All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Some score and however many years ago our forefathers and foremothers looked forward to a weekend filled with fun things to do. It probably wasn't this weekend. But it was a weekend... sometime, because everybody loves a good weekend. So we're guessing it's true. It might not be true at all. You know what -- forget about that part and focus on this weekend. Our weekend. The one that starts today. Yes. Let's do that.

After the jump you'll find a whole bunch of stuff going on this President's Day weekend -- from Flurry Fest and mac 'n cheese to gems, fossils, and butterflies.

Planning something you don't see on our list? Tell us about it in the comment section. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Mac-n-Cheese Bowl
Saturday: Siena College hosts the annual Table Hopping Mac-n-Cheese Bowl at the Marcela Athletic Complex. Taste dozens of varieties of mac 'n cheese prepared by local restaurants and vote for your favorites. Saturday 11 am to 2:30 pm -- $20 / $5 for kids 5-12 / free for kids under 5

The Flurry Festival
Friday-Sunday: The annual Flurry Festival returns to Saratoga Springs with more than 300 performers, music, dance, workshops, storytelling and vendors in venues around the city. Friday from 7 pm to 1 am, Saturday from 9 am to 1 am, Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm -- various prices (advance tickets available / on-site tickets are cash only)

Gathering of the Farm Cideries
Saturday: The Gathering of the Farm Ciders at Nine Cider Works in Albany is sold out.

Lake George Winter Carnival
Saturday-Sunday: It's the third weekend of theLake George Winter Carnival. Events this weekend include race cars, ice diving demonstrations, a chowder cook-off, horse and carriage and sleigh rides, a parade, a chili cook-off, ice diving demonstrations, s'mores and a hot chocolate bar, fireworks and more. Saturday and Sunday starting at noon -- free admission

Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale
Saturday-Sunday: The NYS Museum presents the annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale. Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm -- $5 / free for kids 12 and under

Discover Butterflies at miSci
Saturday-Sunday: The butterfly house opens for the season at miSci. It's open through February 28. Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm -- free with museum admission

Stage

Grand Concourse
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic Theater continues a production of Heidi Schreck's Grand Concourse. The story of faith and forgiveness follows a nun who runs a Bronx soup kitchen with unsentimental efficiency and an idealistic young volunteer. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $18

The Game's Afoot
Saturday-Sunday: Home Made Theater continues a production of The Game's Afoot, a comic spoof on the classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm -- $24-$27 / $21-$24 students and seniors

Assisted Loving
Friday-Sunday: This is the last weekend for Capital Rep's production of Assisted Loving. It's the story of a man whose 80-year-old father drags him into his search for a new romance after 50 years of marriage. Friday 8 pm, Saturday 3 pm and 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $20 and up

The Birthday Party
Friday-Sunday: Confetti Stage presents Harold Pinter's absurd comedy,The Birthday Party at the Albany Masonic Hall. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2 pm -- $15 General, $10 students; Students are buy one, get one free

Nunsuch
Friday-Saturday: Performer Pat Brady presents her original one-woman review Nunsuch at Schenectady Civic Playhouse. Friday and Saturday 7 pm -- $25

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
Saturday: The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents the annual Cabin Fever Cabaret at Helsinki Hudson. The event includes music, acrobats, jugglers, oddball comedians, roller-skaters, daredevils, clowns, aerialists and more. Saturday 9 pm -- $25 in advance / $30 at the door / $20 if you come in clown make-up or costume

Pop Culture Provocateurs Burlesque Revue
Saturday: The Fuze Box hosts the Pop Culture Provocateurs Burlesque Review and post-show dance party. Saturday 9 pm -- $12

Bing Bamboo Room
Sunday: The Bing Bamboo Room Burlesque returns to The Low Beat with a Cabin Fever theme. Sunday 7 pm -- $12

Love & Pigeons
Saturday: The New Russia Cultural Center presents Love and Pigeons -- a new Russian drama performed in both Russian and English. Saturday 4:30 pm -- $15

Step show
Saturday: The Palace hosts the annual Price Chopper Black History Month Step Show & HYPE3st Dance Competition. Sunday 5 pm -- $25 / $20 for students

Christopher Lloyd Goes Back to the Future
Sunday: Christopher Lloyd will be at Proctors for a question and answer session following a screening Back to the Future. Sunday 3 pm -- $20 and up

Comedy

Tim Meadows & Guests
Friday-Saturday: Former SNL cast member Tim Meadows brings his stand-up act to The Comedy Works this weekend. Some shows are already sold out, so call ahead. Friday-Saturday 10 pm shows are still available -- various prices

Nicole Byer
Friday-Sunday: NYC=based actress and comedian Nicole Byer brings her stand-up act to The Funny Bone at Crossgates this weekend. Nicole does sketch comedy at UCB and has appeared on 30 Rock and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and her own MTV series, Loosely, Exactly Nicole. Friday-Sunday various times and prices

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show: Leah Bonnema
Saturday: NYC-based comedian and Huffington Post favorite Leah Bonnema headlines Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show at Proctors. Saturday 8pm -- $15 in advance / $20 at the door

Alf Pacino
Friday: MopCo presents long form improv house team Alf Pacino at the new MopCo improv theater on Jay Street in Schenectady. They're joined by improv troupe Dollars to Donuts. Friday at 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Chortle Kombat
Saturday: Chortle Kombat returns to the Mop & Bucket Company. Teams of improvisors compete against each other creating scenes and songs based audience suggestions. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 / $6 for students and seniors.

