All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Thanks for tuning in. Cue the theme music for Stuff to Do This Weekend.

Coming up: Holiday music, scantily-clad Santas, Elf with all the popcorn you can eat, and much more. But first, a word from our sponsors.

And remember, if you're doing something exciting that's missing from our list, be sure to add it in the comment section. It's the season of sharing.

Whatever you're doing, be sure to bundle up, drink something warm, and have a fantastic weekend.

Santa Speedo Sprint
Saturday: People will be sprinting along Lark Street in all sorts of swimwear, pajamas, holiday wear, and costumes as part of the annual Santa Speedo Sprint, a fundraiser for The Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at Albany Medical Center. If you'd like to run, you can register on line or in person on race day (it's $25). If you'd rather cheer the runners on, find your space on the sidewalk just ahead of 2 pm. It's one of the goofiest, happiest events of the year. Saturday registration starts at 11 am at The LionHeart and Oh Bar, sprint starts at 2 pm at Lark and Madison

Holiday

The Melodies of Christmas
Thursday-Saturday: The annual Melodies of Christmas holiday concerts return to Proctors, featuring the Empire State Youth Orchestra and Youth Chorale. various times -- $25 and up

Schenectady Festival of Trees
Saturday-Sunday: The Schenectady County Historical Society hosts the annual Festival of Trees, with holiday trees decorated in a variety of themes and styles. Saturday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm -- $6 / free for kids under 12

A Christmas Story
Friday-Sunday: Home Made Theater presents the stage version of the classic holiday film A Christmas Story. Friday 7:30 pm, Saturday 1 pm and 4:30 pm and Sunday 1 pm -- $18 / $12 for kids

Scrooge In Rouge: An English Music Hall Christmas Carol
Friday-Saturday: Confetti Stage presents Scrooge In Rouge: An English Music Hall Christmas Carol at The Linda. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm -- $15

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Thursday-Sunday: The Classic Theater Guild has a production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in The Addy at Proctors. Wednesday-Sunday various times -- $20 / $16 students, seniors, military

Welcome to Christmas
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic Players presents Looking at Christmas a play about an aspiring writer and struggling actress and the characters in a holiday window display. Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2:30 pm -- $20

Helderberg Madrigals
Saturday: The Ten Broeck Mansion will be hosting an evening of coffee, desserts, and holiday songs by the Helderberg Madrigal Singers. The decorated mansion will also be open for touring. Saturday 5 pm -- $25

A Saratoga Christmas with The McKrells
Sunday: Home Made Theater hosts "A Saratoga Christmas" with the McKrells. Sunday 7 pm -- $15

Capital Holiday Lights
Ongoing: The Capital Holiday light display in Washington Park is open for the holiday season. Sunday-Thursday 6-9 pm, Saturday-Sunday 6-10 pm -- $20 per car

Holiday markets

Fort Orange Holiday Market
Friday: The Fort Orange Holiday Market is at The Arcade Building in downtown Albany (488 Broadway) and the nearby Fort Orange General Store (412 Broadway). Friday 5-9 pm

The Shop at the Arts Center
Friday-Sunday: Shop for gifts from local artists and crafters at the holiday shop at the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Friday and Sunday noon-4 pm, Saturday noon-5 pm

Gifted at Albany Barn
Sunday: The Gifted market is at the Albany Barn. "Browse a condensed selection of our handmade goods-including visual art, soaps, apparel, and more- while sipping warm beverages and enjoying holiday tunes." Sunday 11 am-2 pm

Shaker Christmas Craft Fair
Ongoing (through December 19): The Shaker Historic Site in Colonie hosts its annual Christmas Fair with regional artisans.

Ice skating
The ice skating rink on the Empire State Plaza is open for the season. The operating schedule is seven days a week (weather permitting)from noon-8 pm, closed daily from 3:30-4:30 pm for maintenance. Skating is free. Skate rental is $4 for adults / $3 for kids 12 and under. A photo ID is required to rent skates. And this season free skate rental day is Saturday.

Music

Thursday: Ghost at The Palace
Metal. 8 pm -- $39.50 and up

Thursday: Ballroom Thieves at Massry Center
Rescheduled show. With: Odetta Hartman. 8 pm -- $25

Thursday: Funk Night Xmas at Parish Public House
Hayley Jane (Hayley Jane and the Primates), Beau Sasser (Kung Fu), Chris DeAngelis (Kung Fu), Justin Henricks (Wurliday), Bryan Brundige (The Chronicles), Phil Chow (The Chronicles). 9 pm -- $10 ahead / $15 day of / $5 off with a toy for the toy drive

Thursday: Griffin House at Caffe Lena
Singer/songwriter. 7 pm -- $25

Thursday: Comedy Night + Paranoid Social Club at Putnam Place
Two comics + one band. 8 pm -- $15

Friday: Jewel's Handmade Holiday Tour at The Palace
"[P]erforming Holiday classics, Holiday originals and classic Jewel songs." 8 pm -- $39.50 and up

Friday: Mendelssohn Club Holiday Concert at The Egg
Now in its 110th season. 7:30 pm -- $22

Friday: Mountain Snow Orchestra at The Egg
"Kevin McKrell, Brian Melick, John Kirk & Trish Miller have been bringing Christmas cheer to audiences for years as the 'orchestra' for the annual Mountain Snow Mistletoe Show and return for a down home evening of holiday music, merriment and mischief." 8 pm -- $25

Friday: Donna The Buffalo at Cohoes Music Hall
Roots. With: The Gary Douglas Band. 8 pm -- $27

