All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Spring? Is that you? Nope, not yet. Still February.

But it's the weekend and our streak of balmy weather continues, so we'll take it.

After the jump, our list of stuff going on this weekend that might interest you.

Doing something you don't see here? Tell us about it in the comments. It's more fun if you share!

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

Troy Night Out
Friday: It's Troy Night Out, so shops and galleries are open late with music, art, performances and specials. A few things you might want to catch:
+ Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company performs PRE-sense -- a dance/music/digital art show-- at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity
+ Troy Cloth and Paper is live printing a new TNO poster
+ Comedian Evan Williams headlines First Street Funnies at Slidin' Dirty
+ The Arts Center for the Capital Region is hosting an evening of 10-minute plays in their black box theater

Here's the full schedule of events.

Brain Candy Live!
Friday: Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) and Michael Stevens (of Vsauce Youtube fame) bring their Brain Candy Live! show to Proctors. The show is billed as "A cross between TED Talks and the Blue Man Group," and a "two-hour play date with Walt Disney, Willy Wonka and Albert Einstein." Friday 8 pm -- $25 and up

Lake George Winter Carnival
Saturday-Sunday: It's the fourth and final weekend of theLake George Winter Carnival. Events planned for this weekend include a chicken wing cook-off, glacier golf, auto races, 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

Russian Winter Festival
Saturday: The New Russia Cultural Center in Rensselaer hosts its annual Russian Winer Festival, with traditional Russian food, music, dances costumes, crafts and performances. Saturday noon-6 pm -- $6 / $2 for kids 5 to 12 / under 5 admitted free

Food/Drink

Saratoga Beer Summit
Friday-Saturday: Saratoga Beer Week continues with tastings, dinners, and other events around Saratoga Springs. The cap to the week is the Saratoga Beer Summit at the Saratoga City Center on Saturday. Friday-Saturday various times -- various prices

Schenectady Restaurant Week
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Restaurant Week continues in downtown Schenectady and nearby spots. Participating restaurants will be offering three-course dinners for $25. As with any restaurant week, reservations are a good idea.

Stage

I Never saw Another Butterfly
Friday-Sunday: The Theater Institute at Sage presents I Never Saw Another Butterfly, a play about one of the few children who survived the Terezin concentration camp in WWII. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2 pm -- $15

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

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 / $10 students (students are buy one, get one free)

Comedy

Ben Bailey
Friday-Saturday: Former Cash Cab host Ben Bailey headlines at the Albany Funny Bone this weekend. Friday and Saturday various times -- $20

Ramon Garcia
Sunday: Up-and-coming stand-up artist Ramon Garcia headlines at The Albany Funny Bone. Sunday 7 pm -- $10

Kevin Downey Jr
Friday-Saturday: Comedian Kevin Downey Jr. headlines at The Comedy Works in Saratoga. Friday and Saturday various times -- $15 ahead / $20 day of

MopCo: Maestro
Friday: MopCo hosts another Maestro tournament. Improvisors from around the Capital Region compete against each other scenes and songs based on audience suggestions. 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.

The Bridge Jazz Festival
Friday-Saturday: The Bridge Jazz Festival returns to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (Friday) and the Massry Center at Saint Rose (Saturday). This year's lineup includes The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Eldar Djangirov (Troy Music Hall) and Maceo Parker, Cryille Aimee, and The Chronicles (Massry Center). Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm - festival pass $60 / Friday only $28 and up / Saturday only $40

Beat*Shot Spns for J.Dilla and Semiformal
Friday: The annual Beat*Shot Spins For J. Dilla and Semiformal is in The Garden at the Lucas Confectionary in Troy this year. Performers include Amani O+, Anneice Cousin, Don Fonz, JB!! a.k.a. Dirty Moses, Moses Rockwell, Oddy Gato and DJ Trumastr, with a special performance from the official 518 J. Dilla tribute band, the Dilla Gents. Proceeds will benefit James Dewitt Yancey foundation and the family of Dontay Ivy. Friday 8 pm -- $10

Music

Friday: KT Tunstall at The Egg
Singer/songwriter. With: Kelvin Jones. 8 pm -- $29.50

Friday: African-American History Month Celebration at The Palace
Featuring the Gospel Gala Choir. 7 pm -- free

Friday: Robb Banks at The Low Beat
Hip hop. With: Dash, Wifisfuneral, Warhol & Slump God, Ronny J, Ill Chris. 6 pm -- $20

Friday: Lordi at Upstate Concert Hall
Finnish metal. With: Steve Noir, More Human. 8 pm -- $22 ahead / $25 day of

Friday: Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys at Caffe Lena
Bluegrass. With: Susan Cattaneo. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Sam Cohen at MASS MoCA
Singer/songwriter. 8 pm -- $16 ahead / $22 day of

Saturday: Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams at Helsinki Hudson
Americana. 9 pm -- $20

Saturday: Spiritual Rez at The Hollow
Reggae fusion. With: Annie In The Water. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow at The Linda
Americana. 8 pm -- $15

Sunday: The Beth Hart show at The Egg is sold out.

Sunday: Lolo at The Hangar
Singer/songwriter. 6 pm -- $12

Sunday: Winds of Love at Troy Music Hall
Featuring the Canadian Brass. 3 pm -- $35 and up

Sunday: Dylan Perrillo Orchestra at Caffe Lena
Playing 1920-1940 jazz. 7 pm -- $20

Film

Sacco and Vanzetti
Friday: The NYS Writers Institute Classic Film Series is screening the documentary Sacco and Vanzetti with commentary from director Peter Miller and editor Amy Linton. Friday 7 pm, Page Hall on the UAlbany downtown campus -- free

Best picture
The Regal movie theater at Crossgates is showing all the films nominated for this year's best picture Oscar on rotating schedule through Sunday. And there's a $35 pass for admission to all the films.

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

Oscar-winning classics at The Madison
Friday-Sunday: The Madison is screening, Oscar winning films My Fair Lady, Lawrence of Arabia and one of the earliest Academy Award winners, Sunrise. Friday-Sunday, various times -- $5

Black History Game Jam
Sunday: Tech Valley Game Space is hosting a Black History Game Jam at the Arts Center for the Capital Region as part of its #include series. The jam is "a day long hackathon dedicated to creating games, interactive artwork and stories inspired by African American history and culture." The public is welcome to take part in the event, collaborate with others, or create their own game with the help of an experienced team of mentors. Sunday 10 am to 4pm -- free admission but they request that you register ahead (experienced game creators can also register to mentor)

Hoops

UAlbany
Saturday: The UAlbany men's basketball team takes on Hartford in its last home regular season home game at SEFCU Arena. Saturday 7 pm -- $12 and up

Siena
Sunday: The Siena men's basketball takes on Marist its last regular season home game of the year at the TU Center. Sunday 4 pm -- $15 and up

Albany Sports Card & Memorabilia Show
Sunday: Vintage sports cards, comic books, toys and collectibles for display and purchase at the Albany Sports Card and Memorabilia Show at the Ramada Plaza in Watervliet. Sunday 9 am-3 pm --$2 / under 12 admitted free

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 Update: It's closed because of the weather.

Swinburne
The city of Albany's Swinburne skating rink is closed because of the warm weather.

Museums/galleries

Butterflies at miSci
Saturday-Sunday: The butterfly house is open 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

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
Friday-Sunday: The State Museum is hosting a "Kids Curate" event this weekend, with exhibits voted on by kids. "Families can meet with Museum curators and scientists, attend musical performances, and participate in a variety of hands-on activities."

And 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.)

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.)

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