Items tagged with 'Washington Park'

Pop-Up Adventure Playground in Albany's Washington Park

Washington Park Pop Up Adventure Playground

From September's pop-up adventure playground

This looks like it could be fun time for kids: There's a free Pop-Up Adventure Playground event planned for Albany's Washington Park October 14 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. It's in the section of the park near Madison and Willett.

What is an adventure playground? Well, it's basically of collection of all sorts of items -- cardboard boxes, tires, finger paint -- that kids are allowed to play with however they want.

We were curious about this idea -- because, let's face it, a good cardboard box is one of the best toys -- so we reached out to the organizers to find out a little bit more.

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Washington Park tulip dig and sale 2018

Washington Park tulips 2018 Moses background

The annual Washington Park tulip dig and sale is usually the weekend after Mother's Day -- but that depends on the tulips.

And this year, because of the cool spring, the tulips are still doing their thing. So this year's dig and sale is May 26 and 27. Blurbage:

The event kicks off on Saturday at the Park's iconic Moses Fountain at 9am. Volunteers will join City of Albany Gardener Jess Morgan, City of Albany Department of General Services staff and members of the Washington Park Conservancy for the annual ritual of digging up the city's iconic tulip bulbs. Participation in the event provides volunteers with the opportunity to purchase 30 bulbs for $5 in exchange for assistance in preparing the park's beds for the summer season. The remaining bulbs will be sold first-come-first serve to the general public on Sunday at the Park's Lakehouse beginning at 9am for the same price and quantity.

Those bulbs go fast on Sunday, so if you'd like to buy some it's a good idea to be there right at the start.

Proceeds from the sale go to support the Washington Park Conservancy.

An orchard for Washington Park

Washington Park orchard site 2018-03-19

Soon to join the many trees of Albany's Washington Park: eight varieties of apple tree.

Nine Pin Cider and Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook will be planting a small apple orchard on a sunny slope above the lake near the spot where Thurlow Terrace meets the park.

"We have all these statues honoring things around the capital that are important to New York State," said Nine Pin founder Alejandro del Peral this week. "The idea is to put some sort of testament to New York's apple agricultural resource, which is world class."

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A snapshot from a winter day, then

Ice skating Washington Park Lake  1880  albany ny

This photo is the frozen Washington Park Lake in the 1880s. It's from the extensive Albany Group Archive on Flickr.

There are a few things we like about this photo. One is that it shows the old lake house. The other is that, if you head over to Flickr and look at a big version of the photo, you there are all these little moments going on. People chatting. Kids playing. Three women trying hold their balance.

It's just a snapshot of life on a winter day, here, 130some years ago.

Earlier: "This is the hat."

Albany Lantern Parade

Albany Washington Park Moses backlit dusk

An event called the Albany Lantern Parade will be making its way through Washington Park November 5. Blurbage:

This free, family friendly event showcases community creativity, bringing neighbors together from across the Capital Region to celebrate the arts. At dusk, participants will gather at the Lake House to begin a stunning lantern lit parade around the lake.
"We're walking with lanterns to share some light as the days become shorter," said Sarah Read, the event's organizer. "This is about our Albany community coming together for a simple, free event to celebrate art, community and warmth on an evening few people look forward to - the night we have to turn back the clocks. If you come to a workshop, you'll meet new people, and the night of the walk you'll recognize these new friends - that's the community-building we're going for."

As alluded to above, there will be a series of workshops over the next month at which people can make their own lanterns to use during the event. The schedule is below.

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Those plants in Washington Park are for admiring, not taking

Washington Park tropical plants

We'll just get right to the point here: You should not dig up and take the tropical plants from Washington Park in Albany. Doing so is stealing from the city and its residents. Also: It's tacky.

Even so, someone has been stealing the plants. And Albany city's gardener would very much like them to stop.

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Checking out the new Albany skate park

Albany skate park finished 2017-06-23

Check it out: The skate park in Albany's Washington Park is now open. Construction just finished up, and Friday afternoon there were a bunch skaters trying it out.

Here are a bunch of photos and a few bits...

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Park Playhouse 2017: Ragtime

Park Playhouse in Albany's Washington Park opens its 2017 summer season June 29 with a production of Ragtime. The show will run through July 29.

It's looking like a very strong production, with a cast that includes many talented performers from the Capital Region. That video above is from a rehearsal posted by the production this past weekend. Show blurbage for Ragtime:

The Tony-winning score is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself, drawing upon many musical styles from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems. Ragtime - a truly unique and powerful portrait of America.

Reserved seating for Park Playhouse shows is $16 for side sections, $18 for the center section, and $24 for table seats. And, of course, lawn seating is free. (That reserved seating does fill up.)

The rest of the Park Playhouse summer season includes production of The Music Man in the park during August, and a Park Playhouse Kids production of The Lion King Jr. at the Cohoes Music Hall later in August.

Washington Park bird walk

wood ducks in Washington Park

Wood ducks spotted in the Washington Park lake last year.

This could be a nice way to spend a Sunday morning: There's a bird walk in Albany's Washington Park May 7, co-sponsored by the Washington Park Conservancy and the Albany Institute. Blurbage:

Bird watchers and nature fans of all kinds can try their hand at spotting the many species of birds in Washington Park. Tristan Lowery and John Pipkin from the Washington Park Conservancy will lead the walk and share their birding expertise.
The program will begin at Englewood Place in Washington Park. Participants should dress for all weather conditions and are encouraged to bring binoculars.

The walk starts at 8 am. Suggested donation is $10.

You might think spotting a bunch of different types of birds right in the middle of the city would be hard, but as Julie noted last year, there's a wide range of feathered creatures who make a stop in the park.

The date has been corrected (the day was correct). Sorry about that.

Checking on the progress of the Albany skate park

Albany skate park construction

From this past Friday.

Construction on the new skate park in Albany's Washington Park is in progress. The city is aiming to have it finished by June 21 -- national Go Skateboarding Day -- according to Brian Shea, the chief of staff for mayor Kathy Sheehan.

The new venue will occupy space along the Madison Ave edge of the park that was formerly rundown tennis courts. This space -- "The Blue Banks" -- had already been serving as de facto skate park. And a portion of the area that's not currently being renovated is currently serving that purpose.

