All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Welcome to the first weekend of fall -- otherwise known as festival season in the Capital Region. This weekend's festivals include music, hot air balloons, Hispanic heritage, art, and more. We've complied a whole list stuff happening this weekend that we though might interest you.

Planning something you don't see here? Share it with us in the comment section.

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

Festivals

LarkFest
Saturday: LarkFest returns. It's the annual street festival on Lark Street in Albany. Lark will be closed from Madison to Washington for activities and vendors. And there will be two stages with music at Madison Avenue and Spring Street. Acts include Bent, Mirk, Kimono Dragons and Stellar Young. Saturday 11 am-5 pm -- free admission

Hispanic Heritage Celebration
Saturday: The Empire State Plaza hosts the annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration with Latin music, food, and culture. The music headliner this year is Raul Acosta y Oro Solido. Saturday 10 am- 6 pm -- free admission

Collar City Ramble
Saturday: Explore downtown Troy and surrounding areas at the annual Collar City Ramble -- a car-free adventure festival with tours and events, including pop-up public parks, parking spots made over into art spaces, tours, and more. Saturday starting at 9 am -- free admission

Adirondack Balloon Festival
Thursday-Sunday: The Adirondack Balloon Festival returns this weekend with morning and "moonglow" balloon launches at Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury and Crandall Park in Glens Falls. Balloon rides, music, family-friendly activities, and views of balloons in and around Glens Falls. Thursday-Sunday various times -- free admission

Art in the Park
Saturday: The annual Art in the Park festival in Saratoga Springs Congress Park. It's a one-day art show featuring painting, ceramics, jewelry, photography and more, plus local music and food. (Rain date is Saturday 9/29.) Saturday 10 am-4 pm -- free admission

Adirondack Wool & Arts Festival
Saturday-Sunday: The Washington County Fairgrounds hosts the Adirondack Wool & Arts Festival, with fiber arts, artisans, demonstrations, spinning supplies, and more. Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $5 / kids under 13 attend free

Upper Madison Street Fair
Sunday: The annual Upper Madison Street Fair returns to Albany this weekend with events along Madison Avenue between West Lawrence and South Allen streets. Music, local food vendors, a kids zone, rummage sale, and more. Sunday noon-5 pm -- free admission

Albany Book & Paper Fair
Sunday: The Polish Community Center hosts the Albany Book & Paper Fair, with old books, manuscripts, autographs, maps, and ephemera. Sunday 10 am-4 pm -- $6

Lakeside Farms Antiques Show
Sunday: The annual antique show returns to Lakeside Farms Cider Mill with glass, china, jewelry, art, toys, collectables, and more. Browse and eat cider donuts. Sunday 9 am-4 pm -- free admission

Boo

Capitol Hauntings
Thursday-Saturday: Take a ghost tour of the NYS Capitol. Thursday-Saturday various times -- free but reservations are required and they fill up quickly

Ghosts of Albany
Friday-Sunday: Ghosts of Albany has returned and is offering haunted tours of the downtown Albany. Friday-Sunday -- $20

Ghosts in the Yaddo Garden Tours
Friday: The annual ghost garden tours return at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs. Meet in the Yaddo Gardens parking lot. Friday 5 pm -- $10 / under 12 free

Schuyler Farms Moonlight Corn Maze
Friday-Sunday: Schuyler Farms in Schuylerville has a Wizard of Oz-themed haunted corn maze (there's also a non-haunted version). Friday-Sunday various times -- $8 / under 3 admitted free

Neighborhood and house tours

GE Realty Plot Tour
Saturday: Take a tour of the historic GE Realty plot with Schenectady city historian Chris Leonard. Saturday 10 am -- $20

Saratoga County Showcase of Homes
Saturday-Sunday: It's weekend two for the annual Saratoga County Showcase of Homes. It's a self-guided tour of new homes decorated by some of the region's top designers and suppliers. Friday and Saturday 11 am-5 pm -- $20

