5 things we're loving right now in the Capital Region

Happy Thursday, Capital Region! Today, we’ve got our monthly list of the best things capturing our attention right now. Plus, the 2025 Tulip Festival marks Mother’s Day weekend with more blooming bulbs than the entire population of Albany 😲🌷 

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

5 things we’re loving right now in the Capital Region

Every month, we highlight some of our favorite things in and around Albany. Here’s what’s grabbing our attention right now:

Lost & Found: More and more, we find ourselves gravitating to Albany’s Warehouse District, which is getting livelier by the month. We’re eagerly awaiting the opening of the Zone 518 holographic theater (coming Memorial Day weekend) and the Real McCoy beer pub (expected May 18). One of our current faves is Lost and Found Bar & Kitchen. Not only do they have terrific happy hour specials and a fantastic Sunday brunch, but they’re also putting on some pretty cool events, like their Femininomenon and Emo sing-a-longs.

Coffee Scene: At The 518, we run on caffeine. So we’re thrilled that the Capital Region has amped up its local coffee scene of late. You’ve got Uncommon Grounds expanding into the Empire State Plaza and East Greenbush (next to Home Depot). Stacks Espresso with a newly renovated location on Lark Street (in the old Cafe Hollywood space). And MoJo’s Cafe & Gallery in Troy celebrating its 1-year anniversary on May 16. Keep the java flowing, friends.

New Collar Goods: Jon and Deana Ketchum started their small-batch furniture business in Denver, and developed a following for their beautiful craftsmanship. In 2021, the couple relocated to upstate New York and bought an abandoned shirt factory in Salem, NY. Out of this stunning brick building, New Collar Goods is producing hand-crafted furniture that combines various styles into timeless, heirloom-quality pieces. We adore their tables and stools, but they also offer more affordable items in their general store. Exclusively for our subscribers: Mention The 518 when ordering to get a 10% discount (until June 30th).

North Woods: Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Daniel Mason’s North Woods. Set in the woods of western Massachusetts, this historical novel follows the history of a single house and the people who inhabit it through the generations. The writing is delightful, and the story is utterly captivating. Karley devoured this book. No surprise that it’s been selected as a Top 10 Book of the Year by the NYT and Washington Post. A Pulitzer Prize finalist, Mason spent a year on a Guggenheim Fellowship writing his novel, which was profoundly inspired by the seasons of New England. Read an interview with the author here.

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center: Speaking of woods, make a point to visit this living museum spanning 450 acres in Delmar sometime this summer. This hidden gem of a park has an excellent visitors center and paved trails for easy access. Events include bird-watching walks, monarch butterfly monitoring, and outdoor school for kids. The Nature Bus will take you there from Albany for free! Watch this Reel of Five Rivers to get an idea of what to expect. Happy hiking, folks.

☔️ Grab your galoshes: A coastal storm moving into upstate New York on Friday could bring flooding to parts of the Capital Region and Hudson Valley. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch warning from 5a Friday through 8a Saturday for the Albany area and surrounding counties. [Accuweather]

💊 In case you missed it, Rite Aid is planning to shutter all of its stores in New York State, including all 11 in the Capital Region. The struggling pharmacy chain is going through its second bankruptcy in two years. Time to move your prescriptions, folks! [Times Union]

🪪 It finally arrived. The deadline to get a REAL ID for domestic flights was May 7th. If you’ve been procrastinating, here’s the info you need, courtesy of the NYS DMV. Be sure to gather ALL of your required documentation beforehand, including proof of residency and legal name. Don’t wait to find out until you’re in line at the DMV 🤦‍♀️ And if you have a black star or US flag on your ID, it’s already REAL ID-compliant!

A word from our sponsor

If you’ve ever been swept away by the power of rock, then you know that every song tells a story. The Music Experience brings these stories and the bands that performed them to life with master storytellers, stunning visuals, and unforgettable live performances. At The Egg on Saturday, for one night only!