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Go see the tulips, don't wait

Washington Park tulips 2017-04-28

Important news: The Washington Park tulip beds are blooming.

As of Friday afternoon we'd say about 65 percent of the tulips were in bloom, and it looked like many others were getting ready to emerge.

So, don't wait until the Tulip Fest. Make some time to stop by take in the tulips over the next week.

Here are a handful of photos if you'd like to virtually gawk.

But, really, just go see them.

Albany skate park construction pushed to 2017

albany skate park design crop

A rendering of the planned design.

The Albany skate park project in Washington Park -- originally planned to be completed this month -- has been pushed back to next year.

"The City is working diligently to bring this project to fruition by next summer," said Brian Shea -- the chief of staff for Albany mayor Kathy Sheehan -- on Tuesday. "We have established a bidding and construction schedule with an anticipated completion date that coincides with National Go Skate Day in June of 2017."

A tip of the hat to J'mo and grandmastergus who flagged the delay in comments here at AOA.

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Early morning swim

A video posted by Laura (@laurakeets) on


In other news: Squirrels can swim. And this squirrel was swimming in Washington Park Lake Saturday morning as the fog lifted.

In other other news: WHAT?

(Thanks, Laura!)

Poems in the fountain

poems in Washington Park Moses fountain

While taking in the summer-like weather Tuesday in Washington Park, we noticed these little bundled scrolls blowing along with the leaves around the empty King Memorial Fountain fountain in the park (AKA, the Moses fountain). There were maybe 15 or 20 of them.

So we opened one of the scrolls. Inside, a poem:

Raise your words,
Not your voice.
It is rain that
grows flowers,
Not thunder.

Rumi

As the scroll noted, that poem is attributed to Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, a Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and mystic who lived during the 1200s, born in what's now Afghanistan and later moving to what's now modern-day Turkey.

Earlier on AOA:
+ The Troy Poem Project
+ The Moses fountain in Washington Park

The Half Moon Market returns this October

half moon market 2016-April

The market this past spring.

The popular Half Moon Market is set to return to the lake house in Albany's Washington Park October 8 and 9. Blurbage:

The Half Moon Market is independently organized with support from the City of Albany and The Washington Park Neighborhood Association, as well as several community sponsors. We are proud to feature close to 40 regional makers, artists and small companies offering handmade jewelry, ceramics, stationery, clothing, apothecary and more, as well as a few local food & drink vendors.

Here's the lineup of vendors for the upcoming market. The vendors range from art to clothing to home goods.

The Half Moon Market is organized by Adelia Sugarman and Caroline Corrigan.

Here's the Albany skate park design

albany skate park plan design closeup

A closeup of the design for lower end of the park.

Updated

The city of Albany has posted the design for the skate park planned for Washington Park. We've clipped out the renderings for easy viewing -- they're in large format after the jump.

The park will be built at four rundown tennis courts on the park's southwestern side. These courts -- known as The Blue Banks -- are already a de facto skate spot. (It's been the site of Go Skate Day for the last few years.)

The design is by the action sports division of the design firm Stantec. Kanten Russell -- a project manager for Stantec, and a former pro skateboarder -- was at a public meeting last month at the Washiington Park Lakehouse to discuss plan. Much of what he said then matches what's in a city statement accompanying the design:

The Skate park in Washington Park project includes the construction of a new 20,000 square foot skate park on four underutilized tennis courts located in the southwest quadrant of Washington Park. The skate park will make use of the existing tennis court surface and take advantage of the terraced construction of the courts. The surface will be complemented with a diverse range of obstacles, features, and reflect input from community residents and Albany skaters collected during the design process. The work will generally concentrate on the three lower courts allowing for a potential future phase to develop the upper court, should funding become available.

The budget for the project is $200,000. About half that is coming from a state grant, another portion from the Washington Park Conservancy, and the rest from money the city has already set aside for these sorts of project.

The city will soon be the construction contract up for bid, and it's aiming for a completion sometime in November.

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Albany is finalizing a design for a skate park

albany skate park meeting 2016-06-15

A project manager from the design firm Stantec talking with people about the design after the meeting.

The long push for skate park in Albany is starting to see some progress. The design for a venue in Washington Park is scheduled to be in place by the end of this month, and construction could be in progress this fall.

Both the bits of news are from a public meeting Wednesday night at the park's lake house to gather input local skaters about the project design. Here are a few more details.

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Today's moment of tree

old weeping beech tree Washington Park

This tree stands in Washington Park, just off to the side of Moses and the tulip beds. The sign underneath it reads:

This tree is a senior citizen of Washington Park
Please respect and enjoy,
DO NOT -- PAINT, CLIMB, or INJURE
Thank you.
European Beech, fagus sylvatica 'pendula'

That "pendula" appended to Latin name marks the tree as a "weeping" cultivar of the European Beech. Remarks an old US Forest Service fact sheet describes of the cultivar: "It may be the most picturesque of all the weeping trees."

Albany skate park design public meeting

Albany Washington Park blue banks skaters 2016-April

Skaters at the blue banks this past spring.

There city of Albany has a meeting lined up June 15 to gather public input about the proposed skate park in Washington Park. It's at the Washington Park Lakehouse and starts at 6:30 pm.

Word that the city was thinking about building a skate park first popped up in the fall of 2014. And at a packed public meeting in November of that year, city officials mentioned there was an outline of a plan to build the park at four rundown tennis courts in Washington Park. Those courts -- known as "the blue banks" because they're blue and tiered -- already serve as a de facto skating spot. (It's not technically allowed there, but stop by almost any evening and you'll see plenty of people skateboarding there.)

In the time since, the city was awarded a $100k grant for the project via the state Dormitory Authority. And this past March the city issued a request for proposals seeking bids for engineering services related to the park project. The RFP mentions that the city has a $200k budget for the project, and the document includes a diagram that points to some potential features of the skate park. (The RFP is embedded after the jump if you're curious.)

Albany Go Skate Day: The annual Go Skate Day is set for Saturday, June 18 at the Washington Park blue banks.

