This November, we are thankful for free & frugal events taking place all month long! November brings the return of Albany's Lantern Parade, a Flannel Fest at the Empire State Plaza, and ways to enjoy National Hiking Day. Throughout the month, find low-cost ways to enjoy the fall scenery before winter takes over and ways to get ready for the holiday season.
- Week 1: November 1 to November 5
- Week 2: November 6 to November 12
- Week 3: November 13 to November 19
- Week 4: November 20 to November 26
- Week 5: November 27 to November 30
- Ongoing Events
Week 1: November 1 to November 5
Healthy Living Expo
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: November 1
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free!
Albany Saints & Sinners: Full-novel Marathon Public Reading of Ironweed
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute, Discover Albany, Historic Albany Foundation, Albany Distilling Co., Capital Repertory Theatre
Locations: Begins at Albany Distilling Co. Bar and Bottle Shop; ends at Capital Repertory Theatre
Date: November 1
Time: 12 PM to 9 PM
Price: Minium $10 donation, all proceeds benefit the food pantry at Sacred Heart Church
Contemporary Feminist Voices
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany Campus Center West Addition
Date: November 2
Time: 4:30 PM craft talk; 7:30 PM conversation/Q&A
Price: Free!
CHATS Film Festival and Lecture Series
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Locations: UAlbany’s Uptown Campus and The Linda
Dates: November 2 through November 5
Time: Various times
Price: Free!
Albany Auto Show
Location: MVP Arena
Date: November 3 to November 5
Time: Varies
Price: $10 for adults. Free for children 12 and under.
MIDNIGHTS: A Taylor Swift Dance Party
Location: City Beer Hall
Date: November 3
Time: 10 PM to 2 AM
Price: Free!
Intuitive Tea Blending Workshop: Herbs for the Nervous System
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 4
Time: 11:30 AM to 1 PM
Price: $10
Fall Community Barn Dance
Location: Old Songs Community Center
Date: November 4
Time: 7 PM
Price: $10 for adults, $5 for youth
Eerie Albany Historic Ghost Tour
Location: Discover Albany Visitors Center
Date: November 5
Time: 11:00 AM
Price: $15
52nd Annual Festival of Nations
Location: Empire State Plaza Convention Center
Date: November 5
Time: 11:30 AM to 5 PM
Price: $5 for adults. $2 for children aged 3 to 12
Albany Lantern Parade 2023
Location: Washington Park Lakehouse
Date: November 5
Time: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Price: Free
Week 2: November 6 to November 12
Flannel Fest
Location: Empire State Plaza
Date: November 8
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free!
Guided Tour: Each One Inspired: Indigenous Art Across the Homelands
Location: New York State Museum
Date: November 8
Time: 12 PM to 12:30 PM
Price: Free
Southern Cooking Showdown with Shawn & Doren
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 8
Time: 5 PM to 6:30 PM
Price: $5
Cristopher Paolini, One of the Bestselling Fantasy Authors of All Time
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: Page Hall, UAlbany
Date: November 8
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free!
The Creative Life: Conversation with WAMC’s Joe Donahue
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: Page Hall, UAlbany
Date: November 9
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free!
Free Day at the Albany Institute
Location: Albany Institute of History & Art
Date: November 10
Time: 10 AM to 5 PM
Price: Free!
Animal Armor
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 10
Time: 11 AM to 12:30 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Planning a Thanksgiving Beverage Menu
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 10
Time: 6 PM to 7:30 PM
Price: Free!
Around the World Cuisine for Kids: Greece
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 11
Time: 12 PM to 1:30 PM
Price: Free!
Indian Cooking with Sam & Mike
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 11
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: Free!
CBA Craft Fair
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Date: November 11 and November 12
Time: Mall Hours
Price: Free!
Cunning Coyote for Adults
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 12
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Week 3: November 13 to November 19
Culture Series: St. Frances x Cabrini
Location: American Italina Heritage Museum
Date: November 13
Time: 1 PM
Price: Free!
Lessons and Prompts from The Plot Whisperer
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 13
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: Free!
Conversation with Teneshia Jackson Warner, entrepreneur and author
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: Hearst Media Center
Date: November 13
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free!
