All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

This is the last weekend before the Thanksgiving-to-New Year's holiday season begins.

So, enjoy some low-pressure fun before all the travel and visiting begin.

After the jump, a list of stuff happening this weekend that we thought might interest you. Planning something you don't see here? Share it with the rest of us in the comments.

And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic and peaceful weekend.

Daily Gazette Holiday Parade
Saturday: The annual Daily Gazette Holiday Parade on State Street in Schenectady is the Capital Region's unofficial kickoff to the holiday season. Saturday 5-7 pm -- free

Albany Train & Toy Show
Saturday: The annual Albany Train & Toy Show returns to the Albany Polish Community Center. Model railroad layouts, more than 100 tables of trains and train related items. Balloon animals and more. Saturday 9am to 3pm -- $5, free for kids 12 and under.

Lake George Polar Plunge
Saturday: Jump in a lake. Or keep warm while other people jump in a lake. Lake George, specifically. the annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics is this weekend at Shepard Park Beach on Lake George. Saturday noon to 1 pm -- donate to plunge, free for spectators

Adirondack Sports & Fitness Winter Expo
Saturday-Sunday: The 6th Annual Adirondack Sports & Fitness Winter Expo returns to the Saratoga Springs City Center. Over 100 exhibitors with products and info on skiing, camping, rafting, yoga and more. Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm -- $5, under 18 are free

Markets

Hudson Mohawk Weavers
Friday-Sunday: The annual Hudson Mohawk Weavers Guild Show and Sale returns to the Pruyn House in Colonie. A show and sale featuring traditional and contemporary weaving -- handwoven jackets,, rugs, home goods and clothing pieces. Fashion shows and weaving and spinning demos. Friday 10 am-9 pm, Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-4 pm -- free admission

Troy Fall Country Folk Art Craft Show
Friday-Sunday: Hudson Valley Community College hosts the annual Troy Fall Country Folk Art and Craft Show.Friday 5 pm-9 pm, Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $7

Pottery Market
Friday-Saturday: Potters and artisans from all over the Capital Region will be displaying and selling their wares at this weekend's Pottery Market at Pat's Barn in the Rensselaer Tech Park. Friday 11 am-7 pm, Saturday 10 am-4 pm -- free admission

Pecha Kucha
Friday: The Opalka Gallery on the Sage Albany campus hosts another Pecha Kucha night -- a series of short talks by interesting people. Each speaker presents 20 slides for 20 seconds each. Friday 6:30 pm -- free

Stage

Footloose
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera presents Footloose: The Musical, based on the 1984 Kevin Bacon movie. The show is filled with '80s favorites performed by some of the most talented young people in the Capital Region. Friday (limited tickets) and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm -- $22 and up

Wonderful World
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic Theater continues director Gary Hoffmann's production of Wonderful World, Richard Dresser's play about the forces that pull families apart and the bonds that hold them together. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 3pm -- $18 / $10 for students

Farragut North
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call presents Farragut North, a political drama written by one of the creators of the US version of House of Cards. (The play was adapted as a film starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney a few years ago.) Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $20

Parallel Lives
Friday-Saturday: Creative License theater collective presents Parallel Lives -- The Kathy and Mo Show, the fast-paced, sketch comedy-style show that started on Broadway and was later filmed for an HBO Comedy special. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm -- $15

Master Class
Friday-Sunday: The National Museum of Dance hosts Broadway's Anna DeGange's production of Master Class -- about Maria Callas and her legendary master classes at Juilliard. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm -- $25

City of Angels
Friday-Sunday: Troy Civic Theater presents the musical comedy City of Angels. Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, Sunday at 7:30 pm -- $15 / $13 students and seniors

Comedy

Aries Spears
Friday-Sunday: The Funny Bone in Albany hosts Aries Spears. Spears was a regular on MTV and played Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brother in Jerry McGuire, and has been seen on television and on the comedy circuit for more than 20 years. Friday-Sunday various times -- $23

Robert Kelly
Friday-Saturday: TThe Comedy Works hosts stand-up comic Robert Kelly, seen on Comedy Central and as Louis CK's brother in the TV series Louie. Friday and Saturday, various times and prices.

MopCo Improv
MopCo's new North Jay Street theater is open in Schenectady:
+ Friday: TheaterSports with The Mop and Bucket Company. Two teams compete with improvised scenes, games and songs based on audience suggestions. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 / $6 for students and seniors

+ Saturday: Saturday's MopCo short form improv show is sold out.

Film

The Kid
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute Classic Film Series continues with the 1928 Charlie Chaplin film The Kid. Chaplin's Tramp finds a new baby abandoned by his mother and raises him as his own.The film will be presented with a musical score composed by Chaplin in 1971. Friday at 7:30pm -- free

Teen angst at The Madison
Friday-Sunday: The Madison has three films this weekend about high school students: Napoleon Dynamite , The Breakfast Club, and the dark comedy Harold and Maude Friday-Sunday various times -- $5

Music

Friday: 9th Annual B3nson Funsgiving at The Low Beat and Pauly's
Jouska, The Parlor, Another Michael, Hammer Hawk, Slowshine, Hospital Corners, Rechorduroys. 8 pm -- $7

Friday and Saturday: The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir at MASS MoCA
"Stephin Merritt and band perform two distinct programs of the new songs -- one for every year of his life -- with a seven-person band playing 50 instruments from his eclectic collection." Friday and Saturday 8 pm -- $35 ahead / $45 day of

Friday-Saturday: The public Beatlemore Skidmania shows at the The Zankel Center are sold out.

