First Friday Albany celebrates Black History Month

Happy Thursday, Capital Region! Today, we’re getting you hyped for First Friday, Albany’s monthly celebration of arts & culture 🖼️ Plus, it’s a terrific weekend for lovers of chocolate, chowder & vegan delights! And don’t miss the answer to Tuesday’s trivia question at the end 👇️ 

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

First Friday Albany celebrates Black History Month

Black artists have long used their art to speak about the Black experience in America, challenging established narratives, and opening hearts and minds to a different story.

In honor of Black History Month, First Friday Albany—the city’s monthly celebration of arts and culture taking place tomorrow—has teamed up with the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce and the Lark Street BID to showcase talented artists from across the Capital Region. (The 518 is the proud media sponsor of First Friday.)

“Art has the power to tell our stories, honor our history and inspire change,” says Leanne Ricchiuti, curator for First Friday Albany. “It reminds us of where we've been, reflects who we are, and challenges us to envision the future. This month's First Friday is an invitation for all of us to celebrate, engage and uplift Black artistry in all its forms.”

Deshanna Wiggins, CEO of the Black Chamber of Commerce, adds that “every artist is an entrepreneur, a business owner, whether they sell paintings, whether they design clothes, whether they are performing on stages. They get revenue, they create jobs, and they are the vibrancy of our communities.”

This Friday, you’ll find an explosion of art across the city, including exhibits popping up at the Black Chamber of Commerce, Albany City Hall, Hold Up Roll Up, The Eleven at Lark Hall, Common Roots Albany Outpost, Alacrity Frame Shop on Lark Street, and In Their Own Voices.

There’s also music! Ophelia’s on Broadway is hosting the Cabin Fever Fest, a free concert with various bands from 5-9p. Performances will also take place at Blake Annex, City Hall, Emack & Bolios, The Eleven, ADCO, The Hollow, The Dive and Opalka Gallery.

New in 2025: Castle Island Bilingual Montessori School is offering parents an opportunity to enjoy a kid-free First Friday! The school will entertain children (ages 2-12 invited) while their parents take in the events around the city.

There’s so much happening at First Friday we can’t fit it all here. Go to the First Friday Albany page for the full schedule of events—and we’ll see you there!

❄️ WEATHER WATCH

"The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see." —James Baldwin

Buy Karley a cup of coffee for her birthday! ☕️ 🎂 

February is Karley’s birthday month! As The 518’s designer/co-editor/social media maven, Karley helps keep the train moving to produce the content-packed newsletter you’re enjoying now. 🐦‍🔥 Let’s show her some love, y’all!

🍹 Franklin Alley Social Club, the wonderful basement tiki bar and shuffleboard club in Troy, has sadly closed its doors after 7 years in business. “The "early days of Franklin Alley and Troy, NY, were some of the most wonderful times of my life. I met so many amazing humans. After Covid nothing felt the same," co-owner Heidi Sicari wrote on IG, announcing the closing. “The truth is I am tired.”

🍷 Familiar Creatures, a Montreal-inspired restaurant and wine bar from the owners of Hamlet & Ghost, opened on Wednesday at 42 Phila St in Saratoga. On the menu: cheese and charcuterie, a signature French-style roasted chicken and Parisian gnocchi, among other dishes. [Daily Gazette]

🎸 Expect to see a lot of new events coming soon to Albany’s Clinton Market Collective. A new events manager has been hired for the recently renovated $4 million pedestrian plaza across from the Palace Theatre. [Albany Business Review]

✈️ Breeze Airways, which calls itself the “premium leisure low-cost carrier,” is coming to Albany International in June with promotional flights to Charleston, Raleigh-Durham, and Fort Meyers for $49/one-way. [Breeze Airways]

⭐️ = The 518 Staff Picks

⭐️ 🖼️ Celebrate Black History Month at First Friday Albany! Catch a free music show. Grab a drink special at El Loco Mexican Cafe or the Larkin Hi-Fi. Go on an evening tour of the spectacular State Capitol Building. Most events are free! See the full schedule here.

⭐️ 🍫 Friday is also for chocolate lovers as the 10th annual Ballston Spa Chocolate Fest takes over the charming downtown. 5—9p, $2 samples. Also happening at Albany’s Desmond Hotel: The Albany Wine & Chocolate Festival on Saturday.

