All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Whether it was a four-day week or a five-day week, you made it to the end. Congratulations! It's the weekend. Don't spend it all raking leaves. Do something fun.

Below is our list of things we thought you might enjoy. Planning something you don't see here? Share it in the comments so everyone can see.

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

Stage

The Color Purple
Friday-Saturday: The tour of the Tony Award-winning production of The Color Purple wraps up its run at Proctors this weekend. Friday-Saturday 8 pm -- $20 and up

Sex With Strangers
Friday-Sunday: Capital Rep's first production of the new season -- Sex With Strangers -- continues this weekend. It's about a snowbound blogger, his literary idol, and a tryst turned transformational experience. Friday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

Fifth of July
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic opens a new production of Lanford Wilson's The Fifth of July. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $20

Cabaret
Friday-Sunday: The Theater Institute at Sage presents a production of the Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $15

Confetti Fest 13
Friday-Sunday: Confetti Stage presents Confettifest XIII, its new play festival. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $15 / $10 for students

In the Heat of the Night
Friday: Sand Lake Center for the Arts presents John Ball's In the Heat of the Night, adapted from the Sidney Poitier film. Friday and Saturday 8 pm / Sunday 2:30 pm -- $18

Peter and the Starcatcher
Saturday-Sunday: Home Made Theater in Saratoga has a production of Peter and the Starcatcher. The play is an inventive backstory for Peter Pan. Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $29

Hamlet
Sunday: The Adirondack Shakespeare Company presents Hamlet at Proctors. Sunday 3 pm -- $20

Always,Patsy Klein
Friday-Sunday: Park Playhouse presents Always, Patsy Klein at Cohoes Music Hall. Friday-Sunday various times -- $25 / $15 kids

Cabin Pressure
Saturday: Local author Damon Stewart's comedy Cabin Pressure is being staged at the University Club of Albany. "Two former lovers find themselves together on a plane, engaged in what they believe may be their last conversation." Saturday 6 pm -- $20

Comedy

Paula Poundstone
Friday: Paula Poundstone brings her stand-up to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Friday 8 pm -- $34

Storytime Time
Friday: Storytime Time, Ethan Ullman's curated comedic storytelling series returns to the MopCo improv theater. Real people telling funny stories as they happened to them. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Spontaneous Broadway
Saturday: MopCo Improv Theatre presentsSpontaneous Broadway. Act one is a mock backers audition, in which the company invents songs based on audience suggestions. The audience votes on a favorite, and in act two, the company makes up the full musical, including costumes, sets and a reprise of the first act song. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Avner the Eccentric...Exceptions to Gravity
Friday: Actor/comedian Avner the Eccentric brings his one man Off-Broadway show, Exceptions to Gravity to Proctors. "Exceptions to Gravity is a reminder of the theatrical power that can reside in a single charismatic performer who touches the heart. A master of the art of physical comedy, Avner weaves a spell of poetic simplicity in a show of hilarious predicaments." Friday 7:30 pm -- $28.50

Telling the Truth in a Post-truth World
Friday-Saturday: The NYS Writers Institute hosts a weekend symposium at Albany: Telling the Truth in a Post-Truth World. The event slate includes a bunch of discussions featuring high-profile journalists, media thinkers, and academics. Among them: Bob Schieffer, Bill Keller, Amy Goodman, Franklin Foer, Douglas Brinkley, Richard Tofel, Shane Goldmacher Tim Wu, Harry Rosenfeld, Maria Hinojosa, Jim Rich, and Gilbert King. Friday and Saturday various times, Page Hall on the UAlbany downtown campus -- free

Boo!
It's the time of the year when some of us like to scare ourselves silly. Here are a few options:

Double M Haunted Hayride
The Double M Haunted Hayrides are back from now through Halloween. various times and prices

Haunted Corn Maze
Friday-Sunday: The haunted corn maze is back at Schuyler Farms. Friday 4-10 pm, Saturday 10 am-10 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm -- daytime $8 / haunted $14

Field of Horrors Sneak Peak Weekend
Friday-Saturday: The Field of Horrors haunted attractions in Brunswick is open for the season. Saturday-Sunday 6:30-11 pm -- various prices

The Spirits of Rensselaer: RPI's Historic Ghost Tour
Saturday: The Spirits of Rensselaer, a 90-minute historic ghost tour of the lower RPI campus, starts this weekend. (Also October 21, 27, 28.) Saturday 8 pm -- $5 / free for RPI community

Nightmares at Liberty Ridge Farm
Saturday: Liberty Ridge Farm's Nightmares is open for the season with six haunted attractions, including two haunted houses and a haunted corn maze. Saturday 7-10:30 pm -- $15-$26

Ghosts in the Yaddo Garden Tours
Friday and Sunday: Yaddo is offering ghost tours of its gardens featuring stories of Native Americans, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Trask Family. Friday and Sunday 5 pm -- $10

Ghosts of Albany Walking Tour
Friday: The Ghosts of Albany Walking Tours work their way through downtown Albany telling "stories of ghosts, antique sites, scandalous tales, haunted places, mysterious sightings of apparitions, strange and unusual accounts of centuries past, legendary stories, folklore and ghostly experiences stranger than reality." They meet at the Hilton at 40 Lodge Street. Fridays 7:30 pm -- $15 per person (make a reservation, space fills quickly)

