All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Yep, it's the holiday season. If you can find time between the shopping and the baking and the decorating, there's plenty of stuff to do.

After the jump, our look at what's going on this weekend. Planning something you don't see here? Drop it in the comment section so we can all see.

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

1st Friday
Friday: Albany's 1st Friday is holiday themed this month. Here's a sample of what you can check out:
+ The 4th annual Gifted Artisan Holiday Fair at The Albany Barn.
+ Overit hosts a night of video game-themed artwork.
+ Enigma.co has a sculpture exhibit and excerpts from the upcoming Confetti Stage production of The Santaland Diaries.
+ The Albany Institute Of History & Art is offering free admission from 5-8 pm and screenings of the new WMHT Hamilton's Albany documentary.

Ice skating
The ice rink at the Empire State Plaza opens for the season on Friday. The rink is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm (closed from 3-4 pm) -- free admission / Skate rental is $4 for adults / $3 for kids 12 and under / and free on Fridays skate rentals available

Holiday events

Holiday Greens Show
Friday-Sunday: The 60th annual Holiday Greens Show, organized by the Van Rensselaer Garden Club and the Rensselaer County Historical Society, is at the Hart-Cluett House in downtown Troy. It's a holiday display of decorations with "fresh trees, flowers, and greens." various times -- various prices

Ballston Spa Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
Friday: The Ballston Spa Holiday Parade travels down Milton Avenue to Wiswall Park on Front Street. Tree lighting, Santa, carolers, open shops. Friday 6:30-9 pm -- free

Hudson Winter Walk
Saturday: The Hudson Winter Walk returns to Warren Street. "For one magical evening, thousands of area locals and visitors from throughout the region flock to our city to enjoy free, family-friendly festivities including a musical parade, live reindeer, a fireworks show, and hundreds of performers throughout town, including carolers, fire-throwing jugglers, and one saxophone-playing Santa Claus." Saturday 5-8 pm -- free admission

Victorian Stroll
Sunday: Troy's annual Victorian Stroll. Shops and galleries are open with music, food and activities for families. Sunday 11 am to 5pm -- free admission

ESP tree lighting
Sunday: The NYS Holiday Tree Lighting at the Empire State Plaza. Music, ice skating, a holiday marketplace, fireworks and more. Sunday events start at noon / fireworks at 5:30 pm -- free admission

Great Train Extravaganza
Sunday: The Great Train Extravaganza returns to the Empire State Plaza. Model railroads, train talks and more. Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $7, free for kids under 12

Ten Broeck Mansion Holiday House
Friday: The Ten Broeck Mansion is open for holiday tours. There's a preview event on Friday and an open house on Saturday. Friday 6 pm -- $10 / Saturday noon-3 pm -- $5 for adults, $1 for kids

Saratoga Festival of Trees
Friday-Sunday: Saratoga's annual Festival of Trees is underway at the Saratoga City Center Friday 2-6 pm / Saturday 11 am-6 pm / Sunday 11 am-2 pm --

Schenectady Festival of Trees
Saturday-Sunday: The Schenectady County Historical Society hosts the Schenectady Festival of Trees. Saturday and Sunday, 10 am-4 pm -- $5, $2 for kids, under 5 free

Upper Union Street tree lighting
Sunday: The annual event along Schenectady's Upper Union Street. Tree lighting, carols, activities. Sunday 4 pm -- free admission

MiSci Trains
Friday-Sunday: miSci's annual Holiday Train Show continues with a 19x27-foot display of running Lionel model trains. Friday-Sunday -- free with museum admission

Capital Holiday Lights
Friday-Sunday: The Capital Holiday Lights display continues in Albany's Washington Park. (There's an Albany Bicycle Coaltion group bike ride on Sunday that meets up at The Fountain at 4:30 pm and rides through the park before the lights open to cars -- $5.) Friday-Sunday starting at 5:30 pm -- $20 per car / $25 for 10-18 passenger vehicle

Santa's Magical Express
Friday-Sunday: Santa's Magical Express returns to Yankee Trails. It's the annual holiday experience in which kids help Santa and Mrs. Claus save Christmas. Friday-Sunday -- various times and prices

The Polar Express
Friday-Saturday: The Saratoga & North Creek Railway runs its annual Polar Express experience from the Saratoga rail station. Friday and Saturday various times and prices.

Holiday-themed shows

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Friday: The Palace hosts the Great Russian Nutcracker, the Moscow Ballet's acclaimed version of the holiday classic. Friday 7 pm -- $31 and up

Blue Christmas
Friday: Elvis tribute artist Matthew Boyce performs a benefit at Saratoga Music Hall for the Saratoga Children's Theatre. Friday 6:30 pm -- $35 / $30 for seniors/ $15 for 18 and under

Northeast Ballet The Nutcracker at Proctors
Saturday-Sunday: The Northeast Ballet's annual performance of the Nutcracker is at Proctors. Saturday 7 pm / Sunday 2 pm -- $20 and up

ASO Magic of Christmas
Sunday: The Albany Symphony's popular annual Christmas show is at The Palace. Sunday 3 pm -- $28 and up / $15.50 and up kids

The Zucchini Brothers holiday show
Sunday: The Zucchini Brothers are at The Egg with their annual holiday music show for kids. Sunday 3 pm -- free admission

Holiday Markets

Saratoga Fair Trade Market
Saturday: The organizers of the Delmar Fair Trade Market bring the
<Saratoga Fair Trade Market Expo the to the Saratoga Springs City Center Saturday, December 3 10 am-4 pm

