All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

We're taking a break from our holiday for a look at some of the things going on this New Year's weekend.

It's an abridged list, so if you're planning something you don't see here, please share it with us in the comment section so everyone can see.

And whatever you're up to this weekend, celebrate safely and have a happy new year.

New Year's Eve

First Night Saratoga
Sunday: Saratoga Springs hosts its annual First Night celebration with music, theater, dance, comedy, magic, and other performances at venues all around the city. The evening wraps up with fireworks at midnight. Sunday 5:30 pm-midnight -- $20

Proctors New Year's Eve Party
Sunday: Proctors hosts a Motown-themed New Year's Eve Party. Sunday 9 pm -- $33 ahead / $40 at the door

New Year's Mid-Day Celebration
Saturday: The State Museum hosts a family-friendly early New Year's celebration with music, dance, games, and crafts. Saturday, noon to 3 pm -- free admission

Murder Mystery Supper Club
Sunday: Albany Distilling is hosting a New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Supper Club show. There's a 4-course truffles and whiskey tasting, a champagne toast, and a murder mystery in which guests are characters and you have to figure out who the murderer is. Sunday 9:30 pm -- $100

Totally Super Fancy LIT AF NYE at Peck's Arcade
Sunday: All-inclusive ticket for food, drinks, music, and dancing at Peck's Arcade, Little Pecks, The Confectionery, and The Tavern Bar. Sunday 9 pm -- $155

Comedy

Electric City Puppets and Spontaneous Twilight Zone
Friday: MopCo hosts a double-bill improv show with Electric City Puppet Improv and Spontaneous Twilight Zone. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show
Saturday-Sunday: This weekend there are two Pretty Much the Best Comedy shows:
+ Saturday: Proctors hosts Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show with Sean Conroy. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $20 at door
+ Sunday: Capital Rep hosts Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show, headlined by Liz Miele and featuring Justin Herman. Sunday 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $20 at door

Spontaneous Broadway
Saturday: The Mop & Bucket Company performs its last Spontaneous Broadway of the Season. In Act I, performers make up songs based on audience suggestions. The audience votes on a favorite song and in Act II they turn that song into a musical, complete with costumes and props. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 / $6 students and seniors

New Years Eve at MopCo
Sunday: The Mop & Bucket Company hosts two New Years Eve events -- a family show and a NYE event for adults:
+ Family Show and early Ball Drop: Interactive family-friendly improv. Sunday 7 pm -- $15 / $6 students and seniors
+ New Year's Eve pajama party: A combination improv jam, show, and party. Saturday 9 pm -- $40

First Night of Funny
Sunday: There are a bunch of "First Night of Funny" comedy shows around the area...
+ Cohoes Music Hall hosts First Night of Funny: Uncensored. Sunday 8 pm -- $25 ahead
+ Proctors hosts a First Night of Funny comedy show featuring four stand-up comics. Sunday 8 pm -- $35 ahead / $40 day of
+ The Troy Music Hall has a First Night of Funny show with four comics. 8 pm -- $35
+ The Egg hosts First Night of Funny Uncensored. Sunday 8:30 pm -- $35 ahead / $40 day of
+ And The Egg is also hosting a regular First Night of Funny show. Sunday 9 pm -- $35 ahead / $40 day of

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

WWE Live
Friday: The Times Union Center hosts WWE Live. Friday 7:30 pm -- $20 - $75

Stage

See How They Run
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater presents the holiday comedy See How They Run. "A delightful farce set in an English vicarage, populated by an American actor and actress, a cockney maid, and four men in clergy suits." Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $20

Music

Friday: Start Making Sense at Cohoes Music Hall. Talking Heads tribute band. Friday at 8 pm-- $22 - $27

Saturday-Sunday: Twiddle at The Palace
One show each night. Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 8 pm -- $39 ahead / $44 at door / $75 for both shows

Monday: Bach at New Year's at Troy Music Hall
"Berkshire Bach Society and WMHT present Bach at New Year's with Berkshire Bach Ensemble Director and Soloist, Eugene Drucker, Founder of the Emerson String Quartet..." 3 pm -- $29 and up

Hoops

Monday: The Siena men's basketball team faces Quinnipiac at the TU Center. Monday 1 pm -- $10 and up

Skating

Empire State Plaza
The skating rink at the Empire State Plaza opens this weekend. The rink will be open seven days a week from 11 am to 8 pm (closed 3-4 pm for maintenance), weather permitting. And it's free to skate. Skate rental is $4 for adults / $3 for kids 12 and under / and free on Fridays. (A photo ID is required for skate rental.) The rink closes at 4 pm on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas day.

Swinburne Park
The skating rink at Albany's Swinburne Park opens for the season Friday at 3 pm. (See the link for the schedule.) It's $1 to skate / 50 cents for under 18 / 25 cents for seniors / skate rental is $3. The rink is closed on Christmas Day.

Museums/galleries

If you need to get out of the house for a while, it can be a good time to roam a museum. Be sure to check museum schedules over the next few days because of the holiday.

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). The new Feibes & Schmitt Gallery is also now open. And it's pay-what-you-wish admission during December.

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

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 will be closed in January and February for its annual break. (Saturday is its last day.) It currently has 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.