All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

No, Labor Day is not the end of summer, but it is a harbinger of fall. So make sure you squeeze in a little seasonal fun while you can -- a ball game, a trip to your favorite ice cream stand, a visit to the fair.

After the jump, you'll find a list of stuff 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 weekend!

1st Friday
Friday: Albany's last 1st Friday celebration of the summer.
+ Albany Center Gallery will host a launch for Listening Here, a new project focused on what Albany sounds like.
+ Alex Waters will have a pop-up exhibit at Fort Orange General Store.
+ Albany Institute of History and Art has free admission from 5-8 pm.
+ African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region will be open with an exhibit of Clifford Oliver's polo photos.
+ 1st Friday Swing Dance at the Albany Elks Club with headliners Moon Indigo & guest Peter Davis

Here's the full list of 1st Friday events.

Capital District Scottish Games
Saturday-Sunday: Labor Day weekend means the return of the Capital District Scottish Games at the Altamont Fairgrounds. There's a caber tossing competition, Scottish breed dog show, highland dancing, pipe music, and kids events. Saturday starting at 8 am, Sunday at 9 am -- $22 on Saturday / $12 on Sunday

The Track
It's the last week of the season at the Saratoga Race Course, which wraps up on Labor Day. The big race this week is the Woodward Stakes on Saturday.

Final Stretch Music Festival
Saturday: Saratoga celebrates the last week of the racing meet with The Final Stretch Music Festival. The annual free outdoor music festival features a variety of local bands. Saturday 7 pm -- free admission

County fairs
County fair season wraps up this week with three fairs around the region:
+ Friday-Labor Day: The Fonda Fair at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. It's the county fair for Fulton and Montgomery counties.
+ Friday-Labor Day: The Columbia County Fair at the fairgrounds in Chatham.
+ Friday-Labor Day: The Schaghticoke Fair at the fairgrounds in Schaghticoke. It's the county fair for Rensselaer County. This is the 198th year for Schaghticoke Fair -- it's said to be the 3rd oldest fair of its type in New York State.

Stage

After
Friday: EMPAC opens its fall season with a performances of Andrew Schneider's After. "Working over the past year in residence at EMPAC, Schneider developed the show's content in tandem with experiments in new theatrical technology. In an effort to create intimacy and take the audience to the edge of the human condition, AFTER incorporates projection mapping, lighting effects, and sound spatialization technology." Friday 7:30 pm -- $18

Company
Friday-Sunday: Barrington Stage presents Stephen Sondheim's Company. Friday 2 pm and 8 pm, Saturday 8 pm (sold out), Sunday 5 pm (limited tickets, call ahead) -- $15 and up

Comedy

Comedy Works
Friday/Saturday: The Comedy Works presents a weekend of local comedy all-stars. Friday and Saturday various times and prices

Sam Morrill
Friday-Sunday: The Albany Funny Bone presents NYC-based stand-up comedian Sam Morrill. Friday-Sunday various times -- $15

Improv jam
Sunday: MopCo is hosting an improv jam and potluck. Jams are workshops where you can watch the company perform or play with them. Bring a dish to share and watch or play. Sunday 11 am to 4 pm -- admission is free

Film

"That rug really tied the room together"
The Bow Tie in Saratoga is screening The Big Lebowski as part of its Insomnia Theater Film Series. Friday and Saturday at 11:30 pm

The Bow Tie's Movies and Mimosa film this month is The Sound of Music. Saturday and Sunday morning at 11 am

Madison
This weekend at The Madison Theater is screening The Shining, The Sandlot, and The Last of the Mohicans.