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Idea: A farmers' market for Washington Park?

washington park lake house exterior

Ryan emails, not so much with a question as an idea to float (link added):

As we enter outdoor farmers' market season, I have been thinking that the Washington Park Lakehouse would be the perfect spot for a weekend summer farmer's market. Aside from the beauty of the park in summer, the Lakehouse is well equipped to hold markets (as evidenced by the Half Moon Market, which is a welcome addition), and there is plentiful parking around the park. On top of that the development in Park South will likely add thousands more residents within a few blocks of the park over the next several years. Not to take anything away from the other summer outdoor markets in the area, because they are great, but Washington Park seems to be screaming for a farmers' market. If you have any insight, I'd love to hear it.

Ryan had asked if this idea had ever come up before -- we're almost certain it has in some way, but as we were thinking about it we couldn't point to a specific instance.

A quick take on the idea: A farmers' market in the park might work, though there would be organizational (Who runs its?) and logistical (What about Park Playhouse?) issues to address. The overall question we come back to is whether there's enough room for another entry in the already crowded local farmers'-market market. It's not just a matter of there being enough customers to go around, it's also about whether there are enough farms with the resources necessary to show up each week at an Albany market and contribute to a critical mass of vendors. If you're a small farm, showing up at more than a few markets each weekend is probably a big stretch.

That said, there's also the possibility of induced demand. Would an Albany market add customers who wouldn't otherwise be shopping at farmers' markets? Would that make it worthwhile for more farms to participate or expand?

Like Ryan, we're curious to hear your thoughts.

Blooming tulips, before and after

tulip2016 bloom before after static

It's prime tulip season, so we put together another around of "sliding" before-and-after photos of the tulip beds in Washington Park.

The pre-bloom photos are from April 22. And the post-bloom photos are from Friday, April 29.

The tulips be at their peak this coming week. And thanks to the snapback cold a few weeks ago, it looks like many of them will be around for Tulip Fest.

Happy spring.

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Birding in Washington Park

wood ducks in Washington Park

A pair of wood ducks in the Washington Park lake this week.

By Julie Madsen

The Capital Region is a very wild place -- and not just on Lark Street around 2 am.

Many colorful and fascinating birds call this place home. And spring is a migratory season for birds, a time in which a lot of our noisy old friends rejoin us from the south. If you take a closer look you'll get to know quite a few avian residents.

A great place to start birding is Washington Park, right in the middle of the city of Albany...

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The Half Moon Market is set to return this spring

the half moon market 2015-fall

The Half Moon Market is set to return to the Washington Park Lake House April 23 and 24. It touts itself as "a unique two-day marketplace event featuring some of the region's best artists and makers of handmade goods."

The first market as last fall and featured more than 30 region vendors selling art, handmade jewelry, ceramics, stationery, soaps, and other items. Here's a photo gallery. The list of vendors for the April market will be posted soon, according to the website.

April 23 and 24 are a Saturday and Sunday. The market is set to be open 11 am-6 pm both days.

photo: Half Moon Market Instagram

Update on the Albany skate park plan

Go Skate Day previous year

From previous Go Skate Day in Washington Park.

This Saturday is Go Skate Day in Albany's Washington Park and it could be a big day for the future of the proposed Albany skate park.

"Tomorrow is an opportunity," city recreation department commissioner Jonathan Jones told us today. "Tomorrow's our shot to show the city, to show everyone, that a skate park is possible in Albany."

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Speed bumps for Washington Park?

Google Map of 42.6567118,-73.7717265

Alison emails with a question that's not exactly an Ask AOA question so much as an idea:

Should there be speed bumps in Washington Park? People often fly through there like it's the highway, which is really unsafe for everyone who uses the park. A couple years ago, I was there when a dog ran into the street and was hit by a car going way too fast. The dog should not have darted out in front of traffic of course, but in a park these things can happen, and wouldn't it be best if people were driving like they were in a crowded park full of kids, bikers, walkers, and pets?
The 'driver must stop' signs in the crosswalks aren't really working, and drivers often speed up to avoid having to stop when they see someone trying to cross. So, speed bumps in the park...friend or foe?

Alison's idea reminded us of something Albany Bagel floated earlier this year (in addition to speed bumps): car-free Saturdays in Washington Park.

For whatever reason, car/pedestrian interactions have been a frequent topic of discussion in Albany in recent years. (Whether that's a result of increased issues or increased awareness is a good question.) And city leaders have said the push for red light cameras grew out of hearing neighborhood groups consistently express concerns about traffic safety issues.

So, thoughts on whether this is a step in a good direction?

Tulips, before the bloom and after

washington park tulips 2015 before after
The "sliding" photos are after the jump.

We're right in the heart of tulip season, so we thought it'd be fun to put together some "sliding before and after" photos of the Washington Park tulips.

The pre-bloom photos are from April 27 -- so, almost two weeks ago -- when almost none of the tulips were in bloom. The post-bloom photos are from this morning.

Happy Tulip Fest.

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Tulip Festival 2015 music lineup

the kooks smiling

The Kooks

Here's the music schedule for this year's Tulip Festival. The headliner is the britpop/rock band The Kooks.

A quick scan version of the music slates for both the main and local stages -- along with embedded videos of the acts -- is post jump. As usual, the lineup includes both national and local acts.

As you know, Tulip Fest includes a bunch of events, including the crowning of the new Tulip Queen. Here's the full event schedule.

Tulip Fest is Mother's Day weekend, which is May 9 and 10 this year.

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Today's moment of winter, before and after

snowstorm 2015-01-27 before and after

There are sliding before-and-after photos at that link below.

Monday afternoon ahead of the forecasted icy, snowy apocalypse we snapped a few "before" pics. And then Tuesday afternoon we snapped a few after pics.

Mix to combine, and... today's moment(s) of winter, sliding between before and after.

That time Albany had a castle made of ice

albany winter carnival 1888 ice palace

Check out this ice castle built in Albany's Washington Park in 1888. It's via the collection of the Albany Institute of History and Art, which posted the photo on its FB page Thursday.

The "ice palace of considerable size," as it was described at the time, was constructed in mid January of 1888 at the corner of Madison and Lake avenues east of what was then (and still is) the tennis grounds for a winter carnival.

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Follow up: Albany skatepark planning

albany skatepark public meeting 2014-11-13

From the public meeting at Bleecker Stadium.

