Introducing The 518 Dinner Club

April 07, 2026

In partnership with

Happy Tuesday evening, folks. Today, we are beyond thrilled to announce our newest event series—The 518 Dinner Club. This one is really special because it brings together everything we love: good food, great conversation, and a gathering of fascinating people—that’s you, our subscribers! Keep reading for more details…

🍸️ Drink Schenectady takes place this Saturday at miSci, from 6 to 9 pm. Not only will you get to taste your way through New York’s finest breweries, distilleries & wineries all under one roof, but you’ll also get your hands on the museum’s cool science exhibits.

We have 2 tickets to give away! Just hit reply with the answer to this question: What is the Capital Region’s unique connection to the Artemis II space expedition, the first trip to the Moon in 50 years? We’ll enter you into a drawing and announce the lucky winner in Thursday’s newsletter.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Since the beginning of The 518, we always knew it would be more than just a newsletter. We wanted it to create a sense of belonging in a region that sometimes feels like a collection of enclaves without a collective spirit.

Today, we’re thrilled to launch The 518 Dinner Club. It’s one way we’re creating community IRL. And what better way to do that than to break bread together, discover a new restaurant, and hopefully walk away with a new friend—or four?

Our first dinner is taking place on Wednesday, April 22, at 6:30 pm. Here’s how it works:

  1. First, take this short personality quiz. Your answers will help us figure out the best mix of people to pair up at each restaurant.

  2. We’ll book the restaurants. On the morning of April 22nd, you’ll get a text message revealing your dinner location. The restaurants will be on Lark Street or Center Square in Albany.

  3. You show up to the dinner ready to mingle and make new friends! You’ll be at a table with 4-6 people, matched according to your personality quiz, which includes how much you want to spend on the dinner itself.

  4. During dinner, we will text you the location of the secret after-party. Everyone in the Dinner Club is invited to meet up for post-dinner drinks and more mingling!

    Of course, Phat & Karley will be at the after-party. (Don’t worry, it will be within walking distance of your restaurant, so you won’t need to drive to a different spot.)

There is a small fee of $15.99 to join the Dinner Club. This helps us pay for the cost of managing the event, calling and confirming with the restaurants, and booking the after-party venue. It also goes toward supporting the local journalism at The 518 you all know and love.

OG readers of The 518 will know that we’re fairly obsessed with food. So, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate our community and connect with you all than over a great meal. And since you’re all smart and interesting people—you subscribe to this newsletter, after all—the convos should flow as smoothly as the drinks.

We hope to see you around the table!

The deets: The 518 Dinner Club, taking place on Wednesday, April 22, starting at 6:30 pm. Visit the event page to claim your seat and read the FAQs for more details.

🥃 Huge thanks to our sponsor New Scotland Spirits for helping to make this dinner possible!

A word from our sponsor

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🖼️ Art on Lark is making a return to its namesake street on June 6. Apparently, the rebirth of the iconic street festival is the result of a partnership between the Lark Street BID and Metroland. “This is an important street, this is a vibrant street and we are thrilled that it is back and that Art on Lark is back,” says BID chairman Chris Burke. [Times Union]

🗑️ 👟 You know we’re obsessed with litter here at The 518. So we’re delighted to learn about this new thing called “plogging,” where you jog while picking up trash 🤯 Started in Sweden in 2016 by Erik Ahlström, it has grown into a global running subculture that promotes health, community spirit and environmental stewardship. The next event is 6 pm, Thursday, April 23, at Lionheart on the Green in Albany.

🎸 Caffe Lena will celebrate Bob Dylan’s 85th birthday with an all-star concert on May 24. Scheduled musicians include Julia Alsarraf (our friend who’s also performing at Kiddie Pool’s BIG GROUP SHOW: Americana/ble), The BlueBillies, Buggy Jive, Girl Blue, Chuck Lamb and Kate McDonnell. Get tix here. [Daily Gazette]

This solid brick home in the historic Stockade district of downtown Schenectady retains much of its original character, including wide-plank flooring, fireplace mantels, and a graceful central staircase. Meanwhile, recent mechanical and roofing updates mean the next owner can enjoy 12 feet of headspace without sweating the big stuff.

