Bacchanalia team turns Troy parking lot into concert hub 🎸

Happy Thursday, Capital Region! Today, we’re taking you to Troy where the power couple behind the still talked-about Bacchanalia Arts and Music Festival are launching their latest projects—a popup concert series and BAMF Sessions—in the run-up to the much-anticipated return of BAMF in early 2026 🎸 🥳 

Plus, it’s a weekend of awesome festivals, led by Lark Out Loud on Saturday. Catch you on Lark Street!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Bacchanalia team turns Troy parking lot into concert hub 🎸 

Three years ago, James and Erin Kehoe, then owners of the Whiskey Pickle in Troy, put on one of the most memorable music festivals to ever surface in the Capital Region—the Bacchanalia Arts and Music Festival (BAMF).

Inspired by the influential South by Southwest festival, the sprawling, three-day affair in downtown Troy won raves from local music fans and even got some people comparing the Collar City to Austin.

But BAMF didn’t return the following year, leaving many folks sorely disappointed. There’s been nary a peep about it since—until this June, when the Kehoes broke the news that BAMF would be returning to Troy in early 2026. Yesss!

The 2022 festival left them with an $80K shortfall. Ouch! This time, they hope to make it a financial success.

But, they’re also not waiting around until 2026 to make some noise. This week, James and Erin launched a new project called “Powered by BAMF,” aiming to make downtown Troy more of a year-round hub for music and creativity.

First up is a pop-up concert experience called “Tiny Van on 4th.” For four consecutive Saturdays starting this weekend, the parking lot for No Name Cannabis at Fourth and Congress will transform into a vibrant music venue. (You might be familiar with the 4th Street Farmer’s Market that’s held here on Saturdays.)

At the heart of the popup event is the Tiny Van Stage, a unique mobile concert setup built by Dan Shapiro, a musician and builder who’s brought the concept to festivals across the country, including Bonnaroo and SXSW. Designed to unfold from a trailer into a full sound-and-stage system, it’s a complete venue on wheels.

Each Saturday’s lineup will drop a few days ahead via Instagram. Opening weekend will feature Rome Thrasher, a Capital District producer and DJ known for blending electronic, hip hop, rock, and nostalgic sounds.

James and Dan share a vision rooted in community and accessibility, shaped by the scrappy origins of Bacchanalia in 2022. 

“This whole series came together in a few weeks,” James says. “It’s about keeping that creative momentum going in a way that’s scalable, local, and genuinely fun.”

“James and I have a really similar philosophy with festivals where they have a magnetism and a force of community because they involve multiple venues and genres, and every corner and nook feels like it could be a venue,” adds Dan, who drove his Tiny Van Stage around Troy during BAMF, playing impromptu concerts.

Backing up the street shows, the Kehoes are also launching Bacchanalia Lil Studio at 42 4th Street in Troy. The space doubles as HQ for BAMF Sessions—slick, high-fidelity video and audio sets in the spirit of NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts. Expect intimate recordings with local talent and pop-up sessions with touring musicians passing through the Capital Region.

🎸Tiny Van on 4th
📍No Name Cannabis, 137 4th St, Troy
📆 Every Sat: Sept. 20 & 27; Oct. 4 & 11
🕖️ 7ish-9ish
🎟️ Free!

🏊️ After a $25 million renovation, Albany’s historic Lincoln Park Pool reopened this summer to much fanfare and raves from residents. The city is now looking for ways to open up access to non-residents, perhaps by adding an entry fee. “There's so much more cost recovery that we're going to need in order to sustain” pool operations,” says Jonathan Jones, head of the Department of Recreations, Youth and Workforce Services. [WAMC]

🫒 In case you missed it, the TU has hired not one but two new dining critics to replace longtime critic Susie Davidson Powell. We’re particularly impressed by the diversity of these hires, especially since the Capital Region is blessed with so many good ethnic eats. Stephanie Gravalese is a frequent contributor to forbes.com and Food & Wine. Shannon Lee is the editor of The Amp, the online magazine of the Asian American Arts Alliance. She writes frequently about food and culture. [Times Union]

👩‍🎓 Local freelance writer (and our Mansion District neighbor) Jane Gottlieb has published a story in Bloomberg exploring what happens in cities like Albany when a major college closes down. Read Jane’s report: “When a College Dies, Who Gets the Campus?”

🥞 The former Albany Ale & Oyster spot is being remade into Little City Luncheonette, an all-day breakfast and lunch restaurant featuring old-school menu items like milkshakes, chicken pot pie, and meatloaf. Can we also expect old-school prices? 😁 It’s scheduled to open in late October. [Albany Business Review]

⭐️ Lark Out Loud is bringing the beat back to Albany’s iconic Lark Street. This free, 21+ festival features headliners Super 400 performing their legendary Led Zep set, plus the smokin’ sounds of Hot Cousin (80s rock), Road Soda Pop (90s hits), CC Smokes (classic funk). Killer food & drink specials make this a no-brainer, so come on down and crank it up for the “Greenwich Village” of Albany. Follow the beat to the outdoor lot behind Lark Street Tavern, Sat, 1-8p, free.

⭐️ It’s your weekend to float over upstate NY at the Adirondack Balloon Festival, the largest hot air ballooning event on the East Coast. Take in the spectacular sight of these ginormous balloons, either from the ground or on a tethered ride in the basket. There are a lot of other activities surrounding the festival. Thurs–Sun, free to watch. Be sure to check out the full schedule on Facebook before going.

