Stuff to do this weekend

albany book festival 2018 kearns-goodwin lam gordon-reed

The lineup for the first Albany Book Festival is stacked with famous authors, including Doris Kearns Goodwin, Francis Lam, and Annette Gordon-Reed.

Wiener dogs, famous authors, a story slam, haunted tours, and stand-up from an SNL alum -- just a few things that make up this weekend in the Capital Region.

We've compiled a list of stuff we thought might interest you. Doing something you don't see here? Drop it in the comments so we can all see.

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

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Troy Night Out
Friday: The first Troy Night Out of the fall is animal themed with a number of dog friendly events throughout downtown. A few things you can check out:
+ The Arts Center hosts opening receptions for Sliver- Artworks by Anthony Cafritz and the Business of Art series. The Black Box Theater presents Capital Dance Collective with Jorelle Pome and a Super Dark Collective evening exploring the realms of sonic immersion and improv.
+ The Rensselaer County Historical Society opens a new fall exhibit: When I was a Child: The Community Remembers Childhood, containing objects and images related to over 30 lenders and their childhoods.
+ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall hosts an evening of RPI a cappella with the Rusty Pipes, Rensselyrics, Duly Noted, and Partial Credit.

Friday 5-9 pm

Albany Oktoberfest Block Party
Saturday: Wolff's Biergarten hosts the annual Oktoberfest block party in the Warehouse District with food, music, beer, lederhosen, Wiener dog races and more. Saturday 11 am-7 pm -- $15 advance / $20 at the door

Albany Book Festival
Saturday: The first Albany Book Festival will be at UAlbany Saturday. The lineup is absolutely stacked with prominent authors, from Doris Kearns Goodwin to Walter Moseley to Annette Gordon-Reed to Mark Kurlansky to Michael W. Twitty and many others. And Friday evening the new state author and state poet -- Colson Whitehead and Alicia Ostriker, respectively -- will be inaugurated in a public event at UAlbany. Saturday from 10 am-4 pm -- free

StoryHarvest
Saturday: The Sanctuary for Independent Media's annual StoryHarvest is in North Troy's Freedom Square. "Just as farmers reap the harvest, providing sustenance for all, it is time to celebrate all our harvests-the results of seeds sown through art, education, agriculture, tolerance, and everything we do to build strong, healthy, tolerant communities." Food, art, music by Rootbrew, with Jenny Marie and Derrick Horton & The Jay Street Band. Saturday 3-6 pm -- free admission

The Moth StorySLAM
Sunday: Skidmore College hosts a a Moth StorySLAM event at which ten students will each tell a five minute story. Sunday at 7 pm -- free but reservations are required.

Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Saturday-Sunday: Celebrate all things garlic at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties. There will be food, a vendor market, music, crafts kids activities and more. Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5 pm -- $10 admission each day (cash only)

New Scotland Ave Restaurant Week
Thursday-Sunday: The first New Scotland Ave Restaurant Week includes a variety of discounts and specials at restaurants along the commercial strip in Albany's Helderberg neighborhood. Nine establishments are participating.

Pets

Paws in the Park
Saturday: The annual Paws in the Park Walk for Animals is at The Joe. It's a fundraiser for the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. There's a walk around the ball park, contests, prizes, vendors, food, and music. Saturday 10 am -- registration and pledge info

Capital Region Pet Expo
Saturday: ViaPort Rotterdam is hosting a Pet Expo with vendors, an adoption clinic, seminars and demos. Saturday 11 am-3 pm -- free admission

Pets in America
Sunday: University of Delaware history professor Katherine Grier will be at the Albany Institute for a talk about the history of pets in America. "Letters, photographs, print media and artifacts all tell the story of the evolving American love affair with pets, including its growing importance to children." Sunday 2 pm -- free with museum admission

Grape Stomp
Saturday: The Hill at Muza is hosting a Vineyard Grape Stomp, where guests can jump into an 8 foot vat to stomp on 900 lbs of crushable grapes that will be turned into wine. There will also be a speed tasting of wines. Saturday, 2 pm - 6 pm -- free admission