Music

Friday: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars + Vusi Mahlasela at The Egg
A benefit for the The Sanctuary for Independent Media and WOOC 105.3. 7:30 pm -- $29.50

Friday: Newsboys at The Palace
Christian pop rock. 7 pm -- $28 and up

Friday: August Burns Red at Upstate Concert Hall
Metalcore. With: Protest The Hero, In Hearts Wake, '68. 7 pm -- $23 ahead / $25 day of

Friday: Carousel Kings at The Low Beat
Punk. With: American Runaways, Summer Legs, The Steadfast Son. 6:30 pm

Saturday: Let It Be: A Celebration of the Music of The Beatles
Beatles tribute. 8 pm -- $20 and up

Saturday: Albany Symphony: Brahms' Fourth at The Palace
Guest conductor Karina Canellakis. 7:30 pm -- $19 and up

Saturday: Big Daddy Kane ESP Convention Center
Part of events organized by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators. 7 pm -- $75

Saturday: Frank Vignola + Vinny Raniolo at Caffe Lena
Jazz guitarists. 8 pm -- $25

Saturday: Reed Mathis and Electric Beethoven at The Hollow
Jam. With: Dylan Perrillo Trio. 8 pm -- $15

Saturday: The Thruway: A Sing Off a cappella show at Proctors is sold out.

Sunday: The Bad Plus at The Egg
Jazz trio. 7:30 pm -- $34

Film

Within Our Gates
Friday: The NYS Writers' Institute Classic Film Series continues with a screening of the 1920 silent film Within Our Gates -- a response to D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation. "An educated black woman with a shocking past dedicates herself to helping a near bankrupt school for impoverished black youths." Friday 7:30 pm at Page Hall on the UAlbany downtown campus -- free

Allegiance
Regal Crossgates is screening a Fathom Events recording of the Broadway show Allegiance, starring George Takei. Saturday at 12:55 pm -- $18

Oscar-nominated shorts
The Spectrum is screening the 2017 Oscar-nominated animated and live action short films this weekend.

Outer Space Weekend at The Madison
Friday-Sunday: The Madison Theater hosts an "Outer Space Weekend" with screenings of Space Jam, Forbidden Planet, Gravity and Star Wars:Rouge One. Friday-Sunday various times -- $5

Hoops
Saturday: The Siena men's basketball team takes on Niagara at the TU Center. Saturday 8 pm -- $10 and up

Hockey

Albany Devils
Friday: The Albany Devils take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the TU Center. Friday 7 pm -- $15 and up

Saturday: The Devils take on Bridgeport in the afternoon. Saturday 1 pm -- $15 and up

RPI
Friday: RPI takes on Princeton at the Houston Field House. Friday 7 pm -- $12

Saturday: The Engineers take on Quinnipiac in the 40th annual Big Red Freakout game. Saturday at 7pm -- $12

Union
Friday: Union takes on Quinnipiac at the Messa Rink in Schenectady. Friday 7 pm -- $12

Saturday: Union plays Princeton at the Messa Rink. Saturday 7 pm -- $12

Skating

Empire State Plaza
The ice skating rink at the ESP is open this weekend (weather permitting). Friday-Sunday 11 am-8 pm (closed 3-4 pm for maintenance). It's free to skate. Skate rentals are $4 / $3 for kids / free on Fridays. This Saturday there will be hockey clinics at the rink at 9am and 10am by the Albany and Troy youth hockey programs

Swinburne: The city of Albany's Swinburne Skating Rink is also open for the season. see the link for hours -- $1 admission / under 18 is .50 / skate rental $3

Museums/galleries

Captured Moments
Friday: The Albany Institute recently opened Captured Moments, its new exhibit of photos from its large photography collection. The exhibit will be on display through May 21.

State Museum
The State Museum recently opened a new exhibit about ice ages in New York. And the The People's Art: Selections from the Empire State Plaza Art Collection continues with 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.)

Together Until the End: Schenectady in the First World War
The Schenectady County Historical Society recently openedTogether Until the End: Schenectady in the First World War, an exhibit on Schenectady during WWI. (It's at 32 Washington Ave in Schenectady.)

Nick Cave Until
MASS MoCA is exhibiting 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." (On display through August 2017.)

Norman Rockwell Museum
The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge Hanna-Barbera: The Architects of Saturday Morning. (On display through May 29.)

Gravity and Light
The Opalka Gallery has Gravity and Light: Caroline Ramersdorfer Sculpture, 1985-2016. "Starting with huge blocks of marble, granite and other stone, Ramersdorfer carves intricate interiors as if from the inside out, harnessing light and the material's innate properties." (On display through March 5.)

Patterns
The Tang has Sixfold Symmetry: Pattern in Art and Science. "Patterns, systems, and networks are all around us, and in this digital age we are increasingly aware of their influence on our lived experience. This exhibition explores some of the ways in which human beings create and manipulate patterns, and why we are intrinsically driven to do so." (On display through March 12.)

A Taste of Mardi Gras
Friday: The University Club hosts its annual Mardi Gras party with a cocktail reception, New Orleans party food, a Mardi Gras parade, and an 8-piece New Orleans jazz band. Friday 6 pm -- $40

Markets

Troy Makers Market
Saturday: Local craft vendors will display and sell wares at the Troy Makers Market in conjunction with the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market at the Troy Atrium. Saturday 9 am to noon

Farmers' markets
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is in the Atrium for the season. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is in the the Lincoln Baths in Spa Park. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is indoors at Proctors. Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market is indoors at the Lincoln Baths. Sunday from 10 am-3 pm

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

The Madison, Nine Pin, The Mop & Bucket Company, The Albany Institute of History and Art, Troy Music Hall, Home Made Theater, and NYS OGS advertise on AOA.