Fall in love with free & frugal events this February! From lovely Valentine’s Day-themed happenings to family friendly winter festivals, scroll on to see this month's low-cost events in Albany County.
Week One: February 1 to February 9
Deep Freeze
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 1
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Chasing Frozen Water – Snowshoe Hike
Location: Thacher Park
Date: February 1
Time: 10 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free. Registration required
Imbolc Walk
Location: Pine Hollow Arboretum
Date: February 1
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $10
Liz Zunon Book Launch Party
Location: Albany Center Gallery
Date: February 1
Time: 3 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free
St. Brigid Cross Making Class
Location: Irish American Heritage Month
Date: February 1
Time: 12 PM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Winter Fest
Location: Huyck Preserve
Date: February 1
Time: 11 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Happy Grundsaudaag! The German Roots of Groundhog Day
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 2
Time: 10 AM to 11 AM
Price: Free
Groggy Groundhogs
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 2
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Special Screening: Trailblaze a Path Through History: Central New York
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 4
Time: 12 PM
Price: Free
The Extraordinary Life and “Afterlife” of Anne Frank in Fiction: Ruth Franklin
Location: New York State Writers Institute
Date: February 4
Time: 4:30 PM
Price: Free
Black History Month Celebration
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: February 5
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Robert D. Kaplan and Bartle Bull
Location: New York State Writers Institute
Date: February 5
Time: 7:30 PM
Price: Free
History & Hops at the Albany Outpost: The Rise of New York’s Expansion Era Sports Teams – A Decade of Change
Presented by: New York State Museum
Location: Common Roots Brewing Company
Date: February 6
Time: 6 PM
Price: Free
Micropolitan Matchmakers: Beginner Bachata Class with Move Fitness by Lenny
Presented by: Micropolitan Matchmakers
Location: Move Fitness by Lenny
Date: February 6
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free
Winter Walk
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 7
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Journey Through Time: Cohoes Mastodon Gallery Tour
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 7
Time: 12 PM
Price: Free
Film Screening: “Becoming Frederick Douglass”
Location: New York State Writers Institute
Date: February 7
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
MVP Arena Challenge
Location: MVP Arena
Date: February 7 and February 8
Time: 5 PM
Price: $5
Thompson’s Lake Ice Fishing Competition
Location: Thompson’s Lake State Park
Date: February 8
Time: 6 AM to 1 PM
Price: $10 registration fee; children 12 and under are free
Art for All – Cylinder Seals by Ancient Egypt Exhibition
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Date: February 8
Time: 10 AM to 4 PM
Price: Free with museum admission
Albany Amour at the Albany Public Library
Presented by: Discover Albany
Location: Albany Public Library Washington Ave Branch
Date: February 8
Time: 11 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free
City of Cohoes Winter Carnival
Location: Van Schaick Park
Date: February 8
Time: 11 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Special Screening: North to New York: The Great Migration in NY’s Capital Region
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 8
Time: 3 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free
Superb Owl Sunday
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 9
Time: 10:30 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free
A Day to Play with Paint (Ages 16+)
Location: Thacher Park
Date: February 9
Time: 1 PM to 3 PM
Price: $20
Week Two: February 10 to February 16
Virtual Singles Mix & Mingle
Presented by: Micropolitan Matchmakers
Location: Online
Date: February 10
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free
Landmark of Latino Poetry: Roberto Gonzalez
Location: New York State Writers Institute
Date: February 11
Time: 4:30 PM
Price: Free
Nine Pin Trivia hosted by Typhoid Mary!
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 11
Time: 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Price: Free
Full Moon Hike
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 12
Time: 6 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
HBCU: The Power of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Presented by: New York State Library
Location: Online
Date: February 13
Time: 12 PM to 1 PM
Price: Free
A Valentine’s Day Special: Tony Tulathimutte
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: February 13
Time: 4:30 PM
Price: Free
Print Panel: Tyanna Buie, Terry James Conrad, and Ruben Castillo, moderated by Screenprint Biennial founder and curator Nathan Meltz
Location: Opalka Gallery
Date: February 13
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free
Galentine’s Day at Nine Pin
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 13
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: $23.18
Galentine’s Day Party at Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen with DJ Fearless
Location: Lost & Found Bar + Kitchen
Date: February 13
Time: 8 PM
Price: Free
Cupid’s Concourse Pop-Up Shop
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: February 14
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Botany in Action: Preparing Specimens for the Herbarium with Dr. James C. Lendemer
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 14
Time: 12 PM
Price: Free
Valentine’s Day Caricatures
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 14
Time: 6 PM to 9 PM
Price: Free
Film Screening: “The Peasants”
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: February 14
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
Frozen Flora
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 15
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Black History Month Celebration
Presented by: City of Albany Department of Recreation
Location: Arbor Hill Community Center
Date: February 15
Time: 2 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free
Albany Amour! Historic Love Stores and Cider Pairings
Presented by: Discover Albany & Nine Pin Cider
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 15
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: $20
Observe the Moon & Stars
Location: Thacher Park
Date: February 15
Time: 6:30 PM to 9 PM
Price: Free
Empire State Plaza Ice Rink Special Appearance 2022 U.S. Olympians and Four-Time U.S. National Bronze Medalist Figure Skaters Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: February 16
Time: 1 PM to 3 PM
Price: Free
Skates, Sticks, and Snowy Tales
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 16
Time: 11 AM
Price: Free
Week Three: February 17 to February 23
Bubbles & Bliss: Kids Soap Making Workshop
Location: Discover Albany
Date: February 17
Time: 11 AM to 12:30 PM
Price: $17.85
Frozen “Family Fun Day” Free Movie Screening
Location: The Palace
Date: February 18
Time: 1 PM
Price: Free
Nature Journaling: Insects!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 18
