518 Weekender: Schenectady SummerNight, Waterford Festival

July 09, 2026

In partnership with

Hey 518 readers, the Weekender is hot off the presses! There’s an embarrassment of riches with too many awesome free festivals happening at once. Decisions, decisions.

🥐 We’re thrilled to welcome a new bakery partner for our Sundae Morning event, taking place next Sunday. The Latina-owned Yellow Corner Bakery in Troy will be providing blueberry crisp cinnamon rolls, local strawberry oat bars, herby focaccia, and local garlic scape, goat cheese puff pastry. Are you kidding me? This is your sign to get your tickets to Sundae Morning—yes, we’re talking ice cream!

🎟️ Don’t forget that The 518 Dinner Club is also in downtown Troy this month.

📆 Finally, just a reminder that we will be going down to one newsletter a week, starting next Tuesday. Your inbox thanks us.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Celebrate the Erie Canal’s bicentennial at the Water Music NY: Waterford Festival on Friday.

⭐️ = Top 5 Staff Picks

⭐️ 🎸 Schenectady County SummerNight | Schenectady’s biggest event of the year features two talented tribute bands, Refugee (Tom Petty) and The Warped Band Tour (emo-pop punk), plus local favorites like The Sugar Hold and Ky McClinton. The night ends with a fireworks finale. Friday, 5-10:30p, free.

⭐️ 🛶 Water Music NY: Waterford Festival | This Erie Canal bicentennial celebration at the Waterford Lock is a full day of art, music, and food. Start the day with a kayaking trip or a historic hike on Peebles Island. See Adam Frelin’s “Walking Stones” and artwork curated by Collar Works. Stay for the free Albany Symphony concert and a light drone show in the evening. Friday, 2:30-9:40p, free.

⭐️ 🦸 MVP Kids Day at Empire State Plaza’s West Capitol Park features Bebefinn, the popular animated children's character, who will perform three live mini-shows throughout the day (11a, 1p & 3p). Plus, pony rides, face painting, rock climbing, animal encounters, and more! Sat, 11a-4p, free.

⭐️ 🎆 Ravena and Coeymans America's 250th Celebrations | Instead of the annual Friendship Festival, Ravena and Coeymans are going big for America’s 250th this year with a full weekend of hometown pride, starting with a Friday night block party at Mosher Park, followed by a Saturday festival at Coeymans Landing with food, fun, and fireworks over the Hudson. Friday, 7-10p; Sat, 1-9p. Free.

⭐️ 🇺🇲 The Washington County NY History Festival | Washington County celebrates America’s 250th with a weekend of hands-on experiences including living history demos, displays, kids’ activities, live music, wagon rides, food vendors, and more. Sat & Sun, free.

Honorable mention:

⭐️ 🇲🇽 Felipe Esparza at the Funny Bone | What’s up, fool? Get your homies out to see Felipe Esparza as he brings his irreverent, working class, laid-back style of stand-up comedy to Albany’s Funny Bone. Expect plenty of laughs that come from a lifetime of gritty stories, shaped by his experience growing up Mexican American on the streets of Los Angeles. Fri-Sat, $32-$42. Two shows each night.

A word from our sponsor

The 518 is proud to be the media sponsor for the new season of Mopco’s Theatresports, premiering this Saturday. If you’ve never experienced Theatresports, here’s what to expect:

Two teams of top-notch improvisers go head-to-head in a fast-paced showdown, battling for points, bragging rights, and your laughs. Every scene is created on the spot from audience-inspired challenges, while a panel of judges scores them on storytelling, skill, and entertainment. But beware—boring scenes can earn penalties.

It's got the excitement of a sporting event with all the chaos, comedy, and unpredictability of live improv. Your laughter helps decide the winner. Fast, fearless, and completely unscripted. No two shows are ever the same!

🐈️ Downward dog with the kitties at the Pretty Paw Lounge

We last visited the Pretty Paw Lounge back in November 2024. Read our story to learn how Rotterdam native Rachel Anne was inspired to create the Capital Region’s only cat cafe for kitties with special needs.

On Sunday, July 26, get to the Pretty Paw Lounge and stretch with the kitties during Cat Yoga Class. You’ll start with a 45-minute all-levels yoga class, followed by 30 minutes of quality cat time. What a purrfect combo.

SUMMER FUN

🍫 “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” continues at Cohoes Music Hall through July 18. It’s been getting rave reviews! Also, the cult classic, “Mystic Pizza,” is playing at theREP through Aug. 9.

🩰 The New York City Ballet brings the perennial fan-favorite, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Innovators & Icons, featuring signature works and an exciting premiere, to SPAC.

🖼️ All summer, Ten Broeck offers Living History, free family programs with hands-on art, garden, and history activities set among its four acres of historic gardens.

THURSDAY

🎸 Get to the Tang Museum for the kickoff of its 2026 Upbeat on the Roof concert series, featuring funk-music ensemble Oobleck.

🤡 Break out your clown costumes as Weirdo Night Returns: Clown Edition at No Fun.

🎸 It’s Classic Rock Night at Alive at Five, headlined by FJ: A Tribute to Foreigner & Journey. Meanwhile, in Cohoes, Rock the Block features Magical Mystery Doors (Beatles/Zeppelin/Doors tribute). And in Schenectady, catch the country/blues rock of Chris Sanders at Electric City SummerFest.

FRIDAY

🔥 The Albany Firebirds put on a big ol’ block party in front of the MVP Arena ahead of their match with the Nashville Kats.

⛴️ Experience the high of the Canna Cruise with 420-friendly folks and music while taking in the sights along the Hudson.

🎸 TV Doctors bring their charm to Wolf Hollow Brewing Co. in Schenectady.

🖼️ Get to Albany Center Gallery for the opening reception of “Then & Now: Allen Grindle, Moments in Time.” Btw, the gallery has a rare opening for a new development director!

SATURDAY

🎸 Relive the Grateful Dead concert experience at Rock the Dock Festival featuring the 7-piece Dark Star Orchestra.

☠️ The Twilight Market returns to Albany’s Quackenbush Square.

🎆 Get to the Mechanicville Family Day in the Park for live music, vendor booths, and activities for the kids, plus a big fireworks show.

🌷Hoosick Blooms Garden Tour offers a driving tour of private gardens and farms in historic Hoosick Falls and surrounding rolling hills of upstate NY. Sat & Sun.

🪶 Catch Chris Thomas and Smoke Dancers, a multigenerational and celebrated dance troupe practicing traditional Haudenosaunee music and dance, at the Iroquois Museum.

🎸 A perennial favorite, Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra plays Freedom Park Summer Concert Series in Scotia.

SUNDAY

☀️ Ditch your phone and learn how to produce images without a camera at the Alternative Image-Making workshop at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

🥯 Enjoy the live music of Ed Conway, and dig into complimentary bagels and Bloody Marys at Second Act Spirits in Amsterdam.

🏳️‍🌈 A Big Gay Market returns to Washington Park for another gathering featuring 100+ queer, gender expansive, and allied vendors.

🔥 Join Ash King for an exclusive 4-week workshop focused on the magic of salt firing, at Context Collective.

🤹 The Gratto Family Jugglers delight the crowd at Scotia’s Freedom Park.

MONDAY

🎻 Go way high with Lindsey Stirling, pop violin virtuoso, at SPAC.

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

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