Quick follow up on the plan for the Albany skatepark, from a packed public meeting about it Thursday evening:

+ The current plan is to get a plan. As Albany city recreation commissioner Jonathan Jones told the crowd: "This is in the infancy stage."

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Albany planning a skatepark for Washington Park

go skateboarding day 2013

From Go Skateboarding Day in Washington Park in 2013.

The city of Albany announced Thursday that a skate park is being planned for Washington Park. And there's a public info session about it lined up for Thursday, November 13 from 6-8 pm at Bleecker Stadium. From a press release:

Department of Recreation staff will provide a brief overview of the planning effort and an introduction the city's vision for the proposed skateboard park at Washington Park. The public is invited to provide suggestions on issues, impacts and considerations that should be addressed in the creation of a draft plan and draft environmental impact statement.
People unable to attend the meeting may provide written comments by Friday, November 28, 2014 to: Elisabeth Draper, Deputy Commissioner, City of Albany Department of Recreation, 7 Hoffman Ave, Albany, NY 12209.

Draper* says the city is looking at converting four currently underutilized tennis courts into the skatepark. That location -- "The Blue Banks" -- has been used for Go Skateboarding Day events in the past.

A skate park for Albany has been on the wish list of a lot of skaters for a long time. As Dylan Longton, the local organizer of Go Skateboarding Day, pointed out to us last year, skaters get hassled for skating at places like the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, but the city lacks a place where it's explicitly allowed.

"I'm stoked on the movement finally," Longton said to us Thursday via text, adding he'd like to offer input on the design of the park. "[The] location is perfect and a lot of skateparks are made on old washed up tennis courts and the way the Blue Banks are it is already a great foundation to have something to offer for all styles of skating and bmxing."

Added Longton in a follow-up text: "And a shoutout to Trev [Trevor Culley] at Seasons Skateshop for going to the council meetings and staying with the skatepark movement."

Earlier on AOA:
+ In the park for Go Skateboarding Day
+ A concrete vision of the future for skateparks in the Capital Region?

*Elisabeth Draper has written for AOA a few times in years past.

Washington Park's former life

albany archives washington park cemetery overlay

Historical fact of the day, because Halloween: The site of what is now Albany's Washington Park was once a cemetery -- a rather large cemetery.

The image above was created by Albany Archives. It's an overlay of a map of the old cemetery on Washington Park. It covered a big portion of what's now the park.

A few years back Paula Lemire wrote about the "State Street Burying Grounds" over at Albany History. A clip:

The State Street Burying Ground, founded in 1800 as an alternative to the overcrowded churchyards and private family graveyards, was located at the present park's northeast corner. Enclosed by a ten-foot high wooden fence, the grounds were divided into four large section for various churches, as well as an area set aside for strangers, African-Americans, and deceased persons not associated with any religious congregations. Graves from a number of smaller burial grounds were relocated here as progress encroached on downtown churchyards, raising the real estate value of land previously dedicated to the dead.
Within a few decades, however, the State Street Burying Ground was already in serious decline. The high mortality rate of the early 19th-century, combined with epidemics such as an 1832 cholera outbreak, had resulted in a badly overcrowded graveyard. The fence had suffered from neglect and vandalism, livestock wandered freely among graves, headstones were stolen or damaged, and immigrant gangs used the forlorn spot for violent brawls.
After the opening of the Rural Cemetery in 1844, the State Street Burying Grounds' condition became so pitiful that it was deemed "in the highest decree discreditable to the city authorities and the churches interested." A future Superintendent of Albany's parks later recalled that there was "a mouldy and neglected air about the place."

The situation eventually prompted the Common Council to close the cemetery, and the graves -- said to be 40,000 in number -- were moved to the then-new Albany Rural Cemetery all the way out in the far, far reaches in would come to be called Menands.

Of course, the Albany Rural Cemetery still exists (even if it's no longer rural). And it's a nice place to walk as you take in the monuments to the many Albany-famous figures from the past.

Earlier on AOA: Capital Region haunts

"This is the hat."

woman in hat Washington Park 1910

Think of it as today's moment of summer -- 104 years ago: "Annie Ray Andrews modeling hat at Washington Park in Albany, New York."

The photo is from a collection at the Florida Memory project related to Koreshan Unity, a "communal utopia" group that eventually found its way to Florida after stops in New York and Chicago. Its leader, reportedly prompted by a vision involving a beautiful woman, had some rather unusual views about the world.

From a biographical note about Andrews on the photo: "Daughter of Dr. A.W.K. & Virginia Andrews. Born May 6, 1879 in Binghamton, New York. She played in the Koreshan Unity orchestra. Died 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

And a handwritten note on the back of the photo: "This is the hat."

[via The Commons on Flickr]

photo: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Tulip power rankings

Washington Park tulips 2014

The storied arena.

Tulip season is very much underway in the flowers beds of Albany's Washington Park. There are still several varieties yet to bloom, but there were plenty of tulips to gawk at Wednesday afternoon.

So who's out to the early lead in this ultra-competitive floral venue? Which blooms are lowering the boom on the competition?

Let's go to the early season power rankings...

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Tulip Festival 2014 music lineup

mike doughty on couch

Update: Mike Doughy has been subbed in for MS MR.

Updated May 9

The schedule for this year's Tulip Festival is out. The music headliner this year is the indie pop duo MS MR. They've been replaced by Mike Doughty -- see update below.

A quick scan version of the music slates for both the main and local stages -- along with embedded videos of the acts -- is post jump. As usual, the lineup includes both national and local acts.

As you know, Tulip Fest includes a bunch of events, including the crowning of the new Tulip Queen. Here's the full event schedule.

Tulip Fest is May 10 and 11 this year.

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In the park for Go Skateboarding Day

washington park go skateboarding day

We stopped by Washington Park in Albany today for national Go Skateboarding Day. A bunch of ramps and rails were set up at the basketball courts, and a few hundred skaters were taking advantage of the setup and the perfect weather.

This local event was organized by 22-year-old Dylan Longton, who's hoping it will help focus attention on the need for a skatepark in the city.