Time: 1 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
2025 Celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr.
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: February 19
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
Black History Month Celebration
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: February 19
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
Nature Journaling: Insects!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 18
Time: 1 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Discover the Pine Bush at Karner Barrens
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 19
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Rhythms of the Diaspora: Drumming and Dance with Jordan Taylor Hill
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 19
Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
Price: Free
Night at the Discovery Center
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 19
Time: 4:30 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free
Chill Out: Exploring Ice Harvesting History
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 20
Time: 10:30 AM to 11 AM
Price: Free
Science Café: Evolution for the People and by the People
Presented by: New York State Museum
Location: The Hollow Bar + Kitchen
Date: February 20
Time: 10:30 AM to 11 AM
Price: Free
Save a Spider
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 20
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Searching for Timbuctoo Viewing and Discussion with NYS Archivist, Brian Keough and Director, Paul Miller
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 20
Time: 2:30 PM to 4 PM
Price: Free, registration required
Game & Puzzle Swap
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 20
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: Free
Yoga with Carrie Will of YogaCareNY
Location: Opalka Gallery
Date: February 20
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free
Dinosaur Train Adventure: Ice Age Exploration
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 21
Time: 10:30 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free
An Artist's Life in Early Albany Lecture Series: Painters & Professions
Presented by: Ten Broeck Mansion
Location: Online
Date: February 21
Time: 12 PM
Price: Free
Film Screening “Swimming with Sharks”
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: February 21
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
Emo Sing-a-Long at Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen
Location: Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen
Date: February 21
Time: 9 PM to 12 AM
Price: Free
Rock and Fossil Fun Fair
Location: New York State Museum
Date: February 22 and February 23
Time: 10 AM to 1 PM
Price: Free
All Ages Kids’ Art Workshop led by RSC MAT Art Education Students
Location: Opalka Gallery
Date: February 22
Time: 1 PM to 2:30 PM
Price: Free
Snow Much Fun! Play Day
Location: Thacher Park
Date: February 22
Time: 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Price: Free
Tradition Off Its Rocker: Making Sense of The Pogues
Location: Irish American Heritage Museum
Date: February 22
Time: 7 PM to 9 PM
Price: Free
Winter Survival: Insects in Winter
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: February 22
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Week Four: February 24 to February 28
NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships
Location: MVP Arena
Date: February 27
Time: 9:30 AM
Price: $12.50 individual sessions
What Would Frida Do? Arianna Davis
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: February 27
Time: 4:30 PM
Price: Free
Drag Me to Nine Pin
Location: Nine Pin
Date: February 27
Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Price: Free
An Artist's Life in Early Albany Lecture Series: Painters & Professions
Presented by: Ten Broeck Mansion
Location: Online
Date: February 28
Time: 12 PM
Price: Free
NYSPHSAA Boys Wrestling Championships
Location: MVP Arena
Date: February 28 & March 1
Time: Varies
Price: $12.50 individual sessions
Ongoing Events:
2025 Black History Month Exhibition
"Fight or Be Slaves" A. Philip Randolph and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Location: Empire State Plaza
Dates: Monday through Friday, through February 28
Time: 7 AM to 7 PM
Price: Free
The Empire State Plaza Ice Rink
Location: Empire State Plaza Ice Rink
Dates: Tuesdays through Sundays, December 6 through March
Time: 10 AM to 6 PM
Price: Free | $5 Skate Rentals (free skate rentals Saturdays)
Light Within Layers
Location: Albany Center Gallery
Dates: Tuesday through Saturday through February 28
Time: 12 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free
Hear Them Now: Stories of the Enslaved at Schuyler Mansion
Location: Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site
Dates: Thursdays and Saturdays, February 1 through February 27
Time: 2 PM to 3:15 PM
Price: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, free for children 12 and under
Archives Jr Investigation Station
Location: New York State Museum
Dates: February 6, February 13, February 27
Time: 10:30 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free
Storytime with New York State Library
Location: New York State Museum
Dates: February 12, February 19, February 26
Time: 10:30 AM
Price: Free
Mini-Golf Tournament
Location: DICK'S House of Sport
Dates: February 15 to February 23
Time: 10 AM to 7 PM
Price: $5 per person