Friday: HELLYEAH at Upstate Concert Hall
Metal. With: From Ashes To New, Source. 7 pm -- $27 ahead / $30 day of

Friday: Dryer at One Caroline
Celebrating new EP. 9 pm

Friday: The Sabrina Carpenter show at The Hollow is sold out.

Saturday: Dark Star Orchestra at The Palace
Grateful Dead tribute. 8 pm -- $33.50 ahead / $36.50 day of

Saturday: 10,000 Maniacs at Cohoes Music Hall
Now on their 35th year. 7:30 pm -- $32 and up

Saturday: Squirrel Nut Zippers at The Egg
"In the afterlife / You could be headed for the serious strife..." 8 pm -- $34

Saturday: Sierra Hull at The Linda
Bluegrass singer and mandolin player. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Crown The Empire at Upstate Concert Hall
Metalcore. With: Bless the Fall, New Years Day, Too Close to Touch, Light Up the Sky. 7 pm -- $18 ahead / $20 day of

Saturday: Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii
Elvis tribute. 7 pm -- $32.50 and up

Saturday: An Evening with Pig Food Records at The Low Beat
Hip hop. 9 pm -- $10

Saturday: Mike & Ruthy at The Madison
Americana. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Tragic Sublime: Rensselaer Orchestra Fall Concert at EMPAC
The Rensselaer Orchestra playing works by Mozart, Wagner, and Brahms in the EMPAC concert hall. 2 pm -- free

Saturday: GROOVIN'...A 60s & 70s Musical Journey at Proctors
"[R]e-creating the look and sounds of the most popular artists from the greatest era of Classic Rock History..." 8 pm -- $22 and up

Sunday: Ted Leo at The Low Beat
Punk archduke. With: Ian Sweet. 7 pm -- $13

Sunday: Hot Tuna at The Egg
Blues rock. 7 pm -- $39.50

Sunday: Against The Current at The Hollow
Pop rock. With: CRUISR, Beach Weather. 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 at door

Sunday: Caravan of Thieves at Caffe Lena at The Parting Glass
"Inspired by the big band swing era, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, and American folk and Vaudeville..." 7 pm -- $22

Hockey

RPI
Friday-Saturday: The RPI men's hockey team is at home this weekend with two games against Ohio State. Saturday and Sunday at 7 pm -- $12 / $9 kids and seniors

Museums/galleries

Breathing Lights
Friday-Sunday: The Breathing Lights exhibit continues this weekend. The public art project is illuminating windows in hundreds of vacant homes in Albany, Schenectady and Troy (the slowly pulsing lights will be active from 6-10 pm each night).

Rock & Roll Icons
Saturday: The Albany Institute recently opened an exhibit of 1970s and 1980s rock and roll act photography by Capital Region resident Patrick Harbron. "The exhibition features many photographs that have never been published or exhibited. Harbron photographed artists such as Blondie, Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Elvis Costello early in their careers." (On display through February 12.)

Also at the Albany Institute: The Art of Seating (on display through December 31), and Fellow Citizen: Aaron Burr (on display through December 31)

Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region
The 80th annual Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region recently opened at The Hyde Collection. The show is open to artists living within 100 miles of Albany, and rotates among The Hyde, Albany Institute of History and Art, and the University Art Museum at UAlbany. This year's exhibit was curated by artist Michael Oatman and includes 126 works by 106 artists. (On display through December 31.)

Nick Cave Until
MASS MoCA recently opened Until, a new immersive installation by artist Nick Cave. Blurbage: "Through exuberant, politically charged materials, Cave probes issues relating to gun violence, race, and gender inequality. Wrapped in bright glitter, the work is sharp and also painfully beautiful."

The People's Art
The State Museum recently opened The People's Art: Selections from the Empire State Plaza Art Collection, which includes works by artists such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Franz Kline, David Smith, and Alexander Calder. (On display through September 3, 2017.)

Also at the State Museum: Hudson Valley Ruins. (On display through the end of 2017.)

A More Perfect Union
The Tang presents A More Perfect Union -- a new exhibit featuring Mel Ziegler's Multi-Year Project Flag Exchange. The installation includes 50 American flags collected by Ziegler, who traveled the country trading new flags for tattered ones flying at homes and public locations. (Runs through January.) free admission (suggested donations of $2-$5)

Sculpture parks
Maybe you'd like to explore some sculpture parks around the region.

Medea Benjamin
Saturday: Social justice advocate Medea Benjamin will be at the Sanctuary for Independent Media for a talk. She's the founder of the group Code Pink. And she was removed from the Republican National Convention for interrupting Donald Trump's speech. Saturday 7 pm -- $10 suggested / $5 students and low income

Day trips
Explore some waterfalls, head for The Berkshires, The Catskills, or Columbia County. Or check out a state park.

Taste of Russia
Saturday: Russian food, arts, crafts and entertainment at the Albany Russian Orthodox Community Center's Taste of Russia. Saturday 10:30-3 pm -- free admission

Rock N Roll Brunch
Sunday: It's the last Rock N Roll Brunch at The Low Beat headed up by chef Josh Coletto. These brunches are very popular... and this will probably be packed. Sunday 10:30 am-2 pm

Farmers markets
Farmers markets are indoors for the season:
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market moves to the Atrium for the season. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market moves to the Lincoln Baths in Spa Park. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is at Bethlehem Central Middle School. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is back indoors at Proctors. Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market moves indoors at the Lincoln Baths. Sunday from 10 am-3 pm

The Madison, Hudson Mohawk Weavers, The Pottery Market, and The Mop & Bucket Company advertise on AOA.

photo: Marcelo Krasilcic