⭐️ Get to Saratoga Lake for the Kos Spa Opening Party to welcome New York’s first public floating sauna. A sight for sore eyes (or muscles), the sauna literally floats on the water, Nordic style. See for yourself as Cello sound baths, gongs and classic Aufguss rituals open the doors to all. We’ve been eagerly awaiting this day since interviewing Kate back in February. Sat, 4–10p, free.

⭐️ 🎭️ Call it a Bard Crawl. This Sunday, watch as the conspiracy unfolds and twilight falls on the republic as Will Kempe’s Players perform Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: A Roman Road Theatrical Journey. This epic tale unfolds in three chapters, as spectators move from Murray’s Fools Distilling Co. to Wolf Hollow Brewing Co., and even outdoors. Sun, 4–6p, $35–$50.

⭐️ 🍁 The leaves are turning on and so are the harvest festivals! Tumble into:

• The Half Moon Harvest Festival: bounce houses, hay rides, a climbing wall, wild animals and more!

• The Harvest and Wine Festival at the Altamont Fairgrounds: wine, spirits, and cider tastings from over 20 local vendors.

• Clifton Park Farm Fest: farm tours, live music, animals, Brooks BBQ, and more.

• Sharon Springs Harvest Festival: a variety of artisans and vendors, live music, demos and food options.

• Harvest Faire at Crailo State Historic Site: a 17th / 18th century inspired agricultural faire highlighting many aspects of traditional fall fests.

🎟️ MORE WEEKEND EVENTS

👻 The Gilded Age Ghost Tours in downtown Troy have kicked off and continue through October. This new tour looks super fun!

🍁 After a five-year hiatus, the iconic Delaware & Ulster Railroad reopens to take you through a fall kaleidoscope of fiery reds, oranges and golds. Thurs–Sun, through Oct. 12.

🖼️ ART ON VIEW

• Pick up a good book and check out drawings of UFOs, robots, drag queens & more cartoonish chaos by renowned Albany artist Kevin Bruce at our fave neighborhood book store, Urban Aftermath. 

• Liberation and For Life celebrates 50 years of Black Dimensions in Art, showcasing 90+ artists and 100+ works that will blow your mind | Albany Institute of History & Art

• Up to Us highlights BDA’s powerful legacy with archival materials spanning 1975 to the future | The Tang Museum

• Noel W Anderson: Black Excellence and Romare Bearden & Ralph Ellison: From the Archive | UAlbany Art Museum

TODAY

🍔 Today is National Cheeseburger Day! You can expect to find a promotion at nearly every national fast food chain.

🏮The Autumn Glow Festival continues through Nov. 2.

FRIDAY

🍺 It’s the final night of Opalka’s Popup Beer Garden Series featuring a Makers Market, plus performances by The Parlor and Jimi Woodful.

🌽 Make your way through the (non-haunted) Moonlight Maze at Schuyler Farms in the dark of night.

🎤 Basilica Hudson is hosting its annual musical extravaganza, Soundscape, on Friday & Saturday. Meanwhile, Mass MoCA’s Freshgrass is also happening this weekend.

🎸 Catch the highly danceable funk and rock sounds of Brother Junction at Wolf Hollow Brewing Co.

🎙️ “The Great American SoulBook” at UPH delivers a journey through the decades of Motown, R&B, and other iconic soulful music.

⚛️ James Hood returns to the miSci planetarium with his latest immersive show, “Beautifica,” which takes you into the mesmerizing world of particles.

🎬️ The NYS Writers Institute invites you to special screening of “Three Seasons,” the first American movie filmed in Vietnam after the lifting of the US embargo, followed by a Q&A with director Tony Bui.

SATURDAY

🇺🇲 The second annual Red, White & Brew Festival returns to South Pearl Street in front of MVP Arena with a free, family-friendly celebration honoring veterans. Randy Houser headlines a full day of country music. Also on the bill are local faves Tame the Rooster and national recording artist Tyler Farr. Sat, starts at 2p, free.

🥕Edible Uprising Harvest Dinner takes farm-to-table to a new level, by keeping the table at the farm. This looks to be a heartful and hearty harvest dinner experience.

🖼️ Berly Brown’s “Visions in the Void” opening at The Green Lodge.

🏃‍♂️ The Rensselaerville Ramble Trail Run and Walk benefits the Preserve and the Rensselaerville Library.

🍁 Pine Hollow Aboretum invites you to join an Autumn Equinox Mindfulness Walk with Sandy Wilson.

🪦 The Underground Railroad Education Center is Marking the Legacy of abolitionist-activists Stephen and Harriet Myers by installing headstones for them at Albany Rural Cemetery, on Saturday.

🌲 Get to the Five Rivers Fall Festival for a family-fun day of outdoor nature activities, interactive exhibits, music, food vendors, and more!

🍺 Join Artisanal Brew Works’ Gorduous Hike to pick the pumpkin or gourd of your choice along the trail.

SUNDAY

🌞 Inspired by Earth Day, Sun Day is a nationwide day-of-action to harness the grassroots power of communities dedicated to increasing the use of renewable energy. At the Empire Plaza Convention Center.

🕊️ In honor of International Day of Peace, One Heart Community Choir invites you to Sing for Peace in Cohoes.

🦎 Slither on over to the Capital District Reptile Expo at the Albany Capital Center.

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