First Friday Albany set to roll out holiday edition

Albany’s First Friday, a monthly artistic showcase featuring local creativity and cultural expression in downtown Albany and surrounding areas, concludes its year of programming with a slew of festive offerings on Friday starting at 5 p.m.

To celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan is set to lead Albany’s annual tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. in Academy Park, adjacent to City Hall. The event will kick off with a concert by Amy Heebner, set to begin at the historic Albany carillon at 5 p.m., and Sheehan, alongside members of the Albany Tulip Court and city officials, will illuminate the tree at 6.

A performance by Albany High School’s Albanettes and Troubadours Choir will follow, along with opportunities to make holiday crafts. There will also be complimentary refreshments.

Elsewhere, galleries, shops and other venues extend a warm welcome to patrons, offering a mix of visual exhibitions and live performances. First Friday is an opportunity to engage with artists while exploring the diverse local creative landscape. 

The Lark Street Business Improvement District will continue to highlight its support of local small businesses with a makers market starting at 6 p.m. at the entrance of the Lark Street corridor at 200 Washington Ave.

Sponsored by Discover Albany and the Michele L. Vennard Hospitality Grant Program, the Albany Barn, located at 56 2nd St., will also host a two-day market called “Gifted,” with a suggested donation of $5 as an entry fee. The event begins Friday night with open studios, local vendors, a DJ and refreshments. The Albany Barn Flash Bash, featuring local tattoo artists’ work, will be part of the opening reception.Open studios will return Saturday morning, offering the chance to buy ornaments and create miniature art alongside resident artists. A coffee bar and light refreshments will be available for purchase. 

The David Hinchen Gallery will showcase Hinchen’s works alongside Gail Hinchen’s mixed-media collages from 5 to 9 p.m. The event will feature offerings by Historic Albany Foundation (HAF) including notecards, apparel and calendars. Attendees can also explore Maxime Taccardi‘s studio and purchase paintings, prints and gifts. Thirty percent of the gallery’s art sales will support the foundation, and new HAF members will receive a special Albany Skyline print. The gallery is at 261 State St. with parking nearby. Appetizers and beverages will be served.

The Albany Public Library’s Pine Hills Branch at 517 Western Ave. is set to host an art gallery titled “Extra/Ordinary” starting at 3 p.m. The gallery highlights the fusion of craftsmanship and fine art among contemporary artists. Regional artists, exploring new frontiers in domestic art creation, employ braiding, sewing, quilting, embroidery, felting, tufting and needlepoint tapestry in their creations. Featured artists in the exhibit will include Cyndy Barbone, John DeSousa, Kathy Greenwood, Lori Lawrence, Joy Muller-McCoola, Mark Olshansky, Jess Stapf and Barbara Todd.

Bringing creative minds together, Upstate Artists Guild and Hudson Valley Writers Guild will co-host the opening reception of “Poetic License” at Honest Weight Food Co-op. The event will bring written word and visual art into one space at 100 Watervliet Ave. from 6 to 8 p.m.

For those looking to dive full into the nostalgia of the holidays, Capital Repertory Theatre harnesses the power of classic Christmas tunes by Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley in theRep’s rendition of “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” by Colin Escott. Shows will continue until Sunday Dec. 24. Tickets and information can be found on theRep’s website. 

Another opportunity to support local theater is through Albany Civic Theater (ACT) at 233 2nd Ave. as it presents “The Half Life of Marie Curie” by Lauren Gunderson. This show, opening on Friday and running through Dec. 17, explores the relationship between Marie Curie and Hertha Ayrton, an electromechanical engineer and suffragette, as they go through life as mothers, widows and game changers in the science world. Tickets and information can be found on ACT’s website.

Having returned from a hiatus and rebranded earlier this year, First Friday is poised to establish itself as a regular occurrence in Albany. The event aims to bring the community together and to encourage shopping locally during the holiday season.