All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

It's Memorial Day weekend. The official unofficial kickoff to the summer season. There are plenty of picnics, barbecues, and just general hanging out to do, but there are also some more organized events happening around the region.

So take a look at the list we've compiled for you and start planning. Doing something you don't see on our list? Add it to the comment section so we can all see.

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

Troy Night Out
Friday: The last Friday of the month means it's time for Troy Night Out. A few things happening this month:
+ The FENCE Show is opening at the Arts Center for the Capital Region
+ Rensselaer County Historical Society has a new exhibit showcasing illustrator Kate Greenaway and her impact on children's lives with a collection of buttons, clothing, books and other objects designed by Greenaway that were all the rage a century ago. 5-8 pm -- free admission
+ Hawaiian band The Swingin' Palms will be playing at Franklin Alley Social Club

Gardens

Washington Park Tulip Dig and Sale
Saturday-Sunday: The annual Washington Park tulip dig/sale is (usually) the weekend after the Tulip Festival -- but not this year! Sometimes it gets pushed back because of weather/slow-blooming tulips (like this year!). If you want your pick of the tulips, the day to go is Saturday as volunteers dig up the bulbs and get their pick of limited quantities. If you go to the Sunday sale, go early -- the tulips sell very quickly. Saturday 9 am-noon and Sunday 9 am until the last bag is sold

Collard City Growers plant sale
Sunday: The annual Collard City Growers plant sale and fundraiser is at the garden at 3337 Sixth Ave in Troy. "We welcome barters (annual for annual or perennial for perennial) if you have plants to trade. Also, we welcome any plant contributions, if you have any extras you would like to donate to our community garden." Sunday 1-4 pm

Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival
Saturday-Sunday: The Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham hosts the Berkshire Hudson Wine & Food Festival. Sample food and beverages from small New York and Massachusetts farms, crafters, and producers. Saturday 11 am-6 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm -- $25 / $10 for a non-tasting ticket / free for kids under 12

Arena football
Saturday: The Albany Empire takes on the Washington Valor at the TU Center. Saturday 6 pm -- $15-$75

Memorial Day
Monday: Monday is Memorial Day, so there are parades and celebrations around the Capital Region. Albany's parade is Monday. It steps off from Central Avenue near Partridge Street and heads down Central to the State Education Building. Monday 10 am

Comedy

Kevin Hart
Friday: Superstar comedian Kevin Hart opens the pop season at SPAC with a stand-up show. Friday 8 pm -- $30 and up

Gene Harding
Friday-Saturday: Gene Harding headlines at The Comedy Works in Saratoga this weekend. Friday and Saturday various times and prices

Joe Machi
Friday-Sunday: Joe Machi headlines at the Albany Funny Bone this weekend. Friday-Sunday -- various times and prices.

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show: Chris Laker
Saturday: NYC0based comedian Chris Laker headlines Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show at Proctors. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 advance / $20 at the door

Maestro at MopCo
Friday: MopCo presents Maestro, an improv comedy elimination showdown. Improvisors compete by creating songs, scenes and games based on audience suggestion. Friday 8 pm -- $15 / $6 kids, students, seniors

Mick Treadwell's 10 North Jay
Saturday: MopCo presents Mick Treadwell's 10 North Jay, an improv variety show with games, songs and scenes based entirely on audience suggestion. Sunday 5 pm -- $10 / $5 kids, students, and seniorsSOLD OUT

Music

Thursday: This Is The Kit at The Linda
Indie folk rock. With: Adam Schatz (of Landlady). 8 pm -- $12

Thursday: Mama's Broke at Caffe Lena
"Crunchy instrumentals and haunting harmonies." 7 pm -- $16

Thursday: Black Masala at Lost & Found
"[P]art of the new generation of go-anywhere brass bands." 9:30 pm -- $8

Thursday: Will Wood at Pauly's
Experimental rock. With: American Opera. 8:30 pm -- $10

Thursday: Funk Night at Parish Public House
"Beau Sasser trio ft. Adrian Tramontano, Justin Henricks, and Adam Siegel on the alto saxophone." 9 pm -- $10

Thursday: Dylan 77 at The Low Beat
10th anniversary of the Bob Dylan Birthday Party. 7:30 pm

Friday: Primus + Mastodon at Cool Insuring Arena (Glens Falls Civic Center)
With: All Them Witches. 7 pm -- $29.50 and up

Friday: The Brockhampton show at Upstate Concert Hall is sold out.

