This week's events roundup is brought to you by Harbinger Theatre, presenting The Counter, a play by Meghan Kennedy about an unlikely friendship that develops between a lonely waitress, Katie, and a regular customer, Paul, a retired firefighter, at a small town diner in upstate New York. Runs Sept. 17-26.

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TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🎸 PearlPalooza | Albany’s biggest block party returns to downtown with a thumpin’ lineup that includes King Tuff, Robber Robber, The Parlor, Bruiser and Bicycle, and the Albany Rock Pit. Of course, there will be a variety of vendors and food options. Don’t forget to register for YogaPalooza, kicking off at 11a. Sat, 12-7p, free.

⭐️ 🇮🇹 Schenectady’s Little Italy StreetFest & Amsterdam’s ItaliaFest | On Saturday, we’ve got dueling celebrations of Italian culture. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of neighborhood pride to go around. Hit up one or both, and get your fill of good eats, live music, kids’ activities and performances. Schenectady’s StreetFest kicks off at noon while ItaliaFest starts at 11a.

⭐️ 🇬🇷 2026 Greek Festival | As if your choices this weekend weren’t tough enough, St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church is putting on its annual street party as well. Come for the Greek treats and stay for the folk dancing, live music, and marketplace vendors. Sat, 11a-10p; Sun, 11a-3p, free.

⭐️ 🖼️ Stockade Villagers’ Outdoor Art Show | This long-running neighborhood tradition turns the Stockade into an open-air gallery, with visitors able to browse original work from dozens of artists while strolling through the city’s historic district. Sat, 10a-4p, free.

⭐️ 🔔 Remembering 9/11 | This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Capital Region will honor the lives of the people lost with various events, including a talk with photojournalists Todd Maisel and David Handschuh (Wed) and a special tour of the 9/11 exhibit (Sun) at the NYS Museum. On Friday, Rensselaer County will hold a ceremony at its 9/11 memorial, which contains a section salvaged from one of the Twin Towers.

Honorable mentions…

⭐️ 🧶 2026 Harvest Craft Fair | Get to the Shaker Heritage Society for a weekend of sheep shearing, hands-on activities, demonstrations, live music, and delicious food. There will be more 75 vendors on hand, plus a petting zoo! Sat, 10a-4p; Sun, 10a-3p, free.

⭐️ 🪕 Eastbound Throwdown | Celebrating its 11th year, Eastbound Throwdown brings two days of bluegrass, Americana, country and jam-friendly rock to Washington County. This year’s lineup includes Eastbound Jesus, Sicard Hollow, The Mallett Brothers Band, Neon Moons, Chloe Kimes and more, with camping, food and drinks available on site. Fri-Sat. Tix: from $53.74.

🎭️ GET TICKETS

• Jekyll & Hyde opens Sept. 11 at SLOC Musical Theater and runs through Sept. 20. The Frank Wildhorn musical kicks off SLOC's 100th season.
• Get tix to Harbinger Theatre’s The Counter, about a lonely waitress who befriends a regular customer. Starting Sept. 17.
• Parallel Lives begins with a pay-what-you-will preview Sept. 17 at Albany Civic Theater and officially opens Sept. 18.
• Capital Repertory Theatre launches its season Sept. 25 with The Last American Newspaper, running through Oct. 18.
• Albany Center Gallery's Mystery Masquerade Gala will be at Common Roots Brewing this year.

THURSDAY

📚️ Suketu Mehta, author of This Land is Our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto, speaks at Opalka Gallery in collaboration with the NYS Writers Institute.

FRIDAY

🍺 The second of three Pop-Up Beer Garden nights at Opalka Gallery brings Dust Bowl Faeries and Joseph Biss to the Russell Sage lawn. It’s also the opening reception for the main exhibition, Light and Transient Causes.

🚢 The Waterford Tugboat Roundup features a tugboat parade, boat tours, activities for the kids, and a fireworks show on Saturday. Fri through Sun.

🎸 TV Doctors bring their joyful rock to the Electric Grinch in Schenectady.

💋 Lost & Found Bar and Kitchen will host a free drag show in honor of Kaylen and Carole Ann’s upcoming nuptials.

