Albany County is kicking off December with a maximum dose of holiday cheer! This weekend we’ve got charming holiday markets, TWO dazzling tree lightings, festive gatherings, the opening of the Empire State Plaza ice rink and more! Swing by one (or more!) of these events to embrace the holiday spirit. Keep reading for a full list of Free & Frugal events for November 30 – December 2.
Friday, November 30
Santa Sale
Location: Empire State Plaza
Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Price: FREE
Home For The Holidays - 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
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
Italian Christmas Market
Location: American Italian Heritage Museum & Cultural Center
Address: 1227 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Price: Free
Empire Skate Plaza Ice Rink Opening Day
Location: Empire State Plaza
Time: 4:30 PM to 8:00 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
The City of Albany Tree Lighting
Location: Albany City Hall
Address: 24 Eagle St, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Price: Free
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!
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
Carey On Tap: From 20 to 60--New York State Beer in 2019
Location: Helderberg Brewery Taproom
Address: 26 County Route 353, Rensselaerville, NY 12147
Time: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Price: Free
Dutch- An Original Play by Krysta Dennis
Location: Historic Cherry Hill
Address: 523 1/2 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12202
Time: 7:00 PM
Price: $30 General Admission, $25 for Members
Ingmar Bergman Centennial Film Series: The Best Intentions
Location: Page Hall, University at Albany Downtown Campus
Address: 135 Western Avenue Albany NY 12203, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 7:00 pm
Price: Free and open to the public
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
Kaia Kater
Presented By: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Location: Massry Center for The Arts
Address: 432 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 8:00 PM
Price: $30.00
The Lizards : Performing the Music Of Phish
Location: The Hollow Bar + Kitchen
Address: 79 North Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Price: $12
Saturday, December 1
Italian Christmas Market
Location: American Italian Heritage Museum & Cultural Center
Address: 1227 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12205
Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Price: Free
Home For The Holidays - 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
Pictures with Santa on His Fire Truck
Location: FASNY Museum of Firefighting
Address: 117 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson, NY 12534
Time: 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Price: Free
FAMILY STORY TIME: Tales of Birds and Beasts
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Price: Free, but registration is recommended.
Irish Christmas Market
Location: Irish American Heritage Museum
Address: 370 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Price: $3 adults/ children 12 and under free
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.
St. Nicholas Day!
Location: Crailo State Historic Site
Address: 9 1/2 Riverside Ave, Rensselaer, NY 12144
Time: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Price: FREE!
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
Holiday Eggnog Party
Location: Carey Institute for Global Good
Address: 63 Huyck Rd, PO Box 128, Rensselaerville, NY 12147
Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Price: Free
Dutch- An Original Play by Krysta Dennis
Location: Historic Cherry Hill
Address: 523 1/2 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12202
Time: 2:00PM/7:00 PM
Price: $30 General Admission, $25 for Members
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
Albany Distilling Tours
Location: Albany Distilling Co., Inc.
Address: 75 Livingston Ave., Albany, NY 12207
Time: 3:00 PM
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
The Klezmatics Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah
Location: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Address: 30 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180
Time: 7:30 PM
Price: $29.00-34.00
Dueling Pianos at City Line Bar and Grill
Location: City Line Bar and Grill
Address: 1200 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203
Time: 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Price: $5
Sunday, December 2
Great Train Extravaganza
Presented By: Hudson-Berkshire Division NER NMRA
Location: Empire State Plaza Convention Center
Address: 270 State St., Empire State Plaza Concourse, Albany, NY 12242
Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Price: Adults $7, children 12 and under FREE with adult
Taste NY Holiday Market
Location: New York State Museum
Address: Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230
Time: 11:00 AM to 4:30 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
Italian Christmas Market
Location: American Italian Heritage Museum & Cultural Center
Address: 1227 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12205
Time: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Price: Free
The Victorian Stroll Concert Sponsored by Kinderhook Bank
Location: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Address: 30 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180
Time: 11:15 AM
Price: Free!
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).
Holiday Tree Lighting & Fireworks Festival
Location: Empire State Plaza
Time: 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Price: Free
Holiday House First Look
Location: Albany County Historical Association-Ten Broeck Mansion
Address: 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 2:00 PM
Price: $10, $5 for ACHA members and partners
Dutch- An Original Play by Krysta Dennis
Location: Historic Cherry Hill
Address: 523 1/2 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12202
Time: 2:00PM/7:00 PM
Price: $30 General Admission, $25 for Members
The Beginnings of Modern Veterinary Medicine: From France to New York State
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Address: 125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Time: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
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
Magic of Christmas
Presented By: Albany Symphony Orchestra
Location: Palace Performing Arts Center
Address: 19 Clinton Avenue, Albany, NY 12207
Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Price: Tickets starting at $28
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
Keep Flying w/s/g/ Viewpoints + TBA at Pauly's Hotel
Location: Pauly's Hotel
Address: 337 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12206
Time: 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Price: $7
Ongoing
Children’s Museum Exhibit: Handmade Native Dolls from Across the Nation
From: May 11, 2018 – November 30, 2018
Location: Iroquois Indian Museum
Address: 324 Caverns Rd, Howes Cave, NY 12092
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Time: All Day
Italian Women in America: Breaking Barriers
From: October 1, 2018 - November 30, 2018
Location: American Italian Heritage Museum & Cultural Center
Address: 1227 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12205
Price: Free
2018 Featured Exhibition: Tonto, Teepees & Totem Poles: Considering Native American Stereotypes in the 21st Century
From: May 11, 2018 - November 30, 2018
Location: Iroquois Indian Museum
Address: 324 Caverns Rd, Howes Cave, NY 12092
University Art Museum Fall Exhibitions
From: : September 7, 2018 - December 8, 2018
Location: University at Albany
Address: UNH 305, Univ. at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222
Price: Free
"Jenny Kemp: Slow Grow"
From: August 25, 2018 - December 9, 2018
Location: Mandeville Gallery at Union College
Address: Union College, 807 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308
Time: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Price: Free and Open to the Public
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: November 23, 2018 - December
Location: Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc
Address: 194 Livingston Ave., Albany, NY 12210
Time: Regular hours
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
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
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.