Gloria Browne-Marshall, author and professor of Constitutional Law
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: UAlbany
Date: November 14
Time: 4:30 PM craft talk; 7:30 PM Conversation
Price: Free!
Nine PINGO
Location: Nine Pin Cider
Date: November 14
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM
Price: Free!
Indigo Tote Bags with Mallory
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 15
Time: 1 PM to 4 PM
Price: $15
Science Lecture Series: Place of Pitch Pines
Location: Hybrid; In-person at Albany Pine Bush Preserve; Online on Zoom
Date: November 16
Time: 6:30 PM to 8 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Forest Bathing on National Hiking Day
Location: Pine Hollow Arboretum
Date: November 17
Time: 10 AM
Price: Suggested donation $10
Telling the Truth Symposium 2023
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: Page Hall, UAlbany
Date: November 17
Time: 5:30 PM
Price: Free!
Free Mono-Type Printing Workshop
Location: Pine Hollow Arboretum
Date: November 18
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free!
Santa's Arrival
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Date: November 18
Time: 10:30 AM
Price: Free!
Wild and Wiley Turkeys
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 18
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Crockpot Conversation on Self-Care with The Tengu Center
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 18
Time: 11 AM to 12:30 PM
Price: Free!
Family Crafting: Origami at The Myers Residence
Location: Underground Railroad Education Center
Date: November 18
Time: 1 PM to 2:30 PM
Price: $5 for children, $10 for adults
Coffee Pairing with Holiday Classics
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 18
Time: 4 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free!
Holiday Tree Lighting
Location: Stuyvesant Plaza
Date: November 18
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free!
Wonder Walk
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 19
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Kids Gardening & Nature Club
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 19
Time: 11 AM to 12 PM
Price: Free!
Week 4: November 20 to November 26
Nine Pin Trivia Hosted by Typhoid Mary
Location: Nine Pin Cider
Date: November 20
Time: 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Price: Free!
Film Club: Pure Grit
Location: Irish American Heritage Museum
Date: November 20
Time: 6 PM
Price: $5
Trivia Night
Location: City Beer Hall
Date: November 22
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
Contra Dance Tunes
Location: Old Songs Community Center
Date: November 22
Time: 7:30 PM to 9 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Waddle Walk
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 24
Time: 11 AM
Price: Suggested donation $5
Live Music at Emack & Bolio’s
Location: Emack & Bolio’s
Date: November 24
Time: 8 PM
Price: Free!
Holiday Express Gift Show
Location: Colonie Center Mall
Date: November 25 and November 26
Time: Mall Hours
Price: Free
Museum Store Sunday
Location: Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 26
Time: 10 AM to 4 PM
Price: Free
Snowflake Making & Coloring with Santa
Location: Stuyvesant Plaza
Date: November 26
Time: 3 PM to 4 PM
Price: $5
Week 5: November 27 to November 30
DIY Cold Brew & Coffee Syrup for Sagittarius Season
Location: Honest Weight Food Co-op
Date: November 27
Time: 6 PM
Price: $5
Full Moon Hike
Location: Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Date: November 27
Time: 6:30 PM
Price: Suggested donation $5
The Freedom Seeker's Experience Through NYS
Presented by: Underground Railroad Education Center
Location: Online
Date: November 28
Time: 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Price: Free!
Genealogy Help with Lisa Walsh Doherty
Location: Irish American Heritage Museum
Date: November 29
Time: 11 AM
Price: Free!
Trivia Night
Location: City Beer Hall
Date: November 29
Time: 7 PM
Price: Free
Sharing the Wealth
Presented by: New York State Writers Institute
Location: Black Chamber of Commerce
Date: November 30
Time: 5:30 PM
Price: Free; tickets required
Ongoing Events
2023 Shaker Holiday Market
Location: Shaker Heritage Society
Dates: Daily excluding Monday from October 10 to December 17
Time: 10 AM to 4 PM
Price: Free. Donations welcome
Holiday Strolls at Stuyvesant Plaza
Location: Stuyvesant Plaza
Dates: Sundays from November 19 to December 17
Time: 1 PM to 4 PM
Price: Free!
Séance Photography by Shannon Taggart
Location: Opalka Gallery, Russel Sage College
Dates: Tuesdays through Saturdays, October 31 through December 9
Time: 12 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free!