Stockade walking tours
Friday: Take a candlelight walking tour of Schenectady's historic Stockade neighborhood. (Additional tours October 20, 27) Friday 7 pm and 7:30 pm -- $12 (advance purchase required)

Music

Friday: Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton at The Egg
Gramming-winning singer. (You might remember her from Twenty Feet from Stardom.) 8 pm -- $34

Friday: The Eric Krasno Band at The Hollow
From Soulive and Lettuce. With: Hartley's Encore. 8 pm -- $15

Friday: Roy Book Binder at Caffe Lena
Blues. 8 pm -- $20

Friday: The Yavin 4 at The Low Beat
Star Wars-themed rock. (Your lack of faith is disturbing.) With: The Hellasexuals, Losers Circle, Dead Aces. 8 pm -- $10

Friday: 3 Ravens--Donna Hébert, Lui Collins & Max Cohen at Old Songs
The trio crafts an evening out of their originals, instrumentals and traditional songs, as well as verses by poet Jane Yolen set to music. 7:30 pm -- $20 / $22 at the door

Saturday: Albany Symphony: Star Wars & More at The Palace
Season opener with a performance of music from Star Wars films and other music. 7 pm -- $19 and up

Saturday: Marc Cohn at the Massry Center POSTPONED
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter. 8 pm -- $50

Saturday: Glenn Miller Orchestra at Troy Music Hall
Big band. 7:30 pm -- $28 and up

Saturday: Theory Of A Deadman at Upstate Concert Hall
Rock. With: Ayron Jones. 8 pm -- $20.50 ahead / $23 day of

Saturday: The Sam Bush Band at The Egg
"Father of Newgrass." 7:30 pm -- $38.50

Saturday: Aztec Two-Step at Proctors
Album release show. An 8th Step show. 7:30 pm -- $28 and up

Saturday: Professor Louie & the Crowmatix at Caffe Lena
Blues and roots rock. 8 pm -- $22

Saturday: Ronnie Baker Brooks at The Upper Room
Blues guitarist. 7 pm -- $20 and up

Saturday: Reeves Gabriels & His Imaginary Friends at The Hangar
From the Cure and David Bowie. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: The Blind Owl Band at The Hollow
Bluegrass/country/folk. With: Grassroots Rebels. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: Black Mountain Symphony at Parish Public House
Genre-mixing rock. 9 pm

Sunday: The Ray LaMontagne show at Troy Music Hall is sold out.

Sunday: The Bobs at Caffe Lena
Farewell tour of a cappella group. 7 pm -- $25

Sunday: To Puerto Rico, With Love at The Low Beat
A benefit for Puerto Rico featuring a bunch of local acts. 2 pm

Film

Originals
This weekend at The Madison: three originals that spawned remakes or sequels: 1971'sWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the 1982 Blade Runner, and the original 1968 Planet of the Apes.

Drive-ins
Drive-in season continues:
+ Malta:Screen 1: Blade Runner 2049, and It | Screen 2: American Made and Flatliners
+ Jericho: Blade Runner 2049, and It
+ Hollywood: Ninjago, and It

Fun Home Sketch and Sip
Friday: Artist Ira Marcks leads a Fun Home Sketch and Sip at Proctors, a comics art lesson inspired by Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir Fun Home. Cash bar with themed cocktails. (21+) Friday 6 pm -- $35 (includes 2 hour interactive comic art lesson and materials)

Antiques Show
Saturday-Sunday: The National Museum of Dance in Saratoga hosts its popular antiques show with more than fifty vendors. Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 11 am-3 pm -- $6

Try curling
Saturday-Sunday: The Albany Curling Club is hosting an open house. Trainers will teach you how to slide a curling stone and sweep it. Wear warm, comfortable clothes and bring clean sneakers. Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday noon-4 pm -- free

Drive Green and Eat Clean
Saturday: Honest Weight Food Co-op is hosting an electric car event -- Drive Green and Eat Clean -- at the co-op. You can test drive an electric vehicle and get a $10 gift card to shop at Honest Weight. Saturday 9 am to noon -- free

I, Eliza Hamilton
Saturday: Susan Holloway Scott -- author of the new book I, Eliza Hamilton -- will be at the Schenectady County Public Library for a talk -- Saturday, 1pm -- free

Museums/galleries

Albany Institute
Well-Dressed, an exhibit of high fashion from the 19th century, continues at the Albany Institute of History and Art, along with an exhibit about the the anti-suffrage movement in Albany. Also almost its entire collection of Hudson River School works is on display.

Hyde Collection
The Hyde Collection recently opened a a touring exhibit of folk art (on display through the end of 2017). And the new Feibes & Schmitt Gallery is open.

State Museum
The State Museum recently opened the first phase of its new Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal exhibit.

MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA has a bunch of exhibits on display that make use of its huge gallery expansion.
 
The Tang
The Tang Museum at Skidmore College opens an exhibit of work by Njideka Akunyili Crosby this weekend. She was awarded one of the MacArthur Foundation "genius grants" this week. (On display through December 31.)

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

Cider donuts
It's cider donut season. Try one, or try a lot. Here are a few places to try.

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, Capital Rep, Honest Weight and the Mop & Bucket Company advertise on AOA.