The Capital Region can’t get enough of vintage popups

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Hey, 518 readers! Summer’s end might be fast approaching, but there’s still time to indulge in some warm-weather fun. This week, we’ve got a pile-up of alfresco festivals, almost all of them taking place on Saturday 🤦‍♀️ Alas, hard decisions are in order.

Today, we’re also taking a look at the plethora of vintage markets popping up in the 518. Thrift is hip, so let’s go find that velour tracksuit of your dreams.

👨‍🎓 The Capital Region is blessed with a high concentration of top universities and colleges. Each one puts on tons of on-campus events throughout the year. Alan Koslow tells you which ones are worth your time at Capital Region Curated. Subscribe today to stay in the know!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

The Capital Region is having a vintage market moment

The secondhand apparel market is booming.

But shoppers aren’t just looking for that perfect pair of vintage Levi’s. They want experiences that are offline and unique, as a response to the digital overwhelm.

That helps to explain the rise of vintage popups across the Capital Region.

Perhaps the biggest and best known is the Vintage Roundup, founded in 2021 by long-time Albany resident Sarah Minguela and slow-fashion advocate Kristin Bradley. Sarah also owns the Bevy Vintage Collective stores in Albany and Troy. Save the date: The next Vintage Roundup is Sept. 5!

There’s also the Twilight Market, A Big Gay Market, and the Second Sunday Market in Saratoga, among others.

Now we’re seeing other vintage markets trying to break into the CR, though not necessarily with local ties.

This Saturday, an upstart brand called New Life Markets is bringing the “Albany Fashion Market” to the Washington Park Parade Grounds. Promising 50+ vendors, food trucks and live music, the sizable event is being billed as the “biggest fashion market of the summer.”

Another similar outfit, Albany Bound Vintage has held roughly 20 markets here in just over a year. This Friday, they’ll be setting up shop at their usual location at Likeable Popups in Watervliet. 

Started out of NYC as Brooklyn Bound, the company made Albany its first expansion outside the city.

“It was our biggest request,” says general manager Ellie Walz. “We got the most comments and DMs about Albany.”

The company now operates in nine cities and expects to keep growing, but Ellie says Albany remains one of its strongest markets.

“Albany has definitely been one of our favorite and most consistent expansions with our shoppers and our sellers,” she says.

Albany Bound leans heavily into Y2K fashion—think Juicy Couture, low-rise jeans, Ed Hardy and other late-’90s and early-2000s styles—while still offering a wide mix of vintage clothing, sneakers, jewelry, accessories, home decor, art and upcycled pieces.

Its Albany events are relatively small, with about 15 vendors at Likeable Popups, but Ellie says they typically draw between 300 and 600 shoppers. The crowd also tends to be on the younger side, with Gen Z heavily represented.

The market tries to keep barriers low for sellers. Some vendors run established vintage businesses, while others may be selling for the first time.

“We really are open to a wide array of sellers because we just want to promote small businesses and people really having the opportunity to try something new,” she says.

If you’re looking for something new to add to your closet or home, check out these markets this weekend:

Albany Bound Vintage | This month’s theme is back to school (“Bound University Market”). Friday. Early admission is $5 from 3–4p, then free from 4–8p. Likeable Popups at 51 Watervliet Ave. 15+ vendors. 

Albany Fashion Market | This is NLM’s first entry into Albany. Expect vintage & Y2K gems, food trucks, live music and $20 fill a bag. Sat, 11a-4p, free. Washington Park Parade Grounds. 50+ vendors.

A word from our sponsor

The Counter is a play by Meghan Kennedy about an unlikely friendship that develops between a lonely waitress, Katie, and a regular customer, Paul, a retired firefighter, at a small town diner in upstate New York.

Their casual morning conversations evolve into a deep, life-affirming bond as they share secrets, culminating in a shocking request from Paul that forces them both to confront their grief and find hope through human connection. Directed by Patrick White, the play premiered Off-Broadway in 2024. It’s Harbinger Theater’s 21st Capital Region premiere, and is known for its intimate, moving, and provocative exploration of loneliness and connection. Runs Sept. 17-26.

🍽️ The TU’s Steve Barnes gives us a sneak peak of the gorgeous new restaurant in Rensselaerville called Hamlet, rising out of the space once occupied by the Palmer House Cafe. [Times Union]

☕️ A new family-owned cafe called Cindy B’s opened this week on the former St. Rose campus, in what was the athletic center. [News10]

🍎 After an expansive $1 million renovation, Windy Hill Estate in Schodack has reopened as the Goold Hill Apple Orchard. The lovely property soft-opened last week and will be ready for the coming apple picking season. We’ll be making a visit out to the orchard soon! [Albany Business Review]

📜 This Saturday, the Tang Museum opens Mark Thomas Gibson: We Are A Constellation, exploring American history, democracy and the responsibilities of citizenship through painting, drawing and performance. Central to the exhibition is the recurring “Town Crier” figure, which will be brought to life each day by a Skidmore student who will announce the news from both 250 years ago and the present.

This charming Albany Tudor blends classic character with everyday comfort, featuring a stone-and-brick exterior, arched doorways, hardwood floors, a welcoming fireplace, and a thoughtfully designed kitchen. A first-floor bedroom adds flexibility for guests or a home office, while the full bath preserves its original tile for an extra dose of vintage charm.