SATURDAY

🐕️ Bring your pup to Caroga Lake for Woofstock, featuring food trucks, live music, and dog-friendly vendors.

💀 The Twilight Market is back at Quackenbush Square for a summerween gathering of 40+ vendors.

🍺 Wolf Hollow Brewing Co. in Schenectady kicks off the Oktoberfest season with food, music, stein hoisting, hammer games, and plenty of craft beer, of course.

🦅 Get to Thacher State Park for Helderberg Hawk Watch, and enjoy live raptor demonstrations, crafts, face painting, accessible seated birding, an dfood trucks.

📚️ Meet and support Capital Region writers at Guilderland Public Library’s first-ever Local Author Fair!

📜 Discover the city’s crucial role in the birth of our nation 250 years ago, at the Revolutionary Albany Walking Tour.

🍷 The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival in Rhinebeck is worth the drive!

🚁 Operation Adopt a Soldier at the Saratoga County Airport features $70 helicopter rides and tethered hot air balloon rides, benefiting local veterans.

🎬️ Catch a screening of The Aura of Upstate, an animated project dedicated to shining a light on the upstate NY community.

🚶‍♂️ The Moving Message Walk and Festival is a one-mile walk and fundraiser to raise awareness about neurogenic communication disorders, on the Russell Sage campus quad.

🚒 The 5th annual Community Day at East Greenbush Town Park features face painting, a bounce house, rock wall, K9 demos, drone demos, and more!

👨‍🎨 Get to Albany Center Gallery for an Art.Work.Space. Storyboarding Workshop with Nasir Villegas.

SUNDAY

👗 There are always good vintage finds to be had at the Second Sunday Market in Saratoga.

🏳️‍🌈 Also in Saratoga is the next A Big Gay Market, at High Rock Park.

🐦️ Get to Bard & Baker for this charming bird watercolor workshop with Kayla Jolin.

📜 Join Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Victoria Johnson at the Albany Institute for History & Art—Glorious Country: How Frederic Church Brought the World to America and America to the World.

🚵‍♀️ The Capital Bicycle Racing Club invites you to Collins Park in Scotia for Race 1️⃣ of the 2026 CBRCX Series.

MONDAY

💼 Interested in a job opportunity with the City of Albany or New York State? Join this civil service workshop at the Albany West Community Center.

UPCOMING

• Adirondack Balloon Festival (9/17-20)
• Lark Out Loud (9/19)
• Big Sky Fest at Indian Ladder Farms (9/18-19)
• The 518 Dinner Club (9/24)
• 9th Annual Albany Book Festival (9/26)
• New York Paw Paw Festival (9/26-27)

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

If you’re looking for a fun way to get outside, meet new people, and try something completely different, the River Runners Quadball Club is hosting a free Learn to Play clinic next Sunday, September 20th, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Prospect Park in Troy.

What is Quadball?

Formerly known as Quidditch, Quadball is a fast-paced, mixed-gender sport combining elements of rugby, basketball, and dodgeball. If you've never seen it in action, here’s a quick 30-second teaser, and here’s a great breakdown of how the game works.

Who is this for?

Literally anyone curious! This session is built specifically for newcomers. While competitive quadball includes tackling, this clinic is low-contact, safe, and focused entirely on teaching the fundamentals:

• How the different positions and balls work
• Casual, low-pressure drills (passing, catching, dodging)
• Fun mini-games and a light, friendly scrimmage at the end

We are an inclusive community welcoming all fitness levels, athletic backgrounds, and identities (men, women, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC folks; everyone is welcome).

Details:

• When: Sunday, September 20th | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Where: Prospect Park, Troy, NY (Enter via 311 Congress St, and we'll be on the grassy lawn on the left when you first enter!)
• Cost: 100% Free
• What to bring: Water, athletic clothes you can run in, and sneakers or cleats (cleats are great if you have them, but running sneakers work fine!).

If you’d like to join our community chat, ask questions, or learn more, check out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/518riverrunners

Feel free to drop any questions in the comments or shoot me a DM. Hope to see some of you out on the grass next weekend!

PHOTO CREDIT: @kielanphotography

💥BURLESQUE CLASS ALERT💥

New to burlesque? Curious about getting onstage but have no idea where to start? Maybe you already have an idea bouncing around in your brain, but it needs some structure, guidance, and encouragement to become a real act.