Winterwalk market
Saturday: Winterwalk Hudson River Exchange x Etsy Winter Market comes to Etsy Hudson.
"Winter Market is a celebration of small businesses and features one-of-a-kind gifts curated by Hudson River Exchange showcasing 17 local makers." There's also an Etsy craft party. (It's the same day as the Hudson Winter Walk, which starts at 5 pm.) Saturday, December 3 10 am-4 pm

Taste NY Holiday Market
Sunday: Taste NY Holiday Market returns to the State Museum This is the third year for the Taste NY Holiday Market. "EStroll through the halls of the museum while shopping and sampling "made in New York" food and beverages from dozens of vendors, including hand-crafted beer, wine and spirits, cheese, chocolate, apple and maple products, and other edible goodies." Sunday 11 am-4:30 pm - $5 (cash only) / kids 12 and under free

Stage

Camelot
Friday-Sunday: Capital Rep continues its production of Camelot. Blurbage:

The four-time Tony® Award-winning musical, with one of the richest scores of the Broadway song book, tells the story of the legendary King Arthur, who rules his kingdom with new ideals, bringing peace to a troubled land. This lusty, romantic tale is sure to inspire audiences with a celebrated score that includes the classics "If Ever I Would Leave You," "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood," "How to Handle a Woman" and the title song, "Camelot."

It runs through December 24. Tuesday-Wednesday -- $25 and up

Star Quality
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic Playhouse presents Star Quality, the Noel Coward comedy that takes place behind the scenes at a West End theater, with an innocent young playwright caught up in a backstage world of treachery. Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $20

Comedy

MopCo Improv
MopCo's new North Jay Street theater is open in Schenectady:
+ Friday: MopCo's Fringe Friday series continues with a double bill of MopCo Musical Mayhem, a musical improv show, and the MopCo long form improv group Alf Pacino. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors
+ Saturday: Improv teacher, performer and author Pam Victor joins The Mop and Bucket Company for a night of short form improve songs, scenes and games. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 / $6 for students and seniors

Arnez J
Friday-Saturday: The Funny Bone hosts up-and-coming comedian Arnez J. Friday and Saturday various times and prices

Music

Friday: A$AP Ferg at Upstate Concert Hall
Rap. With: Playboy Carti, Rob Stone. 8 pm -- $25 ahead / $28 day of

Friday: Tim Reynolds at the Massry Center
Guitarist, longtime Dave Matthews collaborator. 7:30 pm -- $25 / $15 students

Friday: Zach Deputy at Putnam Den
Multi-instrumentalist. With: The Mallett Brothers Band. 9:30 pm -- $12 ahead / $15 day of

Friday: Bill Kirchen's Honky-Tonk Holiday Show at The Hangar
"Let Grammy nominated "Titan of the telecaster" Bill Kirchen add some honky-tonk to your holidays." 8 pm -- $20

Friday: Joey Alexander at Helsinki Hudson
Jazz piano prodigy. 8 pm -- $45 and up

Saturday: Chris Botti at Troy Music Hall
Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter. 8 pm -- $29 and up

Saturday: Mike Campese at The Madison
Guitarist from The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 8 pm -- $10

Saturday: Internal Bleeding at Upstate Concert Hall
With: Dehumanized, Gunther, Weezul, Dissolve, Hammerfight, Ton, Begat The Nephilim, Assault On The Living, The Killing Condition, Incontinence, Disguise The Curse, Foaming at the Mouth, Before The Judge, Calamity, Apastron. 1:45 pm -- $22.50 ahead / $25 day of

Saturday: Steve Forbert at The Linda
"Romeo's Tune." 8 pm -- $25

Sunday: Sawyer Fredericks at The Egg
From American Idol -- and Fultonville. With: Gabriel Wolfchild and The Northern Light. 8 pm -- $29.50

Sunday: Front Country at Caffe Lena at The Parting Glass
Progressive bluegrass. 7 pm -- $20

Film

Desk Set
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute classic film series is screening the Spencer Tracey/Katherine Hepburn classic Desk Set. Friday 7:30 pm, downtown UAlbany campus, Page Hall -- free

White Christmas
Saturday-Sunday: The Bow Tie in Saratoga is screening White Christmas as part of its Movies and Mimosa series. Saturday and Sunday 10am

Christmas Vacation
Friday-Saturday: The Friday and Saturday night Insomnia Theater flick at the Bow Tie Saratoga is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.. Friday and Saturday 11 pm

The Madison
This weekend at The Madison Theater: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Dr. Strangelove, Amélie. various times -- $5

Hoops
Saturday: The Siena men's basketball team takes on Fairfield at the TU Center. Saturday 7 pm -- $15 and up

Hockey
Friday and Sunday: The Albany Devils take on the Utica Comets Friday at the TU Center and the Binghamton Senators there on Sunday. Friday 7 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $15 and up

Museums/galleries

Picturing the Anthropocene
The Future Perfect: Picturing the Anthropocene exhibit at the UAlbany University Art Museum closes December 10. So, if you'd like to see it -- now's the time go. The museum's open Tuesday 10 am-8 pm, Wednesday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, and Saturday noon-4 pm.

Rock & Roll Icons
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.)

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)

Day trips
Explore New Paltz, head for The Berkshires, the Catskills, or Columbia County.

Saratoga County Winter Restaurant Week
Friday-Sunday: This weekend kicks off Restaurant Week at participating Saratoga County restaurants with lunch and dinner specials all week long.

Armenian foods
Saturday-Sunday: St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet hosts a two-day holiday bazaar with Armenian foods to eat on site or take home. Saturday 11 am-5 pm / Sunday noon-4 pm -- free admission

Farmers' markets

Farmers markets are indoors:
+ 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, The Mop & Bucket Company, Troy Music Hall, and NYS OGS advertise on AOA.