polar Express
Friday-Sunday: The Polar Express train starts this weekend at the Saratoga North Creek Railway. A round trip journey to "the North Pole" complete with a visit from Santa. Friday-Sunday - various times and prices

Greens shows

59th Annual Holiday Greens Show
Friday-Sunday: The Historic Hart-Cluett House in Troy hosts its annual Holiday Greens Show. The historic home will be decked out in greens, trees and flowers with a Roaring Twenties theme. Friday-Sunday various times - $10 / $6 seniors / $5 children 5-12 / under 4 admitted free

Fort Orange Garden Club Holiday Greens Boutique
Friday-Saturday: The Fort Orange Garden Club is selling wreaths, centerpieces, hostess gifts, candles and more at their annual Greens Boutique at the Pruyn Schoolhouse. Friday & Saturday 10 am-4 pm - free admission

Guilderland Garden Club Open House and Greens Show
Friday-Saturday: The Guilderland Garden Club hosts its annual greens show and sale at the Mynderse-Frederick House . Friday 4-8pm / Saturday & Sunday 1-5 pm - free admission

Holiday markets
Holiday market season is underway. Here are a few you can check out this weekend.

Gifted
Friday: The Albany Barn's Gifted artisan fair returns. "Giftable" original, locally produced artwork. Music, art, and more. Food and beverages available. Friday 5-9 pm - free admission

Holiday Gift Shop at Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
Sunday: Through December 27 the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence in Albany hosts a holiday gift market with handmade gift items on Sundays. each Sunday through December 27

Stage

"You'll shoot your eye out!"
Friday-Sunday: A Christmas Story, the Musical continues this weekend at Capital Rep. It's the musical version of the classic story of Ralphie and his quest for a Red Rider BB gun. Friday-Sunday, various times and prices

Beauty & The Beast
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera's youth production of Disney's Beauty & The Beast opens this weekend. Friday & Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $28

It's a Wonderful Life
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic Players presents a live radio version of the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2:30pm. $17

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

Music

Friday: It's a Jazzy Christmas! A Celebration of Vince Guaraldi's Holiday Jazz Music at The Massry Center
Popular annual show. 6 pm - $20 / $20 students / under 5 free (ticket required)

Friday/Saturday: Jackie Greene at Helsinki Hudson
Roots rock. 9 pm both nights - $25 and up

Friday: Eric Owens at Troy Music Hall
Operatic bass-baritone. 8 pm - $25 and up

Friday: Cassidy and the Music at The Linda
From Antigone Rising. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Ball in the House at Caffe Lena
A cappella. 8 pm - $18

Saturday: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at The Egg
Soul. (And they'll be playing some new Christmas tunes.) 7:30 pm - $34.50 and up

Saturday: San Fermin + Sam Amidon at MASS MoCA
Baroque pop + folk. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Girls Guns and Glory at The Low Beat
Country. With: The Hawbuckees, Henry's Rifle. 8 pm - $8.38

Saturday: Holiday Toys and Noise at The Hollow
Fundraiser for the Langan School & The Giving Tree Foundation. MIRK, Big Rush, Elsphinx, Stockade Kids, Probing Digit. 7 pm - $10 or unwrapped toy

Sunday: ASO Magic of Christmas at The Palace
Annual Albany Symphony holiday show. 3 pm - adults $28 and up / kids $14 and up

Sunday: Modern Baseball at Upstate Concert Hall
Pop punk. With: Pup, Jeff Rosenstock, Tiny Moving Parts. 7 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Comedy

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

Film

Cartoons & Cereal
Saturday: It Came From Schenectady hosts a Saturday morning Cartoon & All You Can Eat Cereal Party. Saturday at 10am - $9 / $6 students

White Christmas
Saturday-Sunday: The Bow Tie in Saratoga kicks off the holiday season with screenings of Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Friday and Saturday nights at 11pm and Saturday and Sunday Mornings at 11 am.

Scrooged
The Madison Theater is screening Scrooged, the Bill Murray version of A Christmas Carol.

Museums

+ The Albany Institute has a new exhibit -- Masterworks: 225 Years of Collecting. And you can also check out The Capital Region in 50 Objects.

+ MASS MoCA has a handful of current exhibits/ (There's also currently a car on site for collecting LEGO for Ai Weiwei.)

+ The Clark has a good permanent collection, and there's currently an exhibit about how works have been added to it.

+ The Arkell is an easy drive out west to Canajoharie. It currently has a display of winter landscapes, and exhibit of works by William Joyce.

+ The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has exhibits of American printmaking and works by photorealist Audrey Flack. (And there's more to do and eat in Glens Falls.)

Sports

Siena basketball
Friday: The Siena men's basketball team takes on Manhattan at the Times Union Center. Friday 7 pm - $8 and up

Union hockey
Friday-Saturday: The Union men's hockey team faces off with Harvard Friday at Messa Rink (7:30 pm), and then on Saturday takes on Dartmouth there (7:30 pm).

RPI hockey
Friday-Saturday: The RPI men's hockey team is taking on the same opponents this weekend: Dartmouth Friday at Houston Field House (7 pm) and then Harvard Saturday there (7 pm).

Albany Devils
Saturday & Sunday: The Albany Devils take on Rochester on Saturday and then Syracuse on Sunday at the Times Union Center. Saturday & Sunday 5 pm - $10 and up

Saratoga County Winter Restaurant Week
Friday-Sunday: Restaurant week begins in Saratoga County with prix fixe menus at $10, $20 and $30 in participating restaurants (and some $5 and $10 lunch specials).

Farmers' markets
Stop by a farmers market for something local and delicious to take to a holiday party.
+ 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

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