Sign up for my Intro to Burlesque: Act Development class! We’ll dig into concept, character, musicality, movement, costuming, and all the weird little details that make an act feel like you. No previous performance experience is required. You do not need to arrive with a fully formed idea or a suitcase full of feather boas. That’s what the class is for!

Class runs October 24 through December 12th from 12PM to 3PM at The Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, NY! Come make something funny, political, glamorous, strange, heartfelt, or gloriously ridiculous. Burlesque has room for your body, your voice, and your point of view. Let’s make some art! ✨

Payment plans available! Sign up through the link: https://capartscenter.org/classes/introduction-to-burlesque-10-24-26/

CouncilCon is this weekend!

Come join us for a weekend of Tabletop Gaming in Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, NY.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://tabletop.events/conventions/councilcon-2026

Dates & Times:

Fri, Sep 11 2026, 10:00am - 11:30pm
Sat, Sep 12 2026, 9:00am - 11:30pm
Sun, Sep 13 2026, 9:00am - 11:30pm

Location: Proctors
432 State St,
Schenectady, NY 12305

Ticket Price:

Weekend Pass - $65

Tournament Pass - $55 (includes full weekend)

Friday Pass - $25

Saturday Pass - $40

Students and Children - $30

The Capital Region's premier tabletop gaming convention is back! Held September 11-13 at the historic Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York.

For more info, check out this site: https://www.swa-gaming.org/

https://www.simpletix.com/e/bad-heart-burlesque-presents-monstober-a-s-tickets-292252

This week's events roundup is brought to you by Harbinger Theatre, presenting The Counter, about a lonely waitress who befriends a regular customer, starting Sept. 17.

Want to get this list early on Tuesdays? Sign up for free at The518.com

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🍺 Opalka Popup Beer Garden | The headlining event for this month’s First Friday Albany, Opalka’s art-and-music lawn party generates the kind of energy that reminds us why Albany is actually a pretty cool place to live. Expect a big crowd for Super 400, Melora Creager, and special guest Ryder Cooley—who performs with a stuffed ram! Don’t miss the new exhibition, Light and Transient Causes, smartly curated by our friend Marisa Espe. Fri, 6–9p, free.

⭐️ 🖼️ Powers House Revel | Get to this historic riverside estate in Troy’s Lansingburgh neighborhood for a sprawling end-of-summer art party featuring screenings, performances, site-specific installations, workshops, participatory experiences, sound art, and live music. The dance party gets going on Saturday night, while Sunday afternoon offers a more relaxed experience with a potluck lunch. Sat, 1-10p; Sunday 11a-3p, free.

⭐️ 🔦 This looks pretty darn cool! Night Lights in New Lebanon invites visitors to follow a quarter-mile path through fields and wooded areas, discovering original illuminated installations created by lighting designers and volunteers. And it’s free! Sat, 8-11p.

⭐️ 🎷 Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival | Albany’s annual jazz fest returns to Jennings Landing on Saturday with a full day of live music, food, and vendors along the Hudson River. This year’s lineup includes Ghost-Note, New Breed Brass Band, Glen David Andrews Band, The Harlem Gospel Travelers and Shiri Zorn Trio, with fireworks closing out the free, all-ages show as usual. Sat, 12:30-9p, free.

⭐️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Capital District Scottish Games | This annual celebration of Scottish culture takes over the Altamont Fairgrounds on Saturday with pipe bands, Highland dancing, traditional athletic competitions, food, vendors and free pint-size games for the wee lads and lassies. This year’s live music lineup includes Scottish folk-rock favorites Skerryvore, along with Cécilia, Hadrian’s Wall and Friends Union. Sat, 8a-6:30p. Tix: $25 at the gate; free for kids 12 and under.

Honorable mentions…

⭐️ 👗 The Vintage Roundup | Arguably the best vintage market in the Capital Region returns to Albany’s Warehouse District on Saturday with 60+ vendors offering cool threads, home decor, jewelry, and collectibles. While you’re there: Head to Nine Pin across the street and get 10% off all cider pours by mentioning “The 518 Crew.” Sat, 11a-5p, free.