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Portraits of tulips

double beauty of apeldoorn tulip closeup portrait

That's Double Beauty of Apeldoorn to you.

By Casey Normile

Sure, you've seen plenty of tulips. But do you really know them?

Intrigued by these famous floral personalities from Washington Park, we had them sit for portraits -- and a look into their psyches...

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In the the park with the tulips

Tulip Festival 2013 panorama clip

Check it out: An aerial view of the tulip beds near the Moses statue in Washington Park. The image above is just a section of the photo. We've also embedded a large, zoomable version of the whole photo.

The photo was taken by Robert Eastman. His company -- Ground Aerial -- takes low-altitude aerial images using a 60-foot extendable mast topped with camera equipment. As he said to us in an email today: "[W]e were in Albany on Tuesday working on a project. Since the weather forecast for this weekend doesn't look so great, I thought I'd stop by Washington Park and enjoy the tulips on a nice sunny day. I couldn't rest breaking out the equipment and getting a panoramic shot from the air."

(Thanks, Robert!)

Drawing: Tickets to Champagne on the Park

champagne on the park 2013 logo

Drawing's closed! Winner's been emailed!

We're starting off the week with two things that make us happy -- tulips and champagne bubbles.

It's Tulip Festival week, and that means this Thursday is the annual Champagne on the Park event, in Albany's Washington Park. It's what it sounds like: sipping champagne, nibbling tasty treats, and taking in the tulips in Washington Park before the crowds descend.

And AOA has a pair of tickets to give away. Maybe to you.

To enter, please answer the following question in the comments of this post:

Tulips have some interesting names like Queen of the Night and Russian Princess. Some are also named after people -- there's a Dorothy Hamill and a Diana (for the princess). There's even a Donald Duck tulip. What would you name a tulip?

And if you'd like to describe this tulip as well, go for it. We'll draw one winner at random.

Champagne on the Park is this Thursday (May 9) from 5:30-9:30 pm, and includes complimentary champagne, wine, hors' d'oeuvres from Lark Street BID merchants, and music by the Graham Tichy Quartet. The event is a fundraiser for the arts programs run by the Lark Street BID throughout the year. Tickets are $60, or $100 per couple, if you buy them in advance. If you buy them at the event, they're $70 per person and $120 per couple.

Important: All comments must be submitted by 10 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 to be entered in the drawing. You must answer the question to be part of the drawing. (Normal commenting guidelines apply.) One entry per person, please. You must enter a valid email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winner will be notified via email by noon on Tuesday and must respond by 10 am on Wednesday, May 8.

AOA is a media sponsor for Champagne on the Park

UAlbany presidents residence for sale

UAlbany President's Residence

The exterior this past January.

Now on the market: 5 Englewood Place in Albany -- also known as the UAlbany presidents residence. List price for the mansion on the edge of Washington Park: $625,000.

From the listing:

Absolutely stunning home. Original details abound: working pocket doors, moldings, hand hewn beams and the list goes on. Beautiful gourmet kitchen with 6 burner Viking range, KitchenAid double wall oven, a huge Bosch refrigerator, and granite galore. Nicely appointed and updated bathrooms. The outdoor space is just as impressive with in-ground pool, huge 1.55 acre yard and mature gardens. This home is in excellent condition and is a must see.

There are a bunch of photos at the listing page, many of which highlight some beautiful details (the stairway is pretty great). The house is 6,000 square feet, with 9 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, according to the listing. The agent is TL Metzger's Sam Critton.

The house has been the UAlbany presidents residence since 1998, when it was bought by the University at Albany Foundation for $650k. The university news item at the time notes the home was designed by Robert W. Gibson, the architect who designed the Cathedral of All Saints near the Capitol.

Current UAlbany president Robert Jones doesn't live in the house -- he and wife are living in a condo at 17 Chapel in downtown Albany (immediate past president George Philip did live there). Back in January Karl Luntta -- UAlbany's director of media relations -- told us Jones and his wife decided to live downtown just because of "personal preference." And the University at Albany Foundation was "determining how [the property] can serve the university and exploring all options for the property." (We have a request in asking what prompted the sale.)

Also for sale in the neighborhood: The nearby "castle" at 10 Thurlow Terrace (map). List price: $1.15 million.

(Thanks, Sarah)

Follow up: 27 Western

looking into unit at 27 Western

Let's have a peek inside...

Follow up gawking: the developers for the 27 Western residential conversion project in Albany emailed us recently to let us know the project was almost finished -- and asked if we'd like to have a look.

As we mentioned back in August, we're always curious about these sorts of re-purposing projects. In this case it's a former school building being turned into apartments.

So, yeah, let's have a look...

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The Soldiers and Sailors Monument

soldiers and sailors monument front

By Casey Normile

Sometimes you drive by something so often, you don't even really see it anymore. A historical monument that once drew thousands to the city becomes just as much a part of the landscape as a Dunkin' Donuts.

You've probably noticed that a large stone monument in Washington Park near Henry Johnson Boulevard.

What is that? And why is it there?

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Today's moment of early autumn

washington park moses autumn flowers 2012

Yep, we said autumn.

Breaking news: The late summer/autumn flowers in Washington Park are beautiful this year.

Related news: Does anyone know the name of those weird plants in the foreground? They're kind of alien in a wonderful way. (Another photo post jump.)

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In the park, action!

the perfect color shoot Washington Park

Setting up a shot.

We were walking through Washington Park this week when we happened upon... a movie shoot. (You know, just a usual day in the park.)

The shoot was for an indie film called The Perfect Color, directed by local filmmaker Justin Halstead. The project raise more than 16,000 on Kickstarter earlier this year. It started production this week, the whole movie will be shot in Albany.

From the plot synopsis:

Chance encounters with Jane over the next few days force Bill to relive his past. The world seems to take on whatever color she happens to be wearing when he sees her. The more Bill gets to know her, the more he sees her imperfections. She's supporting a drug habit by shacking up with Bill's closest thing to a friend, RASHID, a raunchy loud-mouth with expensive tastes. This news brings Bill to the brink, the point of no return, where he must decide whether to retreat and continue living in black-and-white nothingness or accept Jane for who she is and take a chance on imperfect color of life.