Get $10 off tix with promo code: THE518 🙌 

⭐️ This weekend is the 2025 Albany Tulip Festival, when Albany’s Washington Park explodes with more than 140,000 tulips in 150 varieties—timed to bloom for a perfect date with that special momma in your life. It looks like we’re gonna get a break in the weather too, with the heavy rain letting up by midday Saturday. The TU has a guide to everything you need to know about the Tulip Fest. Pro tip: Be sure to RSVP for the very popular Yoga Fest on Sunday morning. Sat & Sun, 11a–6p, free.

⭐️ On Saturday, Albany Twilight Market returns to Quackenbush Square for its first market of the season. Sat, 5–9pm. Descend further into the night with the bangin’ Death Disco afterparty at the Larkin Hi-Fi, 9p–1a. Both events free.

⭐️ Step inside some of Saratoga’s most architecturally significant private homes and historic buildings at the 2025 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation Historic Homes Tour—the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. Don’t miss this annual peek into the city’s rich architectural legacy. Sat, 10a–4p, $20-$50.

⭐️ Did you know Opalka Gallery hosts a popular PechaKucha Night? And our very own co-publisher Phat will be one of the presenters! Never heard of PechaKucha? It’s a fast-paced slideshow presentation—20 images, 20 seconds each—that’s a quick and punchy way to learn about a new topic. Fri, doors open at 6:30p, free.

⭐️ Kick off Movies Under the Stars’ 2025 season with a wicked fun night in Washington Park. Opening night will feature the smash-hit “Wicked”—so bring some lawn chairs, blankets and snacks. Fri, activities begin at 7:30p, screening at 8:30p, free.

And a couple of honorable mentions this week:

🎸 Also Saturday, The Music Experience tells the stories behind 16 of the most iconic rock songs with stunning visuals and live performances. Use promo code THE518 for $10 off tickets!

🖼️ All year long, UAlbany's MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) students grapple with the elusive task of making art in the contemporary moment. See what the fresh cohort of 2025 has conjured up at the 2025 MFA Thesis Exhibition reception. UAlbany Art Museum, Fri, 5–7pm, free.

🎟️ MORE NOTABLE EVENTS

👗 This weekend, Hudson Depot at Basilica welcomes back the Spring Farm & Flea with new vendors and all the cool finds.

🍄 This week, Collar City Mushrooms and Indian Ladder Farms are hosting the Foraged NY festival. Exclusively for our subscribers:

TONIGHT

🎬️ Proctors screens Dario Argento’s Phenomena (1985), a rich, saturated film about a girl (Jennifer Connelly) who talks to bugs and just might solve some murders with her unusual talent.

🎻 Join the Albany Symphony for an album release + listening party at Hippo’s. Michael Daugherty, a much-loved composer and collaborator with the Albany Symphony, is releasing Blue Electra.

FRIDAY

🎬️ Sound + Vision at The Linda screens “Viva Las Vegas,” a 1964 rock and roll musical film that’s considered one of Elvis Presley’s best movies.

SATURDAY

🏎️ Race to the Saratoga Automobile Museum for the 2025 Spring Auto Show.

👗 Thrift-loving shoppers can browse from among 70+ vendors at the Vintage Roundup at 946 Broadway, Albany.

🌱 The Delmar Farmers Market invites kids to put together a Mother's Day seedling pot for their mamas. Starts at 10a—while supplies last!

🖼️ The Zonta Club of Glens Falls invites you to the Arts, Crafts & Curiosities Faire this weekend.

🇰🇷 This Korean cooking class in Albany is perfect for the beginner looking to learn how to make some traditional dishes.

SUNDAY

☎️ Call your mama, yo!

🌸 For Mother’s Day, DeFazio’s will be serving a delicious Mother’s Day brunch at Indian Ladder Farms, with seatings from 10a-2p.

🦙 Llama mama! Meet some real llamas and enjoy story time at the Saratoga Springs Public Library with a reading of Is Your Mama a Llama, of course.

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Weekly deadline: Sundays at 2pm

🦫 GET IN TOUCH!

Got an awesome business, event or personality we should feature? Let us know! Contact: [email protected]