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  • 518 Weekender: Albany Haitian Flag Day; Troy Hidden Garden Tour, Memorial Day Parades

518 Weekender: Albany Haitian Flag Day; Troy Hidden Garden Tour, Memorial Day Parades

May 21, 2026

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Hey 518 readers, the Memorial Day weekend is nearly upon us. Don’t let the cloudy skies and cooler temps dampen your celebration. Check out The 518 Weekender to make the most of the long weekend 🇺🇲 🌭 🍔 

🍸️ We’re gearing up for tonight’s 518 Dinner Club in Albany’s Warehouse District. We’ll see you at the secret afterparty location! Couldn’t make this dinner? Get on the list for next month’s gathering.

👉️ More than a hundred new subscribers have joined us just in the last 24 hours. Welcome to the coolest club in the Capital Region! Be sure to check out Tuesday’s newsletter on the Jive Hive Live—it’s a banger.

🖼️ At noon TODAY! Hop on Zoom for a lunchtime chat featuring 8 amazing artists from “Americana/ble: The Big Group Show” at Kiddie Pool. Moderated by our own Karley!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Griyo is a signature pork dish in Haiti. Try it at the Albany Haitian Flag Day!

⭐️ = Top 5 Staff Picks

⭐️ 🇭🇹 We’re excited for the first annual Albany Haitian Flag Day at the Washington Park Lake House. Along with dance and music, the festival will feature Haitian food, known for its soulful mix of African, French, and Caribbean influences built around bright herbs, slow-cooked meats, rice, beans, plantains, peppers, and citrusy marinades. Yum! Sat, 12-6p, free.

⭐️ 🏡 Discover Troy’s secret green spaces on the Troy Hidden Garden Tour, a self-guided stroll through private gardens, tucked-away courtyards, and blooming backyard escapes. Rain or shine, expect an evening of beauty, inspiration, and hidden gems in the heart of Troy. Thurs, 4-7:30p, $25 for day-of tickets. From 3-4 pm, the Troy Public Library is also offering a free workshop on the layered shade garden.

⭐️ 🦉 With the Lupine Fest happening all month, it’s a good time to visit the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. This Thursday, get to the Discovery Center for Science Symposium, a special evening event. Meet the researchers studying this rare ecosystem, learn about bird banding and and local butterfly populations, enjoy light bites and drinks from Date & Olive Grazing Co. Thurs, 7-8:30p, free.

⭐️ 🇺🇲 Memorial Day: The Capital Region has a full lineup of parades, ceremonies, and community observances honoring those who lost their lives in military service. Albany.com has compiled a good list of events across the area. Albany’s Memorial Day parade steps off at 9:30 am., at the corner of Ontario Street and Central Avenue, ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Lafayette Park. Monday, various times, free.

⭐️ Sawyer Fredericks brings soulful, roots-driven Americana to the legendary Caffè Lena stage with honest songwriting, powerful vocals, and a sound shaped by farm life, folk-rock grit, and deep connection to the land. Since winning The Voice at 16, he’s forged an independent path with heartfelt songs that feel raw and intimate. Friday’s show is SOLD OUT, but there are a few tickets left for Sat, 8p. Tix: $49.09 general admission.

Honorable mention this week:

⭐️ 📜 The free Pinkster Celebration at Schuyler Mansion features musical performances, dancing, and mansion tours. Once a colonial Dutch holiday, Pinkster has become a celebration of African American culture. Sat, 11a-4p, free.

👀 Keep reading to see more notable events in “What’s Happening.”

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🐢 There might be a happy twist to this turtle tragedy

A 30-pound snapping turtle estimated to be around 70 years old was found earlier this week on Methodist Farm Road in Sand Lake. It was badly injured, most likely from being run over by a vehicle.

Rensselaer County sheriff’s deputies responded to the call and they sent the turtle, dubbed Sarge by rescuers, for treatment at the Berkshire County Turtle Rescue in Pittsfield, MA. Sadly, the animal perished on Tuesday night from its injuries.

But there’s a twist. Turns out Sarge was a female Eastern painted turtle and she was carrying eggs. They’re now safely tucked in an incubator while staffers wait to see if they will hatch in about 50-70 days. You can read about Sarge on the turtle rescue’s Facebook: here and here. The Times Union had the initial story.

This is a reminder to watch out for wildlife while you’re driving, especially near wetlands and during the May-June nesting season for these native turtles. It takes an Eastern painted turtle 6 to 10 years just to mature and lay her first eggs. Losing a single female means losing generations of offspring.

THURSDAY

🏃‍♂️ The 2026 CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge is the biggest running event in the CR. Even if you’re not running or spectating, be prepared for closed roads around the Empire State Plaza.

FRIDAY

🪕 The GottaGetGon Festival is a huge family-friendly folk music event that takes place every Memorial Day Weekend at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds.

🌔 Want to take a stroll on the world's longest elevated pedestrian bridge on a moonlit evening? The next Walkway At Night is this Friday night at the Walkway Over the Hudson.

🇰🇷 One of our favorite spots, Sunhee’s in Troy celebrates their 10th anniversary with a patio party, specials and giveaways. Fri-Sat.

🍀 The East Durham Irish Festival kicks off on Friday and goes through the long weekend.

SATURDAY

🦞 It’s all you can eat at Ilium Brewing’s 2nd annual Crawfish Boil!

🍕 DeFazio’s Pizza Garden opens for the season at Indian Ladder Farms. Through Memorial Day.

🍷 Sip, sample, and shop your way through the Hudson-Berkshire Wine & Food Spring Festival, at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham.

🎞️ “Georgia O’Keeffe, The Brightness of Light" screens at the Hyde Museum.

🍸️ The Rensselaerville Public Library’s Cocktail Party is at the beautiful Hilltown Commons, with music by Moonshine Mule.

🐦️ This seems oddly specific but pretty cool at the same time. Tiny Bird Book Contemplative invites you to create a tiny accordion-style book filled with beautiful bird images and thoughtful quotes.

💃 Get to Albany’s Riilaxx Tavern for a thumpin’ Day Party with DJs King Bully and Young Wise on the turntables.

👩‍🌾 You really can’t beat a day at the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market when it’s warm and sunny (although this Sat will be on the chillier side). There’s also the cannabis-friendly 4th Street Farmers Market. And while you’re in Troy, we highly recommend you stop into Pizzeria Mari 🍕 You can thank us later.

🏮The Asian Business Vendor Fair in Saratoga brings together dozens of Asian businesses across the CR showing off their beautiful wares.

SUNDAY

🦸‍♂️ Dive into the world of comics, cosplay, and cool collectibles at Albany ComicCon.

🥾 Wild Ones Capital Region invites you to their Meet & Hike in Hillsdale, where you’ll be taken on dreamy moss-covered trails winding through a bright new-growth forest. Count us in!

MONDAY

🇺🇲 It’s Memorial Day! Albany.com has a list of the major celebrations across the Capital Region. Try this slow-cooker pulled pork for a delicious take on your Memorial Day grill out. Or send us your favorite recipe!

🦞 Hattie’s in Saratoga throws their annual Crawfish Festival with DJ Trumaster throwing down the beats.

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

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