Friday: Ana Egge at Caffe Lena
Folk. Album release show. 8 pm -- $20

Saturday: Bebel Gilberto at The Egg
"Born into bossa-nova royalty, Bebel Gilberto warms the season with an intimate evening of contemporary Brazilian jazz." 8 pm -- $34.50

Saturday: Jocelyn & Chris at The Hollow
That would be Jocelyn Arndt and Chris Arndt. 8 pm -- $15

Saturday-Sunday: Holiday Folk Show at Caffe Lena
"The time when festive folks across the region come to Caffe Lena to enjoy a sweet, sentimental and silly celebration of the season complete with swanky décor, audience participation, and loads of lovely songs." December 15 at 8 pm, December 16 at 3 pm -- $20 / $10 kids and students

Saturday-Sunday: Everett Bradley's Holidelic at Helsinki Hudson
"[T]he holiday-funk spectacular Holidelic features original holiday songs as well as loose, funk-infused adaptations of Tchaikovsky, "Frosty the Snowman," "Little Drummer Boy" and the like." December 15 at 9 pm, December 16 at 8 pm -- $25

Sunday: Albany Gay Men's Chorus: "Everything Possible"
Annual chorus concert of holiday music, this year at the at the First Lutheran Church in Albany (181 Western Ave). 4 pm -- $15

Sunday: President's Holiday Concert at EMPAC
Annual RPI holiday concert in EMPAC's concert hall. 3 pm -- free (registration requested)

Sunday: Musicians of Ma'alwyck at Ten Broeck Mansion
A holiday concert by the chamber music ensemble. 2 pm -- $25

Stage

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Thursday-Sunday: The Rep continues its production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, based on characters from Pride and Prejudice. "In this charmingly imagined sequel to Jane Austen's masterwork, the ever-dependable Mary Bennet is growing tired of her role as dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings' romantic escapades. When the family visits for Christmas, an unexpected guest sparks Mary's hopes for independence, an intellectual match -- and possibly even love?" Thursday-Sunday various times -- $22 and up

Altar Boyz
Friday-Sunday: Albany Civic Theater presents Alter Boyz, a musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy band on the last leg of its "Raise the Praise" tour. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $20

A Comedy of Tenors
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater presents A Comedy of Tenors. Friday-Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 3 pm -- $20

Comedy

Paul Bond
Thursday-Saturday: The Comedy Works in Saratoga hosts Paul Bond. Thursday-Saturday various times and prices

Storytime Time
Friday: The MopCo Improv Theater hosts Storytime Time, Ethan Ullman's curated comedic storytelling night. Friday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

MopCo Family Show
Saturday: The Mop & Bucket Improv Company hosts an interactive, family-friendly show . Improvisors create scenes, songs, and games based on audience suggestion. Saturday 3:30 pm -- $10 / $5 for kids

Spontaneous Broadway
Saturday: The Mop & Bucket Company continues its run of Spontaneous Broadway. Act one is an improvised backers audition in which performers invent songs based on audience suggestion. The crowd then votes for their favorite song. In act two improvisors create an entire musical based on that song. Saturday 8 pm -- $10 / $6 for students and seniors

Film

Edward Scissorhands
Thursday: The It Came From Schenectady series at Proctors is showing the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. Thursday 6:30 pm -- $9 / $6 students, seniors, kids

Elf
Saturday: It Came From Schenectady hosts a screening of Elf at the GE Theater at Proctors. As with all ICFS films, there will be comfy couches, prizes, surprises -- and all the popcorn you can eat. Saturday 11 am -- $9 / $6 for students, seniors, and children

UAlbany basketball
Saturday: The UAlbany men's basketball team takes on Dartmouth at SEFCU Arena. Saturday 3 pm -- $10 and up

Museums/galleries/talks/walks

Rochmon Record Club Listening Party: The Who Who's Next
Thursday: The Linda hosts a Rochmon Record Club listening party, featuring The Who's album Who's Next. Thursday 7:30 pm -- $10

Albany Institute
On Saturday the Albany Institute opens an exhibit of cast iron stoves from its collection. Manufacturers in Albany and Troy were once some of the largest producers of cast iron stoves, and the some of the stoves have intricate decorative designs.

Birds & Beasts: The Scary, Magical, and Adorable Animals of the Albany Institute and A Menagerie of Whimsey: The Art of William B. Schade for a few more weeks. On display through December 30.

State Museum
The State Museum recently opened the new exhibit The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection. "Long before the famous music festival in 1969, Woodstock, New York, was home to what is considered America's first intentionally created, year-round arts colony--founded in 1902 and still thriving over 100 years later. Collecting the remarkable range of work produced there has been Arthur A. Anderson's focus for three decades, resulting in the largest comprehensive assemblage of its type." On display through the end of 2019.

miSci Toy exhibit
Saturday-Sunday: miSci hosts a 20th Century Toy Chest exhibit with a collection of toys, games, action figures and more.

Screenprint Biennial
The 2018 Screenprint Biennial wraps up at the Opalka Gallery on the Sage Albany campus. On display through Saturday.

New York State Education Building Tour
Saturday: Take a tour of the NYS Education building. Saturday 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm -- free, but reservations are required

Visit some castles
Take a drive to check out one of the castles that are day trip from the Capital Region.

Farmers markets
Farmers markets have moved indoors:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is in the Troy Atrium. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is 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 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, Fort Orange General Store, and MopCo advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the winter events at ESP and the Santa Speedo Sprint.