Boo

Capitol Hauntings
Thursday-Saturday: The popular Capitol Hauntings tours have started up for the season at the state Capitol. "The tour lasts about an hour, but the chilling, ghostly tales might haunt you forever." Thursday-Friday 1 pm and 5:30 pm / Saturday 1 pm -- free (but you must make a reservation and they fill up)

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

Corn maze
Thursday-Sunday: Fort Ticonderoga corn maze is open 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

Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest
Sunday: The Lincoln Bathhouse at Saratoga Spa State Park hosts the Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest. Growers compete for the largest pumpkin of the season. Sunday 9 am-5 pm -- free admission

Saratoga County Showcase of Homes
Saturday-Sunday: It's the final weekend of the 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: The High Kings at The Egg
Irish ballads. 7:30 pm -- $34.50 and up

Thursday: 1964: The Tribute at Troy Music Hall
Beatles tribute. 7:30 pm -- $29 and up

Thursday: Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hell Raisers at The Linda
"Although inspired by tradition, Dwayne has developed his own high energy style that defies existing stereotypes and blazes a refreshingly distinct path for 21st century Zydeco music." 8 pm -- $20

Friday: Sepiatonic at The Hollow
"Sepiatonic is a vaudeville-inspired dance and music experience. We feature original live and electronic music, focusing on electro-swing, but extending out into further realms of balkan beats, hip-hop, funk, and more." 9 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 at door

Saturday: Zac Brown Band at SPAC
Country star. 7 pm -- $35 and up

Saturday: Juice WRLD at The Palace
Hip hop. With: Lil TJay and Johnny2Phones. 8 pm -- $37.50 and up

Saturday: Angel Olsen at MASS MoCA
"Shut up, kiss me, hold me tight." With: Julianna Barwick. 8 pm -- $30 ahead

Saturday: John Vanderslice at Opalka Gallery
A living room show (so to speak). 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Over The Rhine at The Egg
Americana. (Named after a neighborhood in Cincinnati.) 8 pm -- $29.50

Saturday: The Weepies at Troy Music Hall
Acoustic show. 8 pm -- $29

Saturday: Milky Chance at Upstate Concert Hall
Alt folk rock. With: Jeremy Loops. 8 pm -- $30 ahead / $33 day of

Saturday: Time for Three at Caffe Lena
"The groundbreaking, category-shattering trio Time for Three (Tf3) transcends traditional classification, with elements of classical, country western, gypsy and jazz idioms forming a blend all its own." 8 pm -- $35

Saturday: Lara Hope and The Ark-Tones
Rockabilly. 8 pm -- $15

Saturday: Formula 5 at The Hollow
Jam. With: Bird Jazz, Swimmer. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: Groovestick at Parish Public House
Album release show. With: Victory Soul Orchestra. 8 pm -- $10 ahead / $13 day of

Sunday: The Struts at Upstate Concert
Alt rock. With: White Reaper, Spirit Animal. 7:30 pm -- $19 ahead / $24 day of

Sunday: Dylan Perillo Orchestra at Caffe Lena
"The 12-piece group sounds like a big band straight out of the 1920s, yet handles jazz classics with a freshness that makes the listener believe they just wrote this material yesterday." 7 pm -- $22

Stage

Women of Color in the Arts Expo
Thursday-Saturday: Lotus & Bamboo Productions and Albany Barn present a production of For Colord Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf -- a choreopoem by Ntozake Shange. On Friday and Saturday there's also a Women of Color in the Arts Expo, including art exhibit, music and vendors, light passed hors d'ouvres by 677 Prime and a cash bar. Friday and Saturday doors open at 5:30 pm, show at 6 pm -- $18-$30

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

The Royale
Friday-Sunday: The Royale continues 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

Reality Trippin'at Mopco
Sunday: Black Diamond Group Presents Reality Trippin', a selection of poetry, scenes, music and songs to honor black history and spread love for the people that make up the black family/community. Sunday 7-9 pm -- $15

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. SOLD OUT

Comedy

Tim Meadows
Friday: SNL alum Tim Meadows brings his stand-up act to Cohoes Music Hall. Friday8 pm -- $25-$35

Maestro
Friday: MopCo presents Maestro, an elimination tournament in which improvisors compete against each other Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Wali Collins
Friday-Saturday: NYC comedian Wali Collins brings his stand-up act to The Comedy Works in Saratoga Springs. Saturday and Sunday various times and prices

