Top 5 Weekend: St. Patrick's Day, The Egg's Open House, Maple Fest

March 12, 2026

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Happy Thursday, Capital Region! While the weather has taken a turn back to cooler temps, we can’t be too upset. Spring is in the air, and we spy green tulip buds poking up in the garden at The 518 HQ.

Today, we’ve got another awesome weekend roundup, starting off with a host of green-tinted St. Patrick’s Day festivities. On Saturday, The Egg throws a community block party for the ages in its recently refurbished Brutalist building. There’s also Maple Fest, Wizard Fest, the circus at the MVP, and so much more…

🏀 Congratulations to the Siena Saints for winning the MAAC championship and earning an invitation to the NCAA tourney for the first time in 16 years! Back in 2010, Barack Obama was only in his 2nd year in the White House, Instagram launched for the first time, and Netflix had just started streaming instead of sending out DVDs. Simpler times, folks!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

⭐️🍀 Get ready to paint the town green. Starting off strong is the 75th annual Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade, kicking off at 2 pm, beginning at Central & Lexington Avenues. (Note that the separate North Albany Limerick Parade is at 11:30 am.) Then you’ve got the Albany St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl and the Saratoga LepraCON Pub Crawl. As part of Mayor Dorsey Applyrs’ new campaign to bring entertainment back to the city—bravo!—the city has planned a plethora of St. Patrick’s Day events. On Sunday, get to the NYS Museum to hear traditional Irish music from Toss the Feathers.

⭐️🕹️ The Egg’s Open House is back! A free, full building party with arcade games, movie screenings, Typhoid Mary performance, Paper Moon zine/comic book pop-up and more! If you went to last year’s Open House, you know this is the best community event The Egg will throw all year. Sat, 2-6p (for families), 6-8p (for 18+). RSVP required.

⭐️ 🎤 As the title suggests, Kevin McKrell’s Final Saint Patrick’s Celebration at Cohoes Music Hall may be one of the very last times you’ll get to sing along with the Celtic legend on Saint Pat’s (although he is appearing at a sold-out show at Caffe Lena on Sunday as well). Fri, 7:30-9:30p, $25.

⭐️ 👟 Even though we’re not sneakerheads, the Underdogz Streetware Market looks like it would be a pretty dope browsing experience. Taking place at the Albany Capital Center, this sprawling event brings together some of the coolest streetwear brands from NYC and beyond. Come for the hot fashion and stay for the cool vibes, music, and good eats from Sovranas and Lil’s Kitchen. Sun, 1-5p, free.

⭐️ 🍁 Get to Indian Ladder Farms for its annual Maple Fest and sample maple syrup treats, live music, demos, and more. Try out limited-edition maple beverages like Makeshift Sugar Shack, Tap Season Tonic, and Tappin’ Some Trees. Sat-Sun, 12-5p, free to attend. At 4 pm each day there will be a 21+ guided hike around the farm, which comes with 2 adult beverages. Check-in at 3 pm in the Tasting Room. Get tix ($25) for the hike here.

🎙️ Honorable mention (because it’s actually next week): An evening at the Troy Listening Room is one of the most intentional, acoustically superior musical experiences in the Capital Region. Hosted and curated by the power couple of Sophia Vastek and Sam Torres (who now produce shows under the S&S Presents moniker), Troy Listening Room also serves as their home.

This Tuesday, they’re bringing in composer/cellist Clarice Jensen and composer/multi-instrumentalist Chuck Johnson. Tues, 7-9:30p, $10-40 (sliding scale). Get tix.

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THURSDAY

🧙‍♂️ Wizard Burger and No Fun team up for their annual extravaganza known as Wizard Fest. Think metal shows, raves, movie screenings, the Merciless Metal Market on Saturday, and even pie for Pi Day from Mister Burns. All week.

🎪 The MVP Arena hosts the Greatest Show on Earth as the circus comes to Albany, courtesy of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey. Through Sunday.

🌞 Interested in energy policy and how decisions are made in this sector? Get to the free Albany Regional Energy Symposium.

📚️ Celebrated contemporary author Kirstin Valdez Quade explores the experiences of working-class Latinx New Mexicans in her fiction, in a talk hosted by the NYS Writers Institute at UAlbany.

🖼️ UAlbany’s University Art Museum hosts a lively conversation between exhibiting artist Noel W Anderson and Cara Manes, associate curator at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art.

🍸️ The dudes at the Larkin Hi-Fi are just trolling us at this point. The supposedly closed lounge bar will be open on Thur-Sat for various St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

💐 MobWellness in Malta invites you to Flowers & Flow, a 45-min Vinyasa class for yoga beginners which ends with a flower bar so you can take home a beautiful bouquet! 6-7p tonight, and also March 19 & 26.

🎭️ Curtain Call Theatre in Latham presents Dan Brown’s “DaVinci Code,” playing through Sunday. Also, catch “Archduke” at theREP in Albany, through March 29. And Will Kempe's Players presents “MacBeth” at Mt. Ida, through Sunday.

FRIDAY

🪕 Indie Whims welcomes musical guests Carolyn Shaprio, Nocturne & Hunter Frost.

SATURDAY

🛶 Formerly known as the Adirondack Sports Summer Expo, the newly renamed Upstate Sports Summer Expo returns to the Saratoga Springs City Center this weekend.

🎻 Dive into vibrant melodies and rhythms that celebrate the diverse Sounds of the Americas live and in person, at Union College.

🥾 Meet other trail enthusiasts at the Adirondack Rail Trail Association’s Winter Rail Trail Rally & Raffle in Saranac Lake.

🧘‍♂️ Pins & Pilates at Nine Pin is focused on strength, mobility, and mindful movement. 12oz cider included!

🍀 Have you checked out OK Social in Valatie yet? If not, get there for Celtic rockers Hair of the Dog for their St. Patrick’s Day performance.

🖼️ The Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library puts on its free Spring Reception this Saturday. Enjoy a glass of prosecco and light bites while taking in the new exhibitions.

🥔 The Pre-Parade Irish Lunch Buffett at Jack’s Oyster House is an excellent opportunity to check out the newly reopened iconic Albany establishment. Btw, you can get $1 oysters for happy hour at the bar 🦪 every Mon-Sat 4–5:30p.

🍺 Remember the notorious Kegs & Eggs? The Hollow Bar + Kitchen is bringing it back grownup-style with brunch, green beer & live music! The Warbler Brewery in Delmar is also doing its own Kegs & Eggs on Sat.

SUNDAY

🍽️ Glens Falls Restaurant Week kicks off on Sunday featuring prix fixe menus of $25/$35/$45 at some of the best spots in town.

🧘‍♂️ Been meaning to check out the new Grand Margaritas? Their Mats & Margs Pilates brunch is an excellent introduction to this buzzy Mexican joint.

🕯️ Collar City Candle heads to Brown’s Brewing Co. in Troy for a Craft & Draft: Popup Candle Making workshop.

LOOKING AHEAD

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