27 Western Ave

27 Western Ave

The former school building is at Western Ave, Robin Street, and Washington Ave -- it faces Robin.

We've been watching the activity at 27 Western Ave in Albany recently. The property -- which is across from Washington Park, adjacent to the downtown UAlbany campus -- is a former school. It's currently undergoing a residential conversion project.

Always curious about these sorts of re-purposing projects, we talked with the development company. And here's what's up.

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Ballin' at the Graveyard

Ballin at the Graveyard  Dunk.jpg

Ballin' at the Graveyard opens Friday at The Spectrum

Every subculture has its own nuances, unwritten rules, set of characters. And after watching Ballin' at the Graveyard, you're likely to think about the subculture of pick-up basketball every time you pass a busy court.

The documentary, created by local pick-up baller Basil Anastassiou and director Paul Kentoffio, is billed as "a gritty, intimate look into the culture and community of pickup basketball as told by a group of hardcore ballers at Albany NY's Washington Park." The film examines the scene at the basketball court there known as "The Graveyard," looking at the lives of some of the men who play there.

The film opens Friday for a limited run at The Spectrum. Anastassiou and Kentoffio took a few minutes to talk with us about the film, rules of the court, the importance of trash talk -- and taking it to Mario Cuomo.

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What's missing at the downtown office

Bars on Windows.jpg

Insecure.

By AOA Mary

The important thing is that nobody got hurt.

That's the important thing. Right?

No injuries, no fatalities and nothing was taken that can't be replaced.

Well, almost nothing.

One early morning about a week ago, while I allowed myself an extra hour to sleep off some jet lag, and my husband got ready for work, a neighbor knocked on our door. He'd noticed a teenage girl wearing ripped pants and a backpack slip out of our back alley.

Now there's only one way into the alley, and he didn't see her enter. He asked her some questions but he wasn't comfortable with the answers, so he knocked on a few doors to see if everything was alright.

It wasn't.

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It's Capital Pride Week

capital pride parade 2011 sebastienThe annual Capital Pride celebration is this week (it actually started this past weekend). As usual, there's a full slate of events and activities all this week.

For a lot of people the highlight of Capital Pride is the Pride Parade and Festival. It's this Sunday in Albany's Washington Park. The parade starts at noon at State Street and Sprague Street, heads down State, turns right on Lark, and then right on Madison back up to the entrance of Washington Park (map). And check it out: AOA Mary will be one of the parade float judges this year.

The festival starts right after the parade in the park. The headliner entertainment this year is American Idol finalist Kimberly Locke.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Last year, Leigh wrote about why Capital Pride is one of her favorite local events
+ Capital Pride parade photos 2011

photo: Sebastien Barre

Washington Park tulips are early -- and beautiful

Bloom.

The tulips in Albany's Washington Park are at their peak. Officially. The city actually sent out a press release today to make sure the word got around because the flowers are so early this year.

That's a little funny, but it speaks to how much tulips are part of Albany's identity. And people would be disappointed if they missed out.

We stopped by the park today to check out the blooms. We ran into Jessica Morgan, Albany's new city gardener. She got dealt tough hand in her first year.

"It's terrible luck!" she said to us, laughing, as we watched people admire the beds of flowers.

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Tulip check

early tulips washington park moses 2012-04-12

We stopped by Washington Park today for a tulip check. A bunch of beds are already blooming -- and it looks another batch will be open during the next week or so.

This year's Tulip Festival is a month from today.

Apparently the tulips didn't get the memo.

Earlier on AOA: Tulip Fest 2012 lineup and schedule

Tulip Fest 2012 lineup and schedule

fountains of wayne

Fountains of Wayne. Let's hope they don't need the scarves in May.

The lineup for this year's Tulip Festival was announced today -- Fountains of Wayne is the headliner. And some tribute bands.

Tulip Fest is May 12 and 13 this year (Mother's Day weekend, as always).

The full lineup -- with a schedule of events -- is after the jump.

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Local Harvest Festival

local harvest festival logo 2011The annual Local Harvest Festival will be back in Washington Park in Albany October 2 (that's a Sunday). The festival features a bunch of local producers selling sample and items. You'll recognize a lot of the names: Battenkill Creamery, Our Daily Eats, All Good Bakers, Cowbella, Bros Tacos. And the Chefs Consortium is also involved this year.

There's also music and other activities. The festival is organized by Honest Weight Food Co-op. It's a fun time.

AOA was a media sponsor of last year's festival, and we're doing so again this year.

A fast 5k around Albany

This video is fun. It's like running the Freihofer's -- but, you know, without the actual running.

[via Unspeakable Visions]

Tulip Fest 2011 photos

Bennett and Sebastien sent along nice photo sets from the Tulip Festival.

A handful of photos from the sets are after the jump. Re-live the flowers, the music, the lassos...

(there's more)

The Moses fountain in Washington Park

Moses statue Washington park Albany

And thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.

By Carl Johnson

Anyone in Albany knows the Moses fountain in Washington Park. But few know how this biblical tableau came to be one of the most striking features of the park, or why it is called the King Memorial Fountain.

So, why is this splendid fountain there -- and whom does it memorialize?

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Cold War Kids to play at Tulip Fest

cold war kids

Cold War Kids. Obligatory black-and-white photo of indie dudes standing in front of a wall.

The music lineup for this year's Tulip Fesitval includes...

... and a handful of others. The full schedule is pasted after the jump.

Also this year: new rules for alcohol. No alcoholic beverages will be allowed to be brought in (under threat of bag and cooler inspections) and there will be no open containers allowed. (There will be a beer garden.) [TU]

The Tulip Festival is May 7 and 8.

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Caroling in Washington Park

washington park moses backlitIf your holidays have been missing caroling, you're in luck. A group is getting together in Albany's Washington Park tomorrow to help spread some holiday cheer:

On Wednesday December 22nd, at 6:00 we will be meeting in Washington Park in Albany, by the fountain. From there we will follow a route and spread some holiday cheer with our chorus of song. Included is a link to a google doc for the PDF of the song lyrics. Print it out, dress up warm, and come on out!
Invite everyone you know, the more the Merrier!

(Thanks, Marcie and everyone!)

