Is anybody else unbelievably chilly? It’s funny how what’s balmy in February suddenly seems quite unbearable when we’ve been spoiled by warm weather. So let’s think summer, okay?  Ready? (Oh, man, I am so ready!!)
Free Concerts! Pack yourself a picnic dinner and enjoy the great outdoors. Even when the music doesn’t captivate them, there’s likely to be other kids and dogs to make things more interesting. You can always bring along a ball or bubbles to guarantee some playmates on the sidelines. If you’ve got big kids, pick a nearby concert and bike there–a nice little destination. Get some friends to meet you and let them create their own little camp separate from the adults. Or if the kids are extra little, run them around, wipey the dirtiest limbs, and pop them into pajamas before the car ride home—you’re golden! Take the rest of the night off!
- The Alive at Five concert series is Thursday nights at 5 pm at Albany Riverfront Park. It runs from June 3rd to August 5th. (Remember how I was complaining about things petering out early?)
- On the other side of the river in Troy, it’s Rockin’ on the River Wednesdays at 5 pm. It’s starting June 23rd and ending August 25th. For some reason they don’t have it listed on the Troy website yet, but luckily All Over Albany‘s got the information for you.
- Troy is already listing their Powers Park concert series. It’s 6-8:30 pm on Saturdays from July 10th to August 21st.
- The Colonie Town Band will be playing at a variety of parks and libraries through the spring and summer.
Free Movies! Sure–it might be beautiful outside, but sometimes it’s rainy. Or really freakin’ hot. Or you just need to take a little break. Once in a while, popcorn at 9:45 am is acceptable. I have heard that these free movie deals can be a bit of a mob scene. . . anyone ever go? Any tips, besides getting there early? This sounds like a great opportunity to collaborate with some other parents and do some childcaring & sharing arrangement: one week you go in with the kids, the next weekyou get to walk around, maybe do some shopping.  Or better, yet, a few friends, because you know that you’ll be trotting in and out to the potty. But don’t worry: you’ll be able to keep up with the plot, I’m sure.
- At Regal Cinemas at Crossgates and at Clifton Park Center, there’s the free Family Film Festival series on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 am from June 29th to August 26th.
- At Bowtie Cinema in Schenectady, there’s a Kid’s Club Film Series on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 am from June 22nd to August 18th.
I’ll be adding these to the Summer Fun on the Big Ol’ List over the next few days. I know that there are tons more activities, so we’ll be getting to them. If you have handy links, it would be very kind of you to email me: ca****************@ya***.com
Oh, and if you missed your chance to buy discount Great Escape tickets in May through the Children’s Museum, one of the local PTOs is doing the same fundraiser right now. Email li******@ya***.com if you’re interested.
Melissa
The free movies can be a little insane. Busloads of kids, long lines, mayhem. The problem I had was that the ticket guys were taking a headcount as people were going in, until the seats were used up – but even though the theater was supposed to have a ton of seats left, every seat I tried was “reserved” by someone waiting for a friend. There is definitely not enough space in the theaters and people are totally rude. Once summer camps start busing in loads of kids it is, in my opinion, not very enjoyable because the theaters are bursting at the seams.
stella
I have been to the free summer movies at crossgates…and it was never crazy or really crowded. Maybe I just got lucky:)
Katie
Huh. Okay, so you can get lucky or. . . possibly not. Maybe the way to go is to catch the ones early in the season before the summer camps kick in. I have to admit that part of me is hoping that people don’t realize that Bowtie’s doing it, too, yet. That’s the one that’s closest to me. Of course, then I go and tell everyone about it, anyway. But I felt morally obligated to share! Thanks for the info.