More Than 20 Different Local Things that You & Your Family Can Do This Weekend

It looks like the weather is going to be pretty good, too.  Although, in case you’re wondering, it turns out that it was a little bit too chilly to bike to nursery school this morning, which we discovered mid-bike ride.

Don’t forget that Rumpelstiltskin and The Little Mermaid are playing this weekend–for details, check out my latest theater post.  Incidentally, according to Proctors on Facebook, there are still tickets available to see Bill Cosby .  W & I are going to the early show on Saturday night.

Friday, March 5th

• It’s the first Friday of the month!  5-9 pm is  First Friday Albany.
• Ballston Spa First Fridays is 6-9 pm.
• The Flying Kite Children’s Theatre in Saratoga will be showing Where the Wild Things Are at 5:30 pm.

Saturday, March 6th

• It’s the annual Hannaford Kidz Expo starting at 10 am.  The truth is that I have a sort of harrumphing prejudice against any place or event that intentionally misspells things.  Yes, I’m a bit of a grammar and spelling prig–if it’s in a glossy brochure, I don’t think that you should misspell it for kicks.  Don’t even get me started on Toys R Us.  But I’ll try to get over it.  There’s a ton of stuff to do here, as well as displays from all sorts of people and places who would like to advertise to you.  Actually, I’m looking at the pdf and thinking, wow, if I were more devoted, I would go just to collect information.  But I’ll be out of town.  So if you see anything cool, promise you’ll tell me about it? I’ve gone to this in the past, and it was 1) super-fun and 2) a migraine-inducing mob scene.  But hey, it’s free!
• Moreau Lake State Park has a Spring Overlook Hike from 10 am to 1 pm.  There will be some steep parts, so it might be ambitious for the little ones.  $2/person and please pre-register.
• The Barnes & Noble at Colonie Center has an 11 am story time.
• The Barnes & Noble at Mohawk Commons in Niskayuna has an 11 am Dr. Seuss story time.
• Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails will be playing at Bowtie Cinemas in Schenectady at 11 am.  It’s actually every Saturday in March.  Tickets are $5.
• The Lake George Opera will be presenting The Three Little Pigs at the Arts Center in Saratoga at 11 am and 1 pm.
• Maple Ski Ridge is having a Beach Party starting at noon.
• Thacher Nature Center has a Star Lab Planetarium Adventure along with Star Stories from 1-3 pm.  Please call to reserve a spot.
• The Tang in Saratoga Springs has Family Saturdays most Saturdays in the spring.  It’s from 2-3:30 pm and it’s designed for school-aged children.  Although it’s free, registrations are recommended because they will up.
• Schenectady Museum’s FETCH! Lab this week is Whodunit?  using a mystery powder.  From 2:30-4 pm, free with museum admission.
• Don’t forget that the New York State Museum is closed today.

Sunday, March 7th

• It’s a bit of a trip, but all through March there will be Sugaring Off Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown.  Keep in mind that there will be other places to visit during the upcoming Maple Weekends.  I’ll be reminding you about them later.
• The Sand Lake Center for the Arts in Averill Park will have Komotion mime, clown, and dance theater performing at 1:30 pm.  It’s free, but you should call for reservations.
• There’s Book Making at Albany’s Main Public Library at 2 pm.
• There’s a fundraiser for Children at the Well called Sowing Seeds of Hope and Peace: stories, music, and dance from various religious traditions, at the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady.  It’s from 2-4 pm with a suggested donation of $5 to $10 per adult or $15/family.
• There’s a Snowshoe Adventure in the Pine Bush from 2-3:30 pm.  $2/person or $5/family.  You must pre-register.
• There’s a Celeidh, or Irish Festival, at the Stillwater Community Center at 3 pm to benefit the Stillwater Free Library. $5/person or $15/family.
• The Albany Figure Skating Club has a Spring Ice Show at the Bethlehem Y ice rink from 4-6:30 pm  $2/adult, $1/student, under 5 free.  I know:  they don’t mention it on either of the websites, but I confirmed that there are signs up for it at the Y.
• Albany Symphony will be performing “Compose Yourself” with Cowboy Dave at 3 pm at the Palace Theatre.  $11/adult, $8/children under 15.  I would love to hear if anyone goes to this.  I’m thinking that it might be like the Lake George Opera–I don’t really appreciate symphony, either, so it might be just my speed.

Future: A reader let me know that The Arts Center of the Capital Region (in Troy) has put out their new class and spring break offerings.

Our weekend is looking a little bit insanely busy, but I’ll do my best to post something tomorrow.  Have fun, everybody!  And don’t forget to tell me about what was a good time and what you’d skip next time, too.