Music

Thursday: Ani DiFranco at The Egg
Now on her 20th studio album. With: Peter Mulvey. 8 pm -- $35

Thursday: Popa Chubby at Caffe Lena
Blues guitarist. 7 pm -- $25

Friday: The Hosanna Experience 2018 at The Egg
"The Hosanna Experience 2018 is a Gospel Worship Concert." 6 pm -- free

Friday: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Troy Music Hall
"One of the world's foremost chamber orchestras, Orpheus has recorded 71 albums, including the Grammy-winning Shadow Dances: Stravinsky Miniatures, and has commissioned and premiered 42 original works." 7:30 pm -- $45 and up

Friday: Nell & Jim Band at The Linda
"Beloved Bay Area bluegrass stars." 8 pm -- $20

Friday: MIRK at The Hollow
Album release party. With: The Northway, D3V, Bad Mothers, Kory Alexander. 9 pm -- $15

Saturday: Oro Solido at Hispanic Heritage Celebration at ESP
Also: Charlie Cruz, Cynthia, and DJ Boy Boy. 5:30 pm -- free

Saturday: Black Uhuru at Helsinki Hudson
Reggae. 9 pm -- $28

Saturday: Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis at The Linda
"Wild! Wild! Wild!, the new collaboration between Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks and rock-and-roll royalty Linda Gail Lewis, gleefully lives up to its title. It's Americana music that's as butt-shakin' as Beale Street, deep-rooted as the Grand Ole Opry, and hip as a trip to The Strip." 8 pm -- $18

Saturday: Ryan Montbleau Band at Putnam Place
With: The Big Takeover. 9 pm -- $17 ahead / $20 day of

Saturday: Ímar at Old Songs
"A five piece ensemble with a strong shared background in Irish music." 7:30 pm -- $25 / $5 kids

Sunday: Outlaw Music Festival starring Willie Nelson & Neil Young at SPAC
Also: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and others. 2:30 pm -- $45 and up

Sunday: Celtic Thunder X at The Palace
"Celtic Thunder has become one of public television's largest draws." 8 pm -- $39.50 and up

Sunday: Escape The Fate at Upstate Concert Hall
Metalcore. With: Famous Last Words, Picturesque, Set to Stun. 6:30 pm -- $17 ahead / $20 day of

Stage

Catastrophe Carnivale: An Evening of Beckett Shorts
Friday-Sunday: Troy Foundry Theater presents Catastrophe Carnivale: An Evening of Beckett Shorts in the Gasholder Building in Troy.
Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm -- $18 / $15 seniors / $10 students

In the Heights
Thursday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera Company presents Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda's first Tony Award-winning play, In The Heights. It's the story of the residents of a mostly Latino Washington Heights neighborhood on the verge of gentrification. Thursday is a first-come, first-serve, pay-what-you-will benefit show for Puerto Rico relief. Friday-Sunday shows are sold out this weekend. Some tickets remain for next weekend.

The Royale
Friday-Sunday: The Royale is in previews at The Rep this weekend. "Jay 'The Sport' Jackson needs one more win to become heavyweight champion of the world, but in the Jim Crow reality of 1905 America, his greatest opponent may not be in the ring. Inspired by the true story of trailblazing boxer Jack Johnson, The Royale bristles with the thrilling rapid-fire dialogue and rhythmic punctuation of playwright Marco Ramirez (Netflix's Daredevil, Orange is the New Black)." Friday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

Biloxi Blues
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater presents Neil Simon's classic Biloxi Blues. Thursday-Saturday various times -- $25

The Gingerbread Lady
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic Theater presents a production of Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $18 / students $10

Comedy

Improv Jam
Thursday: MopCo hosts an improv jam at which you can learn improv games from some of the Capital Region's most experienced improvisors. Watch the show or play yourself. Thursday 7-9 pm -- $5

Improv ladies night
Friday: An evening of improv comedy from an all-female cast of improvisors. Songs, scenes, and stories based on audience suggestion Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show: Pete Bladel
Saturday: Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show returns to Proctors with headliner Pete Bladel. Saturday 8 pm -- $15 advance / $20 at the door

