All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Happy. Holidays.

The season has officially begun, and this weekend there are lots of ways to enjoy it with family and friends.

After the jump, we've pulled together a few things we thought might interest you. Doing something you don't see here? Tell us about it in the comment section. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Holiday

Troy Night Out
Friday: Troy Night Out is expanded to a full day for holiday shopping. Music, performances, and other holiday surprises while you shop. Friday 9 am-9 pm

Home for the Holidays
Friday-Sunday: The Albany Institute of History and Art has waived admission this weekend and it's hosting a Home for the Holidays celebration. Make crafts, check out the exhibits, see decorated trees, visit with Santa, and more. Friday and Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon to 5 pm -- free admission

Holiday lights in the park
Friday-Sunday: The Capital Holiday Lights are on in Albany's Washington Park. Light displays, Santa, reindeer, crafts, and more. Friday and Saturday 6 pm-10 pm, Sunday 6-9 pm -- $20 and up

Bike Night at the Lights
Sunday: Cyclists are invited to bike through the holiday light display in Washington Park. Sunday 4:30 pm-5:30 pm only -- donation of $5 per cycle or $10 per family is requested

Upper Union Street Tree Lighting
Saturday: It's The holiday tree lighting on Upper Union Street in Schenectady. Saturday 4 pm -- free

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Sunday: The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will make stops in Mechanicville, Saratoga Springs, and points north. Sunday various times -- free (donations of food or money for local food banks are encouraged)

Markets/shopping

Basilica Farm & Flea
Friday-Sunday: The annual Basilica Farm & Flea holiday market returns to Basilica Hudson. More than 100 vendors, music, food, a bar tent, workshops and more. Friday-Sunday various times -- $5 gets you in for the entire weekend / free admission for kids under 12

Black Friday Fair Trade Market
Friday-Saturday: The annual Black Friday Fair Trade Market is at the Delmar Presbyterian Church. "Beautiful array of handcrafted gifts, fairly traded from around the world." Friday and Saturday 10 am-3 pm

Holiday Open House at The Shirt Factory
Friday-Sunday: The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls has it's annual holiday open house with open artists studios, artisan gifts, and demonstrations. Friday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm

Handmade at The Hollow
Saturday: Handmade at The Hollow returns to the eponymous venue in downtown Albany. "In its fourth year, this one-day indoor market featuring artisans, crafters and makers of unique and high quality goods is the perfect way to begin your holiday shopping in Downtown Albany with gifts for the body, mind, soul, and home." Saturday 10 am-3 pm

>Saratoga Craft Marketplace
Saturday: The Saratoga Craft Marketplace is at the Saratoga Springs City Center. The annual sale -- now in its 42nd year -- includes more than 100 artisans selling handmade crafts. Saturday 10 am-4:30 pm - admission is $5 and includes one raffle ticket ($3 after 3 pm) / kids under 12 are free

Small Business Saturday
Saturday: Capital Region downtowns are celebrating Small Business Saturday, with shopping deals and activities.

Albany Book & Paper Fair
Sunday: The Polish Community Center on Washington Ave Ext hosts the Albany Book & Paper Fair (formerly the Albany Antiquarian Book Fair). Antiquarian and out-of-print books, manuscripts, autographs postcards, posters, photos and more. Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- admission $6

Stage

She Loves Me
Friday thought Sunday: Capital Rep opens a production of She Loves Me. It's the story of You've Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner, set to music. Friday-Sunday various times and prices

The Santaland Diaries
Saturday-Sunday: The Theater Institute at Sage presents the one-man show The Santaland Diaries. It's based on David Sedaris's personal experience as Crumpet the Elf in Macy's Santaland. Saturday 2 pm and 7:30 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $15

The Little Foxes
Friday-Sunday: Northeast Theater Ensemble presents Lillian Hellman's classic play The Little Foxes at the Ten Broeck Mansion. Friday-Sunday various times -- $12-$20

A Charlie Brown Christmas at Proctors
Sunday: Proctors hosts a production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, the play based on the famous Charles Schultz cartoon. Sunday 1 pm and 4 pm -- $20 and up

Bing Bamboo Room Burlesque
Saturday: The Bing Bamboo Room returns to Hudson Harbor this weekend. Saturday 7 pm -- $20

Comedy

Kevin Downey Jr.
Saturday: Cohoes Music Hall hosts stand-up comedian Kevin Downey Jr. Saturday 8 pm -- $23

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show: Mark Normand
Saturday: Proctors hosts Pretty Much the Best Comedy show with headliner Mark Normand (Comedy Central, Conan). Saturday 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $20 at the door

Maestro: One Improviser to Rule Them All
Friday: MopCo brings back its "Maestro" competition. Improvisors compete for the title with songs, stories, and improv games inspired by audience suggestions. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 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. Saturday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Film

Hello Again
Friday-Saturday: Proctors is screening Hello Again. The film stars Audra McDonald and Martha Plimpton, and it's based on an off-Broadway musical about 10 lost souls chased across 10 periods in New York City history. Friday-Saturday various times -- $12

The Madison
This weekend The Madison Theater is screening Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Step Brothers, and the original 1984 Karate Kid.

Hockey

Union
Friday-Saturday: Union's women's hockey team takes on the University of Maine this weekend. Friday 6 pm, Saturday 3 pm

Hoops

Siena
Saturday: The Siena's men's team takes on Hofstra at the TU Center. Saturday 2 pm -- $6 and up

Music

Friday: Easton Corbin at Upstate Concert Hall
Country. With: Jillian Cardarelli. 8 pm -- $30 ahead / $33 day of

Friday: Eastbound Jesus & Floodwood at Cohoes Music Hall
Both playing their own sets, and then a set together. 8 pm -- $22 and up

Friday: Formula 5 at The Hollow
Jam. With: Jauntee. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: Zoso - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
As it says on the label. 8 pm -- $20 ahead / $25 day of

Saturday: Tarbox Ramblers at Helsinki Hudson
"Where Appalachian music and backwoods blues meet..." 9 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 day of

Sunday: Moriah Formica at Lucky Strike
Her Friday show there is sold out. 7 pm -- $8 ahead / $10 at door

Sunday: Seth Glier at Caffe Lena
Folk singer/songwriter. 7 pm -- $18

Museums/galleries

Museums are a great place to go with visiting family and friends.

State Museum
The State Museum recently opened Votes for Women -- its new exhibit about the women's suffrage movement. It also recently opened the first phase of its new Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal exhibit.

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.

MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA has a bunch of exhibits on display that make use of its huge gallery expansion.

USS Slater
The USS Slater, the destroyer escort historical museum in Albany closes for the year on Sunday. (It will reopen in April.) Friday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $9 / $8 for seniors / $7 for kids 6 to 14 / free for kids 5 and under

The Clark
The Clark has a good permanent collection, and The Impressionist Line: From Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec is currently on display.

Rockwell
The Norman Rockwell Museum is just over the Massachusetts border in Stockbridge.

Arkell
The Arkell is an easy drive out west to Canajoharie. It currently works by Cassatt, Homer, O'Keeffe, Grandma Moses, Whistler on display.

Baseball Hall of Fame
Baseball fans could probably spend most of the day at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Farmers' markets

+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is indoors at the atrium. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is at Bethlehem Central Middle School (332 Kenwood Ave). Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is indoors at the Lincoln Bathhouse Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is indoors at Proctors. 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, the Mop & Bucket Company, Troy Music Hall advertise on AOA.

photo: Douglas C. Liebig