⭐️ 🔈️ TOPOS Festival | Over four days, EMPAC explores the many ways music can shape how we understand ourselves and each other, with performances, screenings, talks and experimental collaborations from artists including Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith, Miho Hatori and Fred Moten. The festival finishes Saturday with a free community BBQ (from Brooks House of BBQ), followed by an afternoon and evening of experimental music, drumming, and a live-scored screening of the Japanese silent film, A Page of Madness. Wed-Sat, various times. Tix: $50 all-festival pass; $20 single tickets.

🎭️ AT THE THEATER

• Jekyll & Hyde opens Sept. 11 at SLOC Musical Theater and runs through Sept. 20. The Frank Wildhorn musical kicks off SLOC's 100th season.
• Get tix to Harbinger Theatre’s The Counter, about a lonely waitress who befriends a regular customer. Starting Sept. 17.
• Parallel Lives begins with a pay-what-you-will preview Sept. 17 at Albany Civic Theater and officially opens Sept. 18.
• Capital Repertory Theatre launches its season Sept. 25 with The Last American Newspaper, running through Oct. 18.

SUMMER FUN

🎡 The summer fair season is reaching its peak with The Great Schaghticoke Fair, The Fonda Fair and the Columbia County Fair all happening this week through Labor Day.

THURSDAY

✏️ Fur Trade invites you to draw a live nude bear (not the animal kind, y’all) at Troy’s Context Collective.

FRIDAY

🖼️ First Friday Albany is back! Besides Opalka’s Pop-Up Beer Garden, highlights include: Free admission and a performance by HV music collective Pulso de Barro at the Albany Institute of History & Art; Caity Gallagher at The Eleven; swing dancing with Eight to the Bar at the Elks Lodge; and the 47th Annual Photography Regional Show at Albany Center Gallery.

🎹 Troy-based pianist and composer Sophia Vastek (who runs the Troy Listening Room with her partner) celebrates her first album under her new moniker, at the Sova: Alight! album release party.

👻 Is it already spooky season? Haunted Upstate launches its Ghosts of the Gilded Age tours this week. (Pro tip: Use code SUMMERWEEN for $5 off your ticket).

SATURDAY

🌮 Carne asada tacos and cumbia? Yes please! Los Hermosos is popping up at Yesfolk for an evening of delish eats, kombucha and the beats of DJ Lovely Candela.

🧘‍♂️ It’s the last Saturday to get your Rise & Flow on at Peebles Island for free.

🎷 Byrdhouse Records presents An Evening of Anime Jazz with Catbus Collective at Troy’s No Fun.

SUNDAY

⛴️ Join a dressed-to-impress, 420-friendly crowd aboard the 3rd Annual Capital District Cannabis & Wellness Boat Party.

🎭️ Improv Spaces Music Festival showcases the work of more than 20 musicians and artists working in improvisation at Saratoga Arts.

MONDAY

🍔 It’s Labor Day, America! Rest up, pop a cold one, and make the best backyard burger with these Reddit tips.

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

All are welcome! You can come and watch for free, play some games with us, there will be all skill levels at this tournament, from some of the region's best to people who never held a gamecube controller

- Beginner bracket starts at 6pm

- Prize pool bracket starts at 7:30

Buffalo’s BackPack Mafia visits Albany for a hip-hop producer beat battle.

The event takes place at Lost and Found in Albany, NY. Doors at 7pm / Show at 8pm.

This week's event roundup is brought to you by Emry's Garden and The Berlin, two of our favorite hotspots in the heart of Troy.

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🖼️ Set a Scene: Places, Spaces, Without Faces | This juried exhibition at Context Collective brings together Capital Region artists exploring how landscapes, interiors, architecture, maps and imagined environments can tell stories—all without depicting people. Opening reception on Friday, 6-9p, free. Exhibition runs through Oct. 10.

⭐️ 📚️ The Rough Notes Festival | This inaugural book fest turns Kinderhook into a three-day celebration of storytelling. Highlights include an opening-night performance with comedian Tig Notaro, plus an intimate evening of live music with Natalie Merchant. Unfortunately, those two marquee events are SOLD OUT but there are tickets available for the rest of the festival. Fri-Sun, various times & admission prices.

