Today's weekend roundup is brought to by Mopco's Theatresports. Watch improv teams compete for laughs and bragging rights.
⭐️ = Top 5 Staff Picks
⭐️ 🎸 Schenectady County SummerNight | Schenectady’s biggest event of the year features two talented tribute bands, Refugee (Tom Petty) and The Warped Band Tour (emo-pop punk), plus local favorites like The Sugar Hold and Ky McClinton. The night ends with a fireworks finale. Friday, 5-10:30p, free.
⭐️ 🛶 Water Music NY: Waterford Festival | This Erie Canal bicentennial celebration at the Waterford Lock is a full day of art, music, and food. Start the day with a kayaking trip or a historic hike on Peebles Island. See Adam Frelin’s “Walking Stones” and artwork curated by Collar Works. Stay for the free Albany Symphony concert and a light drone show in the evening. Friday, 2:30-9:40p, free.
⭐️ 🦸 MVP Kids Day at Empire State Plaza’s West Capitol Park features Bebefinn, the popular animated children's character, who will perform three live mini-shows throughout the day (11a, 1p & 3p). Plus, pony rides, face painting, rock climbing, animal encounters, and more! Sat, 11a-4p, free.
⭐️ 🎆 Ravena and Coeymans America's 250th Celebrations | Instead of the annual Friendship Festival, Ravena and Coeymans are going big for America’s 250th this year with a full weekend of hometown pride, starting with a Friday night block party at Mosher Park, followed by a Saturday festival at Coeymans Landing with food, fun, and fireworks over the Hudson. Friday, 7-10p; Sat, 1-9p. Free.
⭐️ 🇺🇲 The Washington County NY History Festival | Washington County celebrates America’s 250th with a weekend of hands-on experiences including living history demos, displays, kids’ activities, live music, wagon rides, food vendors, and more. Sat & Sun, free.
Honorable mention:
⭐️ 🇲🇽 Felipe Esparza at the Funny Bone | What’s up, fool? Get your homies out to see Felipe Esparza as he brings his irreverent, working class, laid-back style of stand-up comedy to Albany’s Funny Bone. Expect plenty of laughs that come from a lifetime of gritty stories, shaped by his experience growing up Mexican American on the streets of Los Angeles. Fri-Sat, $32-$42. Two shows each night.
SUMMER FUN
🍫 “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” continues at Cohoes Music Hall through July 18. It’s been getting rave reviews! Also, the cult classic, “Mystic Pizza,” is playing at theREP through Aug. 9.
🩰 The New York City Ballet brings the perennial fan-favorite, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Innovators & Icons, featuring signature works and an exciting premiere, to SPAC.
🖼️ All summer, Ten Broeck offers Living History, free family programs with hands-on art, garden, and history activities set among its four acres of historic gardens.
THURSDAY
🎸 Get to the Tang Museum for the kickoff of its 2026 Upbeat on the Roof concert series, featuring funk-music ensemble Oobleck.
🤡 Break out your clown costumes as Weirdo Night Returns: Clown Edition at No Fun.
🎸 It’s Classic Rock Night at Alive at Five, headlined by FJ: A Tribute to Foreigner & Journey. Meanwhile, in Cohoes, Rock the Block features Magical Mystery Doors (Beatles/Zeppelin/Doors tribute). And in Schenectady, catch the country/blues rock of Chris Sanders at Electric City SummerFest.
FRIDAY
🔥 The Albany Firebirds put on a big ol’ block party in front of the MVP Arena ahead of their match with the Nashville Kats.
⛴️ Experience the high of the Canna Cruise with 420-friendly folks and music while taking in the sights along the Hudson.
🎸 TV Doctors bring their charm to Wolf Hollow Brewing Co. in Schenectady.
🖼️ Get to Albany Center Gallery for the opening reception of “Then & Now: Allen Grindle, Moments in Time." Btw, the gallery has a rare opening for a new development director!
SATURDAY
🎸 Relive the Grateful Dead concert experience at Rock the Dock Festival featuring the 7-piece Dark Star Orchestra.
☠️ The Twilight Market returns to Albany’s Quackenbush Square.
🎆 Get to the Mechanicville Family Day in the Park for live music, vendor booths, and activities for the kids, plus a big fireworks show.
🌷Hoosick Blooms Garden Tour offers a driving tour of private gardens and farms in historic Hoosick Falls and surrounding rolling hills of upstate NY. Sat & Sun.
🪶 Catch Chris Thomas and Smoke Dancers, a multigenerational and celebrated dance troupe practicing traditional Haudenosaunee music and dance, at the Iroquois Museum.
🎸 A perennial favorite, Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra plays Freedom Park Summer Concert Series in Scotia.
SUNDAY
☀️ Ditch your phone and learn how to produce images without a camera at the [Alternative Image-Making](https://www.instagram.com/p/DZnkpRoE8J1/\) workshop at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
🥯 Enjoy the live music of Ed Conway, and dig into complimentary bagels and Bloody Marys at Second Act Spirits in Amsterdam.
🏳️🌈 A Big Gay Market returns to Washington Park for another gathering featuring 100+ queer, gender expansive, and allied vendors.
🔥 Join Ash King for an exclusive 4-week workshop focused on the magic of salt firing, at Context Collective.
🤹 The Gratto Family Jugglers delight the crowd at Scotia’s Freedom Park.
MONDAY
🎻 Go way high with Lindsey Stirling, pop violin virtuoso, at SPAC.
UPCOMING
7/18: Summer Art Fest
7/19: Sundae Morning (our own ice cream event!)
7/21-26: Saratoga County Fair
7/25: Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival
7/29: The 518 Dinner Club (in downtown Troy)
8/7: Femininomenon Fest
8/16: Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy’s Trail Tunes
8/16-28: “Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play!” at the Park Playhouse
8/18-23: Altamont Fair
Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.