Drive-ins
Drive-in season continues:
+ Malta: It's a quadruple feature weekend. Screen 1: Despicable Me 3, Wonder Woman, Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Baby Driver Screen 2: Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature ,Spiderman: Homecoming , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Atomic Blonde
+ Jericho:: A triple feature:Despicable Me, Cars 3 and Wonder
+ Hollywood: Leap, and Nut Job II

ValleyCats baseball
Friday-Saturday: The Tri-City ValleyCats take on the Aberdeen IronBirds this weekend. Friday and Saturday at 7 pm -- $6 and up

Music

Friday: Avett Brothers at Tanglewood
With: Nicole Atkins. 7 pm -- $35 and up

Friday: Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys at Helsinki Hudson
Rockabilly. With: Sarah Borges. 9 pm -- $15

Saturday: Pete Townshend's Classic Quadrophenia at Tanglewood
Performed by Pete Townshend, Billy Idol and Alfie Boe and the Boston Pops. 8 pm -- $39 and up

Saturday: Zac Brown Band at SPAC
Country. 7 pm -- $28 and up

Saturday: Warpaint at Upstate Concert Hall
Dream pop. 8 pm -- $18 ahead / $20 day of

Saturday: Underground System at MASS MoCA
"Underground System is a collective of Fela Kuti-worshipping rabble-rousers and rhythm-makers." 8 pm -- $10 ahead / $16 day of

Saturday: Hip Hop 518: Clear Mind at The Low Beat
Along with a bunch of other acts. Hosted by DJ Siroc. 8 pm

Saturday: Good Fiction at The Hollow
With: Bathroom Robots, Candy Ambulance. 8 pm -- $10 ahead / $15 day of

Sunday: Melissa Etheridge at Tanglewood
With the Boston Pops. 2:30 pm -- $15 and up

Sunday: Eilen Jewell at Helsinki Hudson
"Queen of the minor key." 8 pm -- $20

Museums/galleries

MASS MoCA
This is the last weekend for Nick Cave's Until at MASS MoCA. The museum also recently opened its new B6 space, adding 106,000 square feet to the already massive museum.

State Museum
This is the last weekend for The People's Art: Selections from the Empire State Plaza Art Collection at the New York State Museum, with works by artists such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Franz Kline, David Smith, and Alexander Calder. (On display through September 3.)

Albany Institute
+ The Albany Institute recently opened a new exhibit of its Hudson River School works -- more than 80 pieces, almost the entire collection.
+ The Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region exhibit, an annual exhibit highlighting the work of the visual artists in the region, ends on September 3.

Arkell
The Arkell Museum in Canajoharie wraps up an exhibit of paintings marking the 200-year anniversary of the Erie Canal, and an exhibit of portraits of suffragists. (Both on display through September 3.)

Other Side: Art, Object, Self
The Tang Museum at Skidmore College recently opened a new exhibit called Other Side: Art, Object, Self. This group show features contemporary art that examines ways in which artists use materials, found objects, or even their own bodies to explore questions of national, cultural, and self-identity. (Through December 30)

The Clark
The Clark has an exhibit of work by Helen Frankenthaler (through October 9).

Hyde Collection
The Hyde Collection recently opened its new Feibes & Schmitt Gallery. It includes 40 works of modern art donated by Schenectady residents Werner Feibes and the late James Schmitt. The exhibit includes works by Josef Albers, Jean (Hans) Arp, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, Louise Nevelson, George Rickey, Bridget Riley, and Andy Warhol.

Fields Sculpture Park
The Fields Sculpture Park at Omi in Ghent has a summer exhibition.

UAlbany Art Museum
Friday: The University Art Museum has Abstracts, "a large-scaled landscape exhibit where the paintings represent the relationship between communities and reality," and Gloves Off, "a video, photography and sculpture to create an kaleidoscopic view of contemporary culture." (On display until September 29)

USS Slater
The USS Slater, the destroyer escort historical museum in Albany, is open for tours. Wednesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $9 / $8 for seniors / $7 for kids 6 to 14 / free for kids 5 and under

Berkshire Botanical Garden
The Berkshire Botanical Gardens in Stockbridge are open for the season. every day from 9 am-4 pm -- $15 / $14 seniors / $12 students / kids under 12 are admitted free

Swimming
This is the last weekend for many of the public pools and spray pads.

Farmers' markets
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is on River Street around Monument Square. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is Bethlehem Central Middle School (332 Kenwood Ave). Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is outdoors at High Rock Park Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is at its outdoor location around city hall. Sunday 10 am-2 pm
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market is on the lawn of the the Lincoln Baths. Sunday 10 am-3 pm.

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. Saturday 9 am to noon

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

The Albany Institute and the Mop & Bucket Company advertise on AOA.

photo: Matthew J Kelly