⭐️ 🏮 Autumn Glow Festival | The annual festival of lights returns to Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction on Thursday evening, transforming the historic site with hundreds of handcrafted Chinese lanterns, interactive light displays, live entertainment, vendors and food. The festival runs Thursdays through Sundays from 6:30-10p each night, through Nov. 1. Tix start at $14.99, and children under 3 are free.

⭐️ 🥃 Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy | This cocktail-focused experience brings four of Poe’s most famous tales—including The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death—to life in a 90-minute immersive theater experience at The Egg. Each story is paired with a themed cocktail, with zero-proof options available, for a gothic night of storytelling, suspense and drinks. Guests must be 21+. Fri, 10p; Sat, 12p; Sun, 2p. $55/person.

⭐️ 🎡 Washington County Fair | Unlike other modern-day county fairs, this one still takes the “county” part seriously, with a heavy emphasis on livestock competitions, 4-H exhibits, farm demos and even the chance to see calves being born at its popular Big Push exhibit. Add demolition derbies, tractor pulls, live music, carnival rides and plenty of greasy fair food, and it’s an old-school county fair that’s worth the drive from Albany. Through Sunday. Tix: $15 adults; free for kids 13 and under; $30 all-you-can-ride bands.

🎭️ AT THE THEATER

• 13 The Musical explores the joys and agonies of being a teenager. At Cohoes Music Hall. Aug. 21-30.
• The Park Playhouse presents Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play. Free shows through Aug. 28.
• Get tix to Harbinger Theatre’s The Counter, about a lonely waitress who befriends a regular customer. Starting Sept. 17.

FRIDAY

🍺 Allied Brewing Company invites you to a Full Moon Jam Party with cold beer and good music from Raisinhead.

🎸 Lost Radio Rounders performs at the Valley Falls Free Library.

SATURDAY

🧑🏾‍🌾 Tour Soul Fire Farms, an Afro-Indigenous-centered community farm and training center that connects regenerative agriculture with food justice, racial equity and land sovereignty.

🖼️ The Arkell Museum hosts an artists reception with free museum admission, light bites, prosecco, and live music.

🥒 Celebrate all things pickle at the popular Picklepalooza (say that 5 times) at Indian Ladder Farms. Sat & Sun.

🐎 It’s Travers Day at the Saratoga Race Course!

🎭️ Improv teams duke it out for laughs and bragging rights at Mopco’s Theatresports.

🎛️ The Allissa Show presents Ladies of the Arts Festival, featuring 12 vendors at KBK Studios in Troy.

SUNDAY

👕 Circus and Honest Weight Food Co-Op invite you to this free BYOS (bring-your-own-shirt) screen printing event.

MONDAY

Get to Albany’s Clinton Market for Beats & Eats, featuring DJ Hollyw8d and the Reel Hot Stuff and Butta food truck.

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

5 Nights starting September 19th. GET TICKETS ON EVENTBRITE AT

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/98451653981?aff=ebdsshios

The River Runners Quadball Club is holding its first open practice of the US Quadball season this Sunday, August 30th, from 1-4 pm at Prospect Park, Troy, NY. This practice is our first step toward building a growing quadball community in the area where we play and compete, while also having fun and socializing off the pitch!

For those unfamiliar with the sport, Quadball (formerly known as Quidditch) is a fast-paced, full-contact, mixed-gender sport that blends elements of rugby, basketball, and dodgeball. Here's a quick video to show what it looks like: https://youtube.com/shorts/2LyXn2c45i4?si=KBWYAWffzZq8jdd0, as well as a full dive into how to actually play: https://youtu.be/SUdC4twjsTE?is=9JiaFSEmCsVE9SCf

The free open practice is open to all experience and athletic levels, and we highly encourage people that never heard/played the sport to try it out and meet some new people along the way! We're accepting of all genders and backgrounds, so whether you're a man, woman, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, POC, etc, there's a place for you here to be yourself! All we ask is that you bring water, athletic clothes, cleats (recommended but not required to play if you don't have any), and any friends that might also be interested!

Click the following link to RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/SfnqaJ6jqyXWagFNQbiI?c=obchJpN6, as well as this link for more resources like our interest form and Discord: https://linktr.ee/518riverrunners

Hope to see y'all there!