TheaterSports
Saturday: MopCo continues its run of summer league TheaterSports, with teams improvisors competing against each other by creating songs, stories and games based on audience suggestion. A new show every night. Saturday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Film

The Minor League Mecca
Saturday: That documentary about the heyday of the Albany Patroons -- The Minor League Mecca -- premieres at The Palace. "We are working to bring you the untold story of the Patroons' quick rise, championship success and ultimate downfall. Beyond the franchise's ups and downs, the stories of the individuals involved, from fans, to executives to coaches and players are implausible, hilarious and inspiring." (There's also a VIP reception for $125 to benefit Capital District YMCA.) Saturday 7:30 pm -- free admission

Beauty and the Beast
Friday: The Movies Under the Stars program wraps up this week with a screening of (the animated) Beauty and the Beast on the Sage Albany campus. Music and family-friendly activities. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Friday 7:30 pm -- free

Drive-ins
Here's what's playing at the drive-ins:
+ Malta: Screen 1: The House with the Clock in its Walls, Mama Mia Here We Go Again / Screen 2: The Predator, The Nun
+ Hollywood: The House with a Clock in its Walls, Mama Mia: Here We Go Again
+ Jericho Drive-in: The House with a Clock in its Walls, Mama Mia: Here We Go Again

Corn maze
Thursday-Sunday: Fort Ticonderoga has opened its corn maze for the season. The maze is two miles of winding trails of corn stalks. Thursday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm) -- various prices

Museums/galleries/talks/walks

Creating Time Through Design
Thursday: University of Texas-Austin professor Dawna Ballard will be at EMPAC for a talk about communication, design, and time. "Dawna Ballard presents a talk on 'chronemics,' the study of the relationship between time and human communication. Ballard's research focuses on how communication affects communities, organizations, and individuals. Her work explores the history and context of work-life balance in our contemporary 'always-on,' information-overloaded, 24/7 multitasking culture. Particular to EMPAC, Ballard will explore a new perspective of chronemics in relation to time-based arts." Thursday 7 pm -- free

Sean Penn
Friday: Sean Penn will be at UAlbany as part of the NYS Writers Institute visiting writers series. He'll be talking his novel Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff, "the tale of an 'odd job man' who kills off the weak and the sick as part of a secret contract with the government." Friday 7:30 pm, downtown campus, Page Hall -- free

Pecha Kucha
Friday: The Opalka Gallery at Sage hosts a Pecha Kucha -- seven short talks by interesting people on a variety of subjects. Each person talks for 20 slides for 20 seconds a piece. Friday 6:30 pm -- free admission

Opalka Gallery
The Opalka Gallery on the Sage Albany campus has also Sharon Bates: Exhibit B on display.

Albany Institute
The Albany Institute of History & Art opened three new exhibitions this summer: Thomas Cole's Paper Trail, Birds & Beasts: The Scary, Magical, and Adorable Animals of the Albany Institute, and A Menagerie of Whimsey: The Art of William B. Schade.

The Fields Sculpture Park
The Art Omi Fields Sculpture Garden has its summer exhibition on display. It's free and open to the public.

Saratoga Auto Museum
The Saratoga Auto Museum in Spa State Park has a cars of the 1950s exhibit.

USS Slater
The USS Slater is open for the season.

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.

Mabee Farm to Fork
Saturday: Mabee Farm and Electric City Food Co-op team up to host a Farm to Fork Dinner featuring a four-course dinner with locally-grown food and craft beverages. Saturday 5 pm -- $50

Markets

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 South End Healthy Market opens its season at the Capital South Campus Center. Saturday 10 am-3 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

Troy Flea
Sunday: Troy Flea will be back in Riverfront Park, featuring a rotating lineup of more than two dozen vendors. Sunday 10 am-3 pm

The Albany Institute of History and Art and MopCo advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of At The Plaza, SLOC, and the Upper Madison Street Fair.

photo: Sebastien Barre