Quality events for this weekend
Friday October 23
high 55º low 29º, sunny
Friday Fresh at The Pickle: With Trojan Horns, DJ AYO.
Hellseeker Goth Nite: Halloween Dance at No Fun: Halloween goth dance party. With Hellseeker DJs.
Built To Spill, Quasi, Melanie Radford at Empire Live: Fall 2026 Tour. Indie rock.
Deveria, Outta My Head, Cratos, Cause of Death, End of Man at Empire Underground: Prog metal, hard rock, metal.
Whose Live Anyway? at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall: Improv comedy.
Jessimae Peluso at Albany Funny Bone: Stand-up comedy.
Los Lobos, Jamie McLean Band at The Egg: Roots rock, Chicano rock, soul, blues.
Bearly Dead at Putnam Place: Jam, Grateful Dead tribute.
Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band at Caffè Lena: Americana, folk. Sold out.
RISE Rocky Horror Picture Show at Universal Preservation Hall: Interactive screening with audience participation, a prop bag and popcorn included, plus a costume contest and raffles. General admission sold out.
Monster Prom with Shannon Tehya & Keegan James at Lark Hall: Halloween prom and costume contest with live performances. Pop, funk, jazz, R&B.
Nocturnne at The Eleven: Monster Prom pre-show. Indie folk. Free.
Constellating Wonder at SPAC: An evening of readings and music with Maria Popova, Krista Tippett, Zoë Keating, Joan As Police Woman and a contribution from Nick Cave.
Ghost Hunting at 48 Hudson: Ghost hunting at Albany’s oldest house, the Van Ostrande-Radliff House.
The Halloweentown Debates: A Comedy of Terrors! at Van Dyck Music Club: Improv comedy where movie monsters debate for Halloweentown office — Dracula vs. Edward Cullen for mayor — plus a costume contest.
Fall exhibitions at the University Art Museum: Three shows on view: Howard Schwartzberg: Volume, Surface, Core; mosie romney: ash, whistle & redress; and Invitation to the Light Factory, by Suzan Frecon & Marcella Durand. Free.
Saturday October 24
high 58º low 30º, sunny
Saturdayyee at The Pickle: With Tarik Shah & Garland Rucker live band, DJ Show.
Band Olympics 2: Gay Chicken, Haphazard, Agnostic Goblin, Dog Bites Dark, Fibula, Stardust Meatbags at No Fun: Byrdhouse Records’ 8th anniversary show. Randomly assembled local bands compete with fifteen minutes of original music; the audience votes and the winner gets a free recording session at Tummy Rub Records.
Quadeca, Derby at Empire Live: Life 1 Tour. Experimental hip-hop, indie rock.
The Erotics, Horror Business, Brother T & The Boys, 3DB at Empire Underground: Halloween Bash. Sleaze rock, horror punk, rock & roll, punk.
The 4th Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase! at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall: Local musicians perform new original songs about Capital Region crimes and macabre tales.
New York’s Illest: Capital Region Breaking Championship at The Egg: Breaking championship with judges and a vendor marketplace.
Jessimae Peluso at Albany Funny Bone: Stand-up comedy.
Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band at Caffè Lena: Americana, folk. Sold out.
The Last Lap Market at Putnam Place: Spooky season oddities and vintage market with tarot readers and flash tattoos. Free.
The Warped Tour Band, All the Blink Things, Fake Out Boy at Putnam Place: Emo, pop-punk.
Diwali Festival of Lights at Empire State Plaza: Live music and dance, rangoli, henna, a vendor fair and fireworks. Free.
Murder at Cherry Hill Tours at Historic Cherry Hill: True-crime tour of the 1827 Cherry Hill murder.
Field of Horrors: Haunted hayrides, trails and attractions in Troy.
Double M Haunted Hayrides: Haunted hayride and attractions in Ballston Spa.
Night Terrors Haunted Farm: Haunted hayrides, trails and a haunted village in Schoharie.