Out back, a lush, fully fenced yard with flowering trees creates a private retreat, complemented by both front and back porches for relaxing outdoors. Add in a dry basement, detached garage, and a quiet, walkable location near shops, restaurants, and everyday conveniences, and you have a home that offers both neighborhood energy and a peaceful place to unwind.

The deets: 3 bd, 2 ba, 1528 sq. ft. Asking: $324,000. Days on market: 5. See the full listing here.

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🎪 Circus in the Park | Step right up for an afternoon of high-flying family fun in Troy’s Prospect Park! Enjoy live circus performances, hands-on activities, music, movement, and plenty of surprises throughout the day. Designed for circus fans of all ages, the festival runs through the day. Bring lawn chairs and a picnic! Sun, 12-6p, free. There’s still time to sign up for trapeze lessons happening through the weekend. More to explore: Read our profile of The Big Top Group, the folks behind Circus in the Park.

⭐️ 🌮 Albany LatinFest | The largest Latino event in the Capital Region brings plenty of traditional foods and musical performances, headlined by Puerto Rican star Christian Alicea. Also on the bill: David Cedeño and his orchestra; and other local Latin artists. Sat, 11a-6p, free.

⭐️ 🎸 GEM Festival returns to downtown Glens Falls, bringing live music and live art installations to three venues: Downtown Social, Mean Max Brew Works, and Golden Monkey Lounge. The musical lineup includes Sophistafunk, Glass Pony, Joe Mansman & The Midnight Revival Band, Capital Zen, and The Hauntings. Sat, kicks off at 4p. Full pass is $20 (includes access to the afterparty); $10 per venue pass; available at the door.

⭐️ 🖼️ Romantics Arts & Culture Festival | Ten Broeck Mansion’s free “Hopeless Romantics” Arts & Culture Festival celebrates Albany’s connections to Romanticism through poetry, art, history, theater, and live music. The day includes a garden-inspired poetry workshop, a guided tour exploring Romantic-era artwork, performances from Capital Repertory Theatre and musician Eli Pafumi, and a closing concert by Shiri Zorn and Chad McLoughlin. Sat, 2-4p, free.

⭐️ 🍵 Mabee Farm Arts & Craft Festival | Up to 75 regional artists and makers will come together to showcase handmade jewelry, ceramics, fine art, home decor, artisan foods and wines, woodworking, and more. The day also features live music, with admission priced at $10 per parked car to benefit Mabee Farm. Sat, 10a-4p, free.

Honorable mention…

⭐️ 🇺🇲 Schenectady County Freedom Festival | Celebrate America’s 250th at this evening celebration, featuring live music and family-friendly fun. Jimmy Kenny & the Pirate Beach Band will bring the beach-party vibes with tributes to Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, and Zac Brown Band. The evening wraps up with a spectacular drone light show. Sat, 7-10p, free.

🎭️ AT THE THEATER

• 13 The Musical explores the joys and agonies of being a teenager. At Cohoes Music Hall. Aug. 21-30.

• Bridge Street Theater raises the curtain on Building the Wall, a dystopian thriller exploring the extreme consequences of anti-immigration politics. Aug. 20-23.

• The Park Playhouse presents Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play. Free shows through Aug. 28.

• Get tix to Harbinger Theatre’s The Counter, about a lonely waitress who befriends a regular customer. Starting Sept. 17.

TUESDAY

🎬️ It’s a dream team collab as First + Adams, Collar Works, Troy Social Cycling and Picture Lock One get together for a screening of Water & Power by Pat O’Neill.

🎡 The Altamont Fair brings the Royal Hanneford Circus, pig races, demo derbies, and Midway rides, all week long.

🍽️ The Downtown Schenectady Summer Sampler Restaurant Week (now that’s a mouthful) features 2 courses for $20, or 3 courses for $30/$40.

WEDNESDAY

👕 Join Circus and Tulip City Creative for Print Albany, a free hands-on T-shirt printing experience. It’s BYOS—bring your own shirt!

🎸 Sirsy headlines the Freedom Park Summer Concert Series in Scotia.

THURSDAY

🪴 Bring clippings, propagated plants, or fully mature specimens at Nine Pin’s Plant Swap. If you go, remember that 518 readers get 10% off all cider pours by mentioning “The 518 Crew.”

🍸️ Toast the end of summer at Cocktails & Caftans, a fabulous yet relaxed poolside party with Opera Saratoga.

🍧 The Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library welcomes DinoPalooza & the Kona Ice Truck (1 free per child).

FRIDAY

🎬️ Movies Under the Stars screens "Hoppers” at Ridgefield Park.

🍕 Have you been to Anthony’s by Romos Pizza? Check them out on Friday as Black Mountain Symphony hits the stage.

🖼️ Make it an art-filled stroll through downtown as Art Night Schenectady returns.

💣 Get to Fort William Henry to see The Last of the Mohicans on the big screen with an immersive atmosphere, featuring surround sound, and live musket and cannon fire! Fri & Sat.

SATURDAY

🎸 Join the New Jerusalem Home of the Saved Church and CDPHP for the 23rd Annual Dr. Pamela J. Harper Community Block Party.

🍺 While you’re in Glens Falls, get to Common Roots Brewing for Books, Beats & Brews. Kicks off at noon.

SUNDAY

🥖 The Sanctuary for Independent Media invites you to join the long table at Freedom Square for a free Community Brunch.

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

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