It's the most wonderful time of the year! Kick off the weekend on Friday night with the Fort Orange Holiday Market in downtown Albany. Enjoy an afternoon of cheer on Saturday with the Santa Speedo Spring and A Taste of Lark: Chili & Chowder Edition - all happening on Lark Street! Cap off the weekend on Sunday with a musical performance by Musicians of Ma'alwyck at Ten Broeck Mansion Holiday House. Keep reading for a full list of Free & Frugal events for December 14 - 16, 2018.
Friday, December 14
Weekday Tours of the New York State Capitol
Location: New York State Capitol
Address: Washington Ave and State St, Albany, NY 12242
Time: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM
Price: Free
Rudolph's Runway - Arts, Crafts & Lifestyle Show
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Address: 131 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Price: Free
Fort Orange Holiday Market
Presented By: Fort Orange General Store
Location: Arcade Building
Address: 488 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Price: Free
Happy Hour
Location: MezzaNotte
Address: 2026 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Friday Night Wine Tastings
Location: Capital Wine Albany
Address: 348 State Street, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM
Price: Free tasting!
Disney On Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic
Location: Times Union Center (TUC)
Address: 51 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 7:00 PM
Price: Starts at $15 plus other fees
Live Music Every Friday & Saturday Night at Emack & Bolio's!
Location: Emack & Bolio's
Address: 366 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
Time: 7:00 PM
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Location: Capital Repertory Theatre
Address: 111 N. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 8:00 PM
Price: Tickets starting at $22
Saturday, December 15
D&B Albany NY Breakfast with Santa
Location: Dave & Buster's
Address: 1 Crossgates Mall Road, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Price: $19.99 per person
Rudolph's Runway - Arts, Crafts & Lifestyle Show
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Address: 131 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Price: Free
Cheer Intensity Grand Opening
Location: Cheer Intensity
Address: 14B Commercial Ave, Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Price: Free
Toys for Tots Collection at miSci
Location: Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci)
Address: 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Price: Museum admission $12 (13+); $10 (65+); $8 (3-12)
Saturday Tours of the New York State Capitol
Location: New York State Capitol
Address: Washington Ave and State St, Albany, NY 12242
Time: 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM
Price: Free! Registration required.
Disney On Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic
Location: Times Union Center (TUC)
Address: 51 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 11:00 AM/3:00 PM/7:00 PM
Price: Starts at $15 plus other fees
Star Sightings at the Henry Hudson Planetarium
Location: Henry Hudson Planetarium at the Albany Visitors Center
Address: 25 Quackenbush Sq, Corner of Broadway and Clinton Ave., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Price: $3 all seats
Make & Take: Deck the Halls
Location: Albany Barn, Inc.
Address: 56 Second St., Albany, NY 12210
Time: 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Price: $40
A Taste Of Lark: Chili & Chowder Edition
Location: Lark Street BID
Address: 194 Lark Street, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Price: Free; $1 samples of chili & chowder
New York State Education Tours
Location: The Education Building of the State of New York
Address: Front Steps, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY
Time: 12:30 PM & 2:30 PM
Price: FREE
Guided Tours of Historic Cherry Hill
Location: Historic Cherry Hill
Address: 523 1/2 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12202
Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Wednesday, Saturday
Time: 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM
Ten Broeck Mansion Holiday House - Holiday Tea
Presented By: Albany Barn
Location: Albany County Historical Association-Ten Broeck Mansion
Address: 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Price: $20.00 Pre-Paid Reservations Required
Santa Speedo Sprint
Location: Lark Street
Time: 2:00 PM
Price: Free to watch; registration starts at $25
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Location: Capital Repertory Theatre
Address: 111 N. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 3:00 PM/8:00 PM
Price: Tickets starting at $22
Make & Take Junior: Holiday Painting with Megan
Location: Albany Barn, Inc.
Address: 56 Second St., Albany, NY 12210
Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Price: $5
Albany Distilling Tours
Location: Albany Distilling Co., Inc.
Address: 75 Livingston Ave., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 3:00 PM
Ten Broeck Mansion Holiday House-Helderberg Madrigals
Presented By: Albany Barn
Location: Albany County Historical Association-Ten Broeck Mansion
Address: 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Price: $25.00/$20.00 for ACHA Members
Live Music Every Friday & Saturday Night at Emack & Bolio's!
Location: Emack & Bolio's
Address: 366 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
Time: 7:00 PM
Sunday, December 16
Rudolph's Runway - Arts, Crafts & Lifestyle Show
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Address: 131 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Price: Free
Reel Seafood Sunday Brunch
Location: Reel Seafood Company
Address: 195 Wolf Rd, Albany, NY 12205
Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday
Time: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Gifted Open Shopping Hours
Location: Albany Barn, Inc.