Driftwood, The Mallett Brothers Band at Lark Hall: Folk rock, Americana, roots rock.
Masquerave IV: Carnivale Nocturne at Universal Preservation Hall: Fourth annual masquerade rave with Regard, DJ Prophet and Shane Stiel. Electronic, dance.
25th Annual Saratoga Fall Festival at Downtown Saratoga Springs: Trick-or-treating at downtown shops, a pumpkin roll, a scavenger hunt and live music. Free.
Albany’s Trick or Trot Pumpkin Run 5K at Washington Park: Costume 5K with a free pre-party in the park.
Galloween: Dracula’s Masquerade Ball at Evermore Hall: Girls Upstate’s women’s masquerade ball.
Art D’Echo + 3 at Van Dyck Music Club: “Miles at the Van Dyck” — a Miles Davis centennial celebration of the Kind of Blue-era sextet, with Brian Patneaude, Dylan Canterbury and Keith Pray joining the trio. Jazz.
Sunday October 25
high 61º low 35º, sunny
Sunday Sessions at The Pickle: Open Decks.
Open Mic Night, Hellavision Television Film Showing at No Fun: Open mic night and a Hellavision film showing. Free.
Texas Hippie Coalition, VaterSon at Empire Underground: Red dirt metal, hard rock.
ESYO: Grounded in Story at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall: Empire State Youth Orchestra concert.
Hocus Pocus Tribute Drag Brunch at Albany Funny Bone: Drag brunch hosted by Lady Celestina.
Open House at The Egg: Full-building Halloween open house with a candy scavenger hunt, screenings of The Addams Family and Hocus Pocus, a kids costume contest, arcade games, DJs, and The Lodger with a live score by Morricone Youth. Free.
Aleksi Campagne at Caffè Lena: Indie folk.
Tarot Reading at Nine Pin Cider: Tarot readings at the cidery.
All Weekend
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire at MVP Arena: Monster trucks and freestyle motocross, Saturday and Sunday.
Carrie: The Musical at Cohoes Music Hall: Playhouse Stage Company’s musical take on Stephen King’s Carrie, running all weekend.
Renaissance Black Film Fest in Albany: Four days of screenings, panels and parties celebrating Black cinema, at the Spectrum Theatre, the Renaissance Albany Hotel and other venues.
Adirondack Sports & Northeast Ski Expo at Saratoga City Center: Ski, snowboard and winter sports expo with 100 exhibitors. Free.
Shaker Holiday Market at Shaker Heritage Society: Holiday craft market at the Shaker meeting house, running all weekend.
Evergreen things to do
Go see a movie at the Spectrum Theater. Go see some some movies and be sure to grab a drink and snack and Delaware Supply before or after.
Classes at Honest Weight Food Co-Op: Free and low-cost community classes, events, and services.
Art Omi: 120 acres of large-scale sculpture. Free to roam.
Day trip to MASS MoCA: A whole factory complex of contemporary art. Make a day of it.
Olana State Historic Site in Hudson: Frederic Church’s hilltop mansion and 250 acres of carriage roads.
Opalka Gallery: Check out the latest exhibit at Sage’s Opalka Gallery (closed Sundays and Summers).
The NYS Museum: Bunch of great exhibits and it’s right in your backyard.
Go Hiking: You live in an amazing area for hiking. Touch grass!
Go for a Walk: I like the Columbia Land Conservancy and Hudson Mohawk Land Conservancy preserves.
Go Birding: There’s tons of great spots in and around Albany. Download eBird and Merlin on your phone, grab your binoculars, and hit the trails.
Farmer’s Markets: Saturday has Troy, Saratoga, Menands (year round), Albany (July thru Sept), Delmar (May through Oct), and Colonie (May thru Sept). Sunday has Schenectady (year round), and Waterford (May through Oct).
Did I miss something? Or get something wrong? Please let me know!
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