The 518 Weekender: Kiddie Pool, First Friday, Spring Thing & Foraged NY

Apologies for the late evening send, but we’ve been heads down gearing up for the big show—Kiddie Pool’s “Americana/ble.” It’s the largest event we’ve ever held here at The 518 HQ. Usually we run Kiddie Pool like an intimate speakeasy—you gotta get on the list to get the secret location. This Friday, we’re throwing the doors wide open!

Keep reading to discover the location and the rest of The 518 Weekender…

🌸🌷 Plus, don’t miss our Mother’s Day roundup in Upcoming Events!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

⭐️ = Top 5 Staff Picks

⭐️ 🇺🇲 Albany’s residential art space Kiddie Pool throws an awesome opening night party for its largest event yet—”Americana/ble: The Big Group Show.” Come meet many of the artists in the show, listen to live music from local favorite Julia Alsarraf, and hear soapbox speeches from the kids at We Are Revolutionary. All of this goes down in the historic 1874 home that doubles as The 518 HQ! Kiddie Pool is located at 128 Grand St, Albany. Fri, 6-9, free.

⭐️ 🖼️ First Friday Albany is back this month with another round of arts & cultural events in and around the downtown core. Highlights include: The Visual Arts BFA Showcase at Opalka, free admission and screen printing at the Albany Institute of History & Art, A Tribute to Notorious BIG feat. Lil' Cease & The Frank White Experience at Lark Hall; and Head Sound & Architrave at Dive. Fri, various times, mostly free.

⭐️ 🎸 The Spring Thing is a family-friendly music festival at Hangar on the Hudson in Troy, featuring eight local acts across styles including folk, surf rock, indie pop, alternative, folk-punk, and hardcore. Troy punk/hardcore band Brick Windows is one of the heavier bands on the lineup, bringing what guitarist Kieran Robbins describes as loud “big punk band synergy” to the mixed-bill event. Sat, 3-10p, $23.18.

⭐️ 🍄‍🟫 The Foraged New York Festival kicks off on Saturday and runs through May 9, with guided walks at Indian Ladder Farms and dinners at partnering restaurants. Amy and Avery from Collar City Mushrooms (which is now based at ILF) will lead you on the trails around the farm in search of edible plants and demonstrate proper foraging techniques. There’s also a dinner with foraged Catskills fungi at Peekamoose and a Mushroom Experience Dinner at ILF with chef Matt Olley. Fair warning: some events have already SOLD OUT 😬 

⭐️ 🥬 The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is heading outside for the first time this year! Although it won’t necessarily be warm and toasty on Saturday, we’re at least shopping for excellent produce and sampling the food booths under the sun. Sat, 9a-2p, free.

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

🐕️ Get out of the pits at Wolf Hollow Brewing

Out of the Pits is an Albany-based not-for-profit that wants you to know that the American Pit Bull Terrier was once one of America’s most beloved dog breeds. Through education, including visits to schools with certified therapy pit bulls, the organization is trying to restore the breed’s reputation.

On Sunday, from 1 to 4 pm, get to Wolf Hollow Brewing Co. in Schenectady for the 3rd annual Pints for Pit Bulls. One dollar from every pint purchased will go toward supporting OOTP. Sammy’s Country Wagon and NibblexNosh will be serving up good eats, and your furry friends are welcome too!

FRIDAY

🤖 The R Gallery at Arlene’s hosts an opening reception for “Worlds Beyond: An Exhibition of Fantasy and Science Fiction Art.”

SATURDAY

🕰️ Dozens of nonprofits will be selling their wares at The Big Bethlehem Yard Sale.

🛼 The Albany All-Stars Roller Derby squad take on Salt City (Syracuse) for their season opener, with an afterparty at McGreary’s Irish Pub.

🔈️ At the Raisin Sound Launch Party, you’ll meet upstate New York’s first Paraflex sound system (which is basically designed for massive bass output).

🦸‍♂️ Expect some 250 vendors and a handful of celebrities at the Saratoga ComicCon this weekend.

🍪 Upstate Cookie Shack in Rensselaer celebrates its grand re-opening at 8 am!

🐟️ The Sanctuary for Independent Media, RPI, Capital District Tobacco-Free Communities and Riverkeeper team up for the 15th Annual Riverkeeper Sweep.

🚶‍♂️Capital Region Sanctuary Coalition invites you to educate your neighbors during their monthly Albany Barrio Walk.

💥 Earthworld Comics celebrates Free Comic Book Day with special guests Spider-Man and Batman, Marvel Artist John Hebert, and Headlocked Comics. Also check out Cromulet Comics in Troy.

🍸️ The 10th annual Saratoga Margarita & Mimosa Fest is part bar hop, part cocktail celebration!

🪑 The Washington County Antiques Fair takes over the fairgrounds this weekend.

🚒 The Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake invites you to their Touch-a-Truck Day!

🍺 Troy’s Ilium Brewing hosts “Moms & Mimoas” Brunch (free photo shoot included with drink purchase).

SUNDAY

🍏 Nine Pin celebrates NY Cider Week with a four flight pommelier-led cider tasting and pairing experience.

🌳 Celebrate I Love My Park Day by volunteering at various parks around the Capital Region.

📜 The Albany History Fair at Cherry Hill focuses on Albany’s role during America’s founding with house tours, popup museum, live music, cooking demos, tinsmithing, and a “Revolution 250” Historical Panel.

🥕 You can still get tickets to the Capital Roots Spring Brunch, which doubles as a fundraiser for the nonprofit (shoutout to our Morris St Community Garden growers!).

🌏️ Albany Pro Musica presents “This Luminous Earth” at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

🌺 UPCOMING EVENTS — MOTHER’S DAY EDITION

• The Albany Tulip Festival is always a festive option if mama isn’t turned off by big crowds

• The Vintage Roundup is a great place to bring Mom if she loves thrifting

• Dutch Apple Cruises has several departures planned for Mother’s Day

• The folks at Albany.com have compiled a list of dining options for the big day

• Indian Ladder Farms and June Farms are both hosting Mother’s Day events

• Context Collective is hosting a Mother’s Day Pottery Brunch

• Bard & Baker brings in Typhoid Mary for a Mother’s Day Slay

• Ilium Brewing just added a Mother’s Day Brunch with mimosa pitchers

• Stuyvesant Plaza is putting on a Mother’s Day Social

• Allied Brewing is doing a Blooms & Brews event featuring a build-your-own-bouquet bar

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

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Our rolling deadline is the Saturday before your event!

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