Bonus random caroling fact: The term "wassailing" refers to both the 16th century practice of carolers singing for Christmas treats (figgy pudding, for example) -- and singing to apple orchards with the aim of helping the trees thrive. [Wikipedia]

About that smoke coming from Washington Park...

washington park car fire

New car smell? Totally gone.

If you were around Washington Park in Albany this afternoon around 4 pm, you might have seen dark smoke billowing out of the park.

The smoke was from a car fire. Firefighters told us One of the passengers told us they were driving to the park and the car, for some unknown reason, just started smoking. They stopped the car at Henry Johnson, everyone hopped out and they called 911. No one got hurt.

Except for the car. As you can see above, it's pretty well toasted. The interior is completely burned out -- all that's left of the seats are the metal frames.

A few more pics after the jump.

[via @ElizabethEss]

(there's more)

Capital Pride 2010 photos

capital pride 2010 butterfly

The rain didn't dampen spirits.

Sebastien along a good photoset from the Capital Pride parade this past weekend. Be sure to catch the rest on his photo blog.

photo: Sebastien B

As the wind blows through your....

naked bike ride 2009

Does a helmet count as clothing?

The local (unclothed) leg of the World Naked Bike Ride (might not be safe for work) is at 1 pm Saturday in Washington Park in Albany.

This is the second year in Albany for the event, which is intended as a protest of society's "indecent exposure" to cars and fossil fuels. As Sebastien found out last year, a more accurate name is probably "The World Scantily-clad ride."

The wiki for the Albany ride reports there were 14 riders here last year.

(Thanks, S!)

photo: Sebastien B

Road closures and parking restrictions around Washington Park this weekend


The roads that will be closed for part of Saturday | View in a larger map

There are a bunch of parking restrictions and road closures in/around Washington Park this weekend because of the Freihofer's Run for Women.

The full list is after the jump.

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Tulip Fest 2010 photos

tulip fest 2010 OK Go

OK Go

Via Sebastien and Jason come a whole bunch of good photos from Tulip Fest.

Sebastien's set includes a lot of crowd shots from the main stage area. Jason's set has photos from the both the main stage and the lake house stage.

Sunday's high temp was 47 -- that's 21 degrees lower than the normal high. And it rained on Saturday. As Jason emailed: "I was glad i brought my raincoat, because getting hailed on sucks."

And from @OKGo on Saturday: "Albany, we stopped the rain just for you. Now lets get ready to celebrate these here tulips..."

Update: But, wait, there's more. Flickr user glittergirrll has a bunch of photos from the main stage, and here are some OK Go photos from Rob.

photo: Sebastien B

Lark Tavern benefit

lark taven benefit posterThere's a "Rock to Rebuild the Lark Tavern" benefit coming up May 22 at the Washington Park lake house. On the schedule for the event: music, food, an art auction and a silent auction. Tickets are $10.

If you have goods or services to donate, contact Jasen Von Guiness: jvg |at| albanysociety |dot| org.

If you have art you'd like to donate for the auction, contact Samson Contompasis at the Marketplace Gallery: TheMarketplaceGalleryNY |at| gmail |dot| com.

To volunteer: larktavern.volunteer |at| gmail |dot| com

Earlier on AOA: Fire at Lark Tavern

Sea of tulips

Here's a warm-up for this weekend's Tulip Fest: Paul has posted a good photoset of tulips from Washington Park.

There are some great close-ups in the short set. Be sure to catch the insect covered in pollen.

photo: Paul Gallo

Go see the tulips

tulips moses in the background

They're ready for their closeup. Right now.

Don't wait until Tulip Fest weekend. Go this weekend. Or, if not this weekend, sometime during the next week.

The tulips in Washington Park are in bloom. They look great right now. And if you go during the next week, you won't have to elbow people out of the way wait patiently to see them up close.

Where to have a small wedding?

rose garden schenectady

The rose garden in Schenectady's Central Park.

A crowd member approached us -- in real life! -- recently with a question about places to hold a small wedding ceremony in the Capital Region. She's looking for a pretty place to gather about eight or ten people for a small, quiet ceremony.

A few places that came to mind are after the jump. We're hoping you'll have some suggestions, too.

(there's more)

The Thanksgiving fog

washington park fog

Creepy and beautiful.

Not to be confused with turkey hangover. Emails Sebastien:

Something weird happened [Thursday] night. I was outside until about 10:30PM, came back home, and decided to go back out to buy something at the corner an hour later. The temperature had suddenly dropped about 5 to 8 degrees, instantly creating a dense "flash" fog in Center Square. It did last about an hour. I grabbed my camera and walked to Washington Park. It was creepy and beautiful.

Here's the slideshow on Flickr. The photos really are eerie.

photo: Sebastien B

Even statues fear the flu

statue flu

She didn't get a flu shot, either.

Both Peter and Eileen sent us pics of the statue on the memorial in Washington Park yesterday afternoon. As you can see in the photo above, the statue is wearing a mask. Emailed Eileen:

Spotted this sight on a walk through Washington Park today ... [and] ask you and your readers - why?
Is it a reference to the silencing of the statue? Or does she have swine flu? Or something I haven't thought of yet?

Our first thought upon the seeing the pic was that the mask was a flu reference. Peter had the same thought.

Anyone have the scoop?

By the way: it doesn't look like getting the mask on that statue was a quick hit. It probably involved a bit of climbing -- see the other photo from Eileen (after the jump).

(Thanks, Eileen and Peter!)

(there's more)

Ask AOA: what's with the plastic bags?

JF, who recently moved to Albany, emails with an observation:

I've repeatedly noticed small, black plastic bags floating about in the streets and skies of Albany. I probably see these bags two to three times a week. They're about the size of a plastic grocery bag, but they appear to have no print on them. They're just plain black. And ubiquitous! I never saw anything like this in Seattle.
It's always sad to see litter, even sadder to see plastic bag litter (we can all help the environment and its critters by not using plastic bags), and downright mysterious that these same bags are everywhere. Is there some store in Albany that packages goods only in smallish black plastic bags? If I knew where these dang bags were coming from, I'd talk to the folks handing them out and try to convince them to sell reusable bags, give discounts for reusing bags, etc.

JF has spotted the bags in the Henry Johnson/Washington Park area and also in Troy.