Friday: Black Creek Fiddlers' Reunion at Altamont Fairgrounds
Workshops and old time jams. $30 all weekend / day passes $15 or $20

Friday-Sunday: Sawyer Fredericks at Caffe Lena
Three nights of show. $40

Friday: Kolby Oakley at Lucky Strike Jupiter Hall
Country. With: Chelsea Sulkey Band. 8 pm -- $10

Friday: The Big Takeover at Helsinki Hudson
Reggae/ska/world. 9 pm -- $15

Saturday: The Soul Rebels at MASS MoCA
"This may be New Orleans' biggest, brashest, and best brass ensemble." 8 pm -- $24 ahead / $34 day of

Saturday: Hammerfall at Upstate Concert Hall
Metal. With: Flotsam and Jetsam, Within In The Fire. 8 pm -- $29.50 ahead / $35 day of

Saturday: Willie Nile at The Linda
Rocker. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Opera Saratoga Stars of Tomorrow at Skidmore
"Start the season with our fourth annual Stars of Tomorrow concert - featuring 24 singers from around the country who have been selected from almost 1,000 applicants to be members of Opera Saratoga's prestigious Young Artist Program." 7:30 pm -- free

Sunday: The Jack White show at Ommegang is sold out.

Sunday: Apocalyptica at The Egg
Orchestral rock. 8 pm -- $30 and up

Stage

The Seagull
Friday-Sunday: Northeast Theater Ensemble presents a site specific production of Anton Chekov's The Seagull at Mabee Farm in Rotterdam. Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm, Sunday at 2 pm -- $20, $15 for students and seniors

Don't Dress for Dinner
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater presents the farce Don't Dress for Dinner. Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $19.50

Damn Yankees
Friday-Sunday: The Mac-Haydn Theater in Chatham is kicking off the summer theater season with Damn Yankees. Friday-Saturday various times and prices

Film

Drive-ins
Drive-in movie season has returned. Here's what's playing:
+ Malta: Screen 1: Solo: A Star Wars Story, Infinity War / Screen 2: Deadpool 2, Isle of Dogs
+ Hollywood: Deadpool 2, Super Troopers
+ Jericho Drive-in: Deadpool, Life of the Party

Museums/galleries/talks/walks

Pinkster
Saturday: The Crailo State Historic Site in Rensselaer is hosting its annual Pinkster event:

Once a Dutch holiday commemorating Pentecost, Pinkster became a distinctly African American holiday in the Hudson River Valley during the colonial era. During the 17th and 18th centuries, enslaved and free African Americans transformed Pinkster from a Dutch religious observance into a spring festival and a celebration of African cultural traditions. All along the Hudson River and on Albany's "Pinkster Hill" (the current site of the NYS Capitol), enslaved African Americans reunited with family and friends and celebrated Pinkster with storytelling, food, music, and dance. Other Pinkster traditions, like the selection of the Pinkster King, created opportunities for enslaved African Americans to honor respected members of the community and to subtly mock their white enslavers.

The Crailo celebration will include presentations about the experiences of enslaved Africans and African-Americans in colonial New York, traditional dancing and theatrical demos, storytelling, music, a culinary historian preparing food and interpreting historic African and African-American foodways, along with crafts, games, and refreshments. Saturday 11 am-4 pm -- free

USS Slater
The USS Slater is open for the season. The WWII destroyer escort-turned-floating museum will be open all weekend, including Monday.

State Museum
The State Museum has a few new exhibits: "A small fort, which our people call Fort Orange" and Art of the Erie Canal. (The State Museum is closed on Monday.)

Hyde Collection
The Hyde Collection recently a opened an exhibit of work by Rockwell Kent. (On display through July 22.) The Hyde is closed on Monday.

Albany Institute
The Albany Institute of History and Art has mummies and Hudson River School Paintings, plus -- Along the Eastern Road: Hiroshige's Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. The Institute is closed on Monday.

Goat Yoga
Saturday: The Saratoga Winery hosts goat yoga, which is pretty much what it sounds like -- yoga and a chance to play with goats. There's also wine. Saturday 10 am -- $45

Farmers markets
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is outdoors on River Street. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is outside at Bethlehem Central Middle School. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is outside at High Rock Park. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+The Colonie Farmers' Market is at The Crossings. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is outdoors around City Hall. Sunday 10 am-2 pm
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market is outside at the Lincoln Baths. Sunday 10 am-2 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

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

photo via Kevin Hart Facebook