Address: 56 Second St., Albany, NY 12210
Time: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Disney On Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic
Location: Times Union Center (TUC)
Address: 51 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 12:00 PM/4:00 PM
Price: Starts at $15 plus other fees
Sunny Sundays at the Dudley Observatory at miSci
Presented By: Dudley Observatory at miSci
Location: Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci)
Address: 15 Nott Terrace Heights, `, Schenectady, NY 12308
Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Price: Access to the observatory or activities is free with museum admission ($12 Adult, $10 Senior, $8 Child).
Ten Broeck Mansion Holiday House- Musicians of Ma'alwyck
Presented By: Albany Barn
Location: Albany County Historical Association-Ten Broeck Mansion
Address: 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Price: $25.00/$20.00 for ACHA Members
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Location: Capital Repertory Theatre
Address: 111 N. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 2:00 PM
Price: Tickets starting at $22
ESYO Wind Orchestra
Presented By: Empire State Youth Orchestra
Location: Massry Center for the Arts
Address: The College of Saint Rose,, 1002 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12208
Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Price: $10 for adults; $5 for students and seniors
Carey On Tap: Logan Nonfiction Program Alumna Joanne Drayton
Location: Helderberg Brewery Taproom
Address: 26 County Route 353, Rensselaerville, NY 12147
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Price: Free
Everything Possible presented by Albany Gay Men's Chorus
Location: First Lutheran Church
Address: 181 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Price: $15 for Adults, $12 for Students, Under 12 Free
Sunday Night Blues Jam
Location: McGeary's Irish Pub
Address: 4 Clinton Square, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 7:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Price: Free
Viennese Classics
Presented By: Albany Symphony Orchestra
Location: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Address: 30 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Ongoing
Christmas Craft Fair
From: October 27, 2018 – December 15, 2018
Location: Shaker Heritage Meeting House
Address: 25 Meeting House Road, Albany, NY 12211
Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Saturday
Price: Free
Holiday Shoppe
From: December 1, 2018 - December 28, 2018
Location: Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc
Address: 194 Livingston Ave., Albany, NY 12210
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Monday – Friday; 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Saturdays
A Menagerie of Whimsey: The Art of William B. Schade
From: July 14, 2018 - December 30, 2018
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave, Albany
Time: Regular museum hours
Birds and Beasts: The Scary, Magical and Adorable Animals of the Albany Institute
From: July 14, 2018 – December 30, 2018
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Adddress: 125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Hudson River School
From: January 17, 2018 - December 31, 2018 (Daily)
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Time: Regular Museum Hours
Capital Holiday Lights in the Park
From: November 23, 2018 - January 2, 2019
Location: Washington Park
Address: State and Willet Streets, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Sundays to Thursday; 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Friday & Saturday
Price: $22/vehicle
Annual Members' Show
From: December 7, 2018 - January 19, 2019, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Location: Albany Center Gallery
Address: 488 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Toys- The Inside Story
From: September 23, 2018 – January 21, 2019
Location: mcSci Museum of Innovation and Science
Address: 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Price: Museum Admission
Thomas Cole at the Airport
From: September 29, 2018 - February 25, 2019
Location: Albany International Airport (ALB)
Address: 737 Albany-Shaker Rd Administration Bldg. Room 200, Albany, NY 12211
Time: 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Price: Free
Their Glory Can Never Fade: The Legacy of the Harlem Hell fighters
From: April 6, 2018 - February 28, 2019
Location: New York State Capitol
Address: Washington Ave and State St, Albany, NY 12242
Price: Free
Ice Ages
From: January 3, 2017 - February 28, 2019
Location: New York State Museum
Address: Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230
Time: Daily (except Mondays), 9:30AM-5:00PM
Empire Skate Plaza Ice Rink
From: December 1, 2018 - March 15, 2019
Location: Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12242
Time: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Price: FREE
Art for All
From: October 20, 2018 – May 11, 2019
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, every Sunday
Price: Free with museum admission and always free for museum members
A Small Fort, Which Our People Call Fort Orange
From: May 5, 2018 - January 1, 2020
Location: New York State Museum
Address: 222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12230
Time: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
The Wedding of the Waters: Erie Canal and the Underground Railroad
Location: Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
Address: 194 Livingston Ave., Albany, NY 12210
Time: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Price: $10 adults/$8 seniors/$5 children 5-12, children under 5 are free
Traders and Culture: Colonial Albany and the Formation of American Identity
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12210
Time: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00AM-5:00PM; Sunday, 12:00PM-5:00PM
Ancient Egypt
Recurring Daily
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave Albany, NY 12210
Time: Thursday, 10:00AM - 8:00PM; Friday – Sunday, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Nineteenth-Century American Sculpture
Recurring Daily
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave Albany, NY 12210
Time: Thursday, 10:00AM - 8:00PM; Friday – Sunday, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Whole New Ballgame Exhibit
Location: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Address: 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Recurrence: Recurring daily
For these and other events, check out our event calendar here.