Three finished levels give the layout real flexibility, whether as a single-family home or a three-unit rental. The landscaped backyard opens directly onto the Mohawk Riverfront Park. A short walk up Front Street puts you in front of some of the best restaurants in the Capital Region. Updated systems and off-street parking via a shared driveway round things out.

The deets: 4 bd, 4 ba, 2866 sf. Asking: $369,900. Days on market: 1. See the full listing here

Note: The 518 Weekender now publishes on Thursdays. Watch your inboxes!

WEDNESDAY

✏️ Every first Wednesday of the month, Toni’s Wine Bar invites you to try figure drawing while sipping your favorite adult beverage.

😂 Jim Gaffigan brings his signature deadpan observations on everything from dad life to the miracle of Hot Pockets. At the MVP Arena.

🐟️ The annual Trout Release at Geyser Creek in Saratoga Spa State Park is something of a family-friendly, outdoor party. Dress for the weather!

THURSDAY

📚️ Hisham Matar, Libyan-American and British author, won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for his memoir, The Return. Catch Matar in conversation at the NYS Writers Institute at UAlbany.

🔉 Constellations explores open-form, structured improvisation, using both acoustic and electronic instruments, as well as generative algorithms to guide parts of the performance. At EMPAC.

👂️ The Craft & Sip: Leather Earring Workshop at Nine Pin features Laiken Mae Handmade, a local Troy jewelry studio known for stylish handmade earrings crafted from natural materials. If you go, remember to mention “The 518 Crew” to get 10% off all cider pours!

🎬️ Join indigenous filmmakers Katsitsionni Fox and Michelle Schenandoah for a workshop on Ethical Media from an Indigenous Perspective, at the Sanctuary for Independent Media.

FRIDAY

🎙️ The Albany Barn puts on a variety show called Medley as its major fundraiser this year.

🎤 Shamelessly belt out your favorite emo anthems at the Emo Prom Live Band Sing-a-Long at Albany’s Lost & Found.

🎭️ UAlbany Musical Theatre Association raises the curtain on its production of Urinetown!

🧑🏾‍🌾 Soul Fire Farm, an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm and training center, invites you to their Infrastructure Tour.

SATURDAY

💀 The Twilight Market’s 2nd annual Halfway to Halloween event is heading to Troy.

♻️ Discover new ways to go green at the 2026 Saratoga Sustainability Fair on the Skidmore campus.

🏃‍♂️ Score a new PR at the 2026 Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon, which features a point-to-point course on a very fast surface.

🦋 The storytelling juggernaut known as The Moth is landing at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

🍸️ Drink Schenectady is your chance to sample some of the best craft brews and spirits that New York has to offer, while experiencing the hands-on science exhibits at miSci.

👕 Ever wanted to try your hand at screen printing? Join the casual beginner’s class at Circus in Albany to learn how!

🧝‍♂️ Upstate Card Con takes over Colonie Center Mall.

🎸 UNKEN BREW is a high-energy acoustic group that blends bluegrass, blues, and Americana. At Wolf Hollow Brewing Co.

💃 Did you know Jenna Ortega is the subject of her own Little Golden Book? Join Storytime with Heather E. Schwartz, followed by a little dance lesson with instructor Jennifer Lavenhar. At Barnes & Noble.

SUNDAY

📚️ The 518 Romantasy Shop, billed as upstate New York’s first mobile romance bookstore, is doing a popup at Stuyvesant Plaza.

🌺 Blooming the Imaginarium is an immersive, music-filled fundraiser supporting the creation of a permanent interactive art installation in downtown Albany.

🕺 Local dance instructor Paul Rosenberg invites you to Albany Family Barn Dance, featuring circle dances, squares, line dances, and play-party singing games from around the world.

MONDAY

🎸 Super Dark Mondays presents Desperate Annie’s (melodic punk / sludge / shoegaze).

ART ON VIEW

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

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Our rolling deadline is the Saturday before your event!

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