Anyone know the scoop?

Not so smart

not so smart car

Wow.

Jennifer sent along this photo, which was taken yesterday in Washington Park. This would be a comically bad parking job just about anywhere, but near the always parking-deficient Center Square it might have caused an angry mob.

As Jennifer wrote in the email's subject line: "Smart Car, Stupid Driver."

Our first thought on seeing the photo was: "You could probably park another Smart Car in the space between the car and the curb." Not content to just speculate, we attempted to test this guess using the photo. The result is after the jump.

(there's more)

Cookout with AOA in Washington Park

bilinskis logoUpdate: The list is full! We're working on opening up more space. We've expanded the list! And it's full again!

Undaunted by this summer's weather, AOA is having a cookout in Washington Park on August 13. Among the many reasons you should add this evening of fun and free food (yes, free) to your social calendar:

The sausage

The folks from Bilinski's will be there cooking up some special all-natural chicken sausages -- so special, they're not available in stores, yet. Bilinski's is looking to get some feedback on the new products. So here's a chance to actually influence what shows up in supermarkets.

The gelato

You can follow up that sausage with some gelato from Crisan. Yep. Free gelato.

The people

As we've found out from the other get-togethers, people in the AOA crowd are interesting, smart and a lot of fun. We'd love to see you there.

The cookout starts at 5:30 pm. We'll be in the grassy area just west of the monument in Washington Park. All you need to bring is yourself and maybe a blanket or something to sit on. We'll be providing drinks, plates, napkins and all that kind of stuff.

In order to make sure we'll have enough food, we do ask that you RSVP. The list only has 50 spots on it. If you're interested, it's best to sign up early.

Washington Park's protector

Washington Park power ranger

Wildlife in the park.

Sebastien spotted this guy in Washington Park on Sunday.

He emails: "We have no clue what he was doing in Washington Park. Protecting squirrels maybe."

photo: Sebastien B

Capital Pride 2009

Capital Pride 2009

There she is, Miss Gay Albany.

Capital Pride 2009 wrapped up yesterday with the annual Washington Park festival and parade.

Sebastien has posted a photo set with a bunch of pics from the day. B's posted a handful of photos, too -- including a good one of the Bombers float and its rather large burrito.

photo: Sebastien B

Have you seen these gnomes?

park gnomes

The gnomes in question, enjoying a stroll by the lake.

Because they're hiding somewhere in Albany's Washington Park. Waiting for you.

Kim and Sebastien hid the gnomes in in the park this past weekend. From Kim's Flickr stream:

Sebastien and I set them free to frolic in the trees and bushes. Catch them if you can! And if you do, be sure to look under their feet for a secret message.

We have to admit to feeling a little conflicted about catching the little guys. As we all know, sometimes gnomes just want to get out and see the world.

photo: Sebastien B

Ice storm photos

ice storm 2008-12-12 washington park

Washington Park

A few more pics from Washington Park are after the jump. The ice brought down some pretty big parts of trees.

If you have some interesting pics from the storm, we'd love for you to post a link to them in the comments or send them along: editors |at| alloveralbany |dot| com.

(there's more)

Bike polo back and forth

Check out the video Sebastien shot of this past weekend's bike polo action in Washington Park:


Collar City Bike Polo - Albany, NY - 08, Nov from Sébastien B. on Vimeo.

(Thanks, Sebastien!)

Bike polo, anyone?

By Jessica Pasko

troy bike polo logoBike polo?

Yep. It's polo, on bikes, and it's heading across the river to Albany on Sunday.

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Lez Zeppelin tonight in Washington Park

A Led Zeppelin tribute band made up of all women*? Sure, why not. Lez Zeppelin is playing the Washington Park Lakehouse tonight as part of the Monday Nights in the Park series. We were curious, and maybe you are, too -- here's a clip of them playing Dazed and Confused:

We gotta say -- the bare midriff looks better on her than Robert Plant.

The show starts at 6 pm. Ten Year Vamp opens. And, yep, it's free.

*As Jess pointed out, all-female tribute bands are big right now. Among the great names: The Iron Maidens, Hell's Belles (AC/DC), The Ramonas, Cheap Chick.

Aimee Mann in Washington Park

Aimee Mann

Albany's Monday Nights in the Park concert series has a great show lined up for tonight. Aimee Mann is headlining the night. (Yes, the Aimee Mann.) That's pretty cool all by itself, but it gets better: the show is free.

Things kick off at 6 pm in the amphitheater at the Washington Park Lakehouse. Make sure you get there in time to catch the opening act -- it's local singer/songwriter/guitarist Ashley Pond.

(Bonus: the Albany Rickshaw guy will also be there tonight.)

photo: AimeeMann.com

Tuning in tulips and zoning out

A "long picture" of some tulips in Washington Park. It's kind of like taking a 55 second vacation at your desk.

Igniting Albany's floating, burning tulip

Dr. Z with flaming handsMore Mission Impossible than 1812 Overture. That's what Dr. Gary Zeller (that's him on the right holding the fire) says it will look like in Washington Park on Friday night, when Mayor Jerry Jennings ignites "Night Fire", aka Albany's floating, burning tulip.

Gary Zeller (alias Dr. Z.) is a chemist, entertainer, pyrotechnics expert and the owner of the environmental technology company Zeller International. He did the special effects for "Dawn of the Dead" and won an Academy Award for the development of Zel Jel, a fireproof substance that protects stunt people.

He's also the guy who figured out how to make "Night Fire" burn.

AOA talked with Dr. Z about how to burn down a giant tulip display without, you know, burning down everything else around it.

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Floating in Washington Park

skateboard jumping in Washington Park

Trust me... it's gonna be awesome!

Check out this photo set from Flickr user jaki byard -- it's a bunch of shots of people skating in Washington Park this past weekend. We love the way the photos capture the skaters mid-flight, like they're floating.

photo: Flickr user jaki byard, used under a CC license

A little more about Albany's floating, burning tulip. Because we just had to know.

WaterFire Providence

A scene from WaterFire Providence in 2006

Like Nicki, we too were intrigued by the thought of a floating, burning tulip. It turns out that floating, burning art is sort of a thing right now.

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The Scoop

For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.

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