Josh Blue
Friday-Saturday: Josh Blue (Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia) performs at The Albany Funny Bone. Blue is a comedian and U.S. Paraolympic Soccer player. Friday and Saturday various times and prices

Film

Drive-ins
Here's what's playing at the drive-ins:
+ Malta: Screen 1: Night School, BlacKkKlansman | Screen 2: The House with the Clock in its Walls, Alpha
+ 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, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Museums/galleries/talks/walks

Silent Sky
Thursday: CapSci, miSci, and the Dudley Observatory are teaming up for a staged reading of Silent Sky at miSci in Schenectady. "Blending science, humor, and romance, "Silent Sky" tells the compelling, true story of celebrated astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt and her fellow female colleagues at the Harvard Observatory, and how they rose above the male-driven, turn-of-the-century world of science to make their way into history." After the reading the Dudley Observatory's new 14" Schmidt-Cassegranian telescope will be open for stargazing. Thursday 7 pm -- free with museum admission

Death Cafe
Saturday: Albany Rural Cemetery hosts a Death Cafe, a discussion of death with tea and cookies. Bring your own mug. Saturday 1-2:30 pm -- free

Jonathan Santlofer
Sunday: Northshire Bookstore hosts a conversation with memoirist Jonathan Santlofer and Beverly Donofrio. Sunday 5 pm -- free

State Museum
The State Museum has opened the second phase of its Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal exhibit.

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

Albany Institute
The Albany Institute of History & Art has 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 still open for the season.

Markets

Wedding Flea Market
Sunday: Takk House in Troy hosts a Wedding Flea Market at which you can buy wedding related products from newlyweds to reuse for your own wedding. No businesses, just people with reusable wedding items. Sunday noon- 4pm -- $5 admission.

Pass it On Sale
Friday-Sunday: The popular Pass it on Kids Sale returns to the SportsPlex of Halfmoon this weekend. The event features tens of thousands of "new and gently worn" children's items across 60,000 square feet. (Sunday is half-price day.) Saturday 8 am-8 pm, Sunday 8 am-2 pm -- admission is free.

Warrensburg Garage Sale
Saturday-Sunday: The "world's largest garage sale" returns to Warrensburg this weekend, with more than 500 vendors stretching the length of Main Street and throughout many Warrensburg neighborhoods. Antiques, memorabilia, clothing furniture, kids stuff and more. Saturday and Sunday 9 am-dusk

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

The Albany Institute of History and Art, MopCo, and Mohawk Hudson Humane advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of SLOC.

Comments

Come join the West Albany community on Saturday, September 29th, 2018 to celebrate the Colonie Raiders Homecoming weekend and the rejuvenation of the West Albany Memorial Pocket Park.

Starting at 9:30 am the Colonie Junior Raiders will be joined by members of West Albany Strong, the Varsity football program, Town and State Representatives, local business owners, Colonie Police and Fire Departments for a parade down Sand Creek Road (and Russell Road) onto Wilkins Avenue and finishing at the Memorial Pocket Park.

In addition to the Homecoming Parade, an exciting announcement will be made after the completion of the parade. There will be food, music, raffles and prizes, a bounce house and a chance to meet members of The Albany Empire arena football team.

West Albany Strong is an organization dedicated to strengthening the community by improving the relationships between community members, local businesses and youth organizations. In doing so we create a sense of unity in the neighborhood and provide financial support to the youth of the community.

The event is also a part of the community campaign to restore the Tobin’s First Prize Packing Center. The new developers RichBell Capital have been a key partner in the West Albany Strong organization. Thank you again, we are looking forward to your participation in our second annual event!

Dance
Taylor 2 at Hudson Valley Community College's Maureen Stapleton Theatre, Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

World-renowned choreographer Paul Taylor (1930-2018) created Taylor 2 in 1993 as a way to bring modern dance to audiences all over the world regardless of economic and technical challenges at remote or atypical venues. Taylor revisited the 1954 origins of the Paul Taylor Dance Company and structured Taylor 2 to feature six dancers with a gift for his unique style

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