⭐️ 🥣 On Saturday, bring your appetite for the 26th annual Saratoga Chowderfest, featuring more than 80 vendors! 11a—4p, $2 samples. Also enjoy live music throughout the downtown area.

⭐️ 🥦 Nosh on all kinds of plant-based delights at the Glens Falls Vegan Festival, and enjoy a full lineup of live music throughout the day. Sat, 11a—3p, free.

⭐️ Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect puts on an intimate show at Skidmore’s Arthur Zankel Music Center. The program includes Schubert, Beethoven, and the New York premiere of music by Katherine Balch, whose works have been commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others. Fri, 7:30p, free.

And a bonus Weekend Pick…

⭐️ 🎸 As part of First Friday, Capital Region Classical is bringing The Owls for a show at Opalka Gallery. An ensemble from Brooklyn, Owls defies easy categorization, weaving together new compositions with original arrangements of music ranging from the 1600s to the present. Limited tix available! 7:30p, $40.

While you’re at Opalka, check out their latest show, “Screenprint Biennial: 10 Year Anniversary.”

🎟️ MORE NOTABLE EVENTS

THURSDAY

🏳️‍🌈 Catch LBGTQIA+ speed dating and choose your poison from the splendid cocktails at Albany’s hip and friendly Larkin Hi-Fi.

🖋️ Paper Moon in Troy hosts a poetry night featuring Ophelia.

🖼️ We’re loving the activities at the Tang this week. On Thursday, check out their Visible Mending Workshop. Or plan for a visit later this week for Family Saturday: Paper Possibilities—a fun exercise in paper artwork designed for children 5 and older.

🏀 At the MVP, it’s the Siena Saints vs the St. Peters Peacocks.

🎭️ The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY presents “Once on This Island (Bttuny),” a coming-of-age, one-act musical, playing at theRep. Show runs through Feb. 16th.

FRIDAY

🖼️ Join the opening reception for “Light Within Layers” at Albany Center Gallery, as part of First Friday.

🥟 The Polish Community Center hosts its monthly Polish Food Night to satisfy all of your kielbasa cravings and pierogi pining.

🏀 On Friday and Saturday, the MVP Arena Challenge showcases the best talent from six local high schools.

🏳️‍🌈 A Big Gay Kinky Market takes over Refuge in Troy.

SATURDAY

❤️‍🔥 Get ready for a night of seduction and sultry fun with Burlesque at The Berlin.

🍺 Murray’s Fools Distilling Co. in Schenectady hosts its Annual Winter Beach Party, headlined by Big Fez & the Surfmatics. No cover!

🖼️ Albany Center Gallery invites you to “Through Sand and Salt,” a sand, salt, paint & water creative workshop for youth with artist mentor Liz Zunon. The workshop is free, but you must register by Thursday!

🧊 Be amazed at how fast these kids can solve a Rubik’s Cube at the Empire State 2025 Winter Rubik’s Cube Competition at the Albany Capital Center.

🏡 Also happening at the Albany Capital Center is the Capital Region Home Show. Be sure to visit with Caribbean Pools & Spas—one of our newsletter sponsors! 🙏 

📚️ 🍺 A Bookish Market at Common Roots Albany Outpost combines two of our favorite things: good books & great beer. Meet some local authors, too!

SUNDAY

🦉 Forget about Super Bowl Sunday. Get to the NYS Museum for Superb Owl Sunday and learn all about these amazing, wise birds.

🎖️ Sunday is your last chance to catch “A Few Good Men” at Cohoes Music Hall.

Looking ahead…

💘 V-Day is fast approaching. Here are 9 ways to celebrate with your sweetie—sans the expensive dinner!

The TU also put together a great list of Valentine’s Day alternatives here.

You can now buy your mug (designed by our friends at Upstate of Mind!) for the Troy Hot Chocolate Stroll on Feb. 28. The mug gets you hot chocolate at all participating businesses—for just $5!

🎸 LIVE MUSIC & MORE

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Sundays are the deadline to be included in the coming week’s list!

🦫 CAPPIE’S TRIVIA CORNER

More than half of you picked the correct answer for Tuesday’s trivia question: Construction on The Egg was completed in 1978. It started in 1966. 1984 was the year that Sally Ride became the first American woman in space, the Oilers won the Stanley Cup, and Prince released “When Doves Cry.”

The TU has some great archival photos of The Egg under construction.