Troy Riverfest
May 18
Downtown Troy
A celebration of art, music, crafts, and culture is returning to River Street in downtown Troy. Going on from 11am–5pm on May 18, the annual Troy Riverfest regularly welcomes thousands of guests of all ages to explore all that the Collar City has to offer. Come for the 100-plus vendors and shops and stick around for the live music, face painting, chalk art, pop-up entertainment, and more. downtowntroyny.org
Americade
May 27–31
Lake George Area
Get ready to rev your engines, motorheads. Upstate New York’s largest motorcycle festival returns to the Lake George area the day after Memorial Day, promising breathtaking views, tours, trade shows, rodeos, live music, comedy shows, dinner boat cruises, and more. americade.com
Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
June 4–8
Saratoga Race Course
For the second consecutive year, the horse racing world will descend upon Saratoga Springs this June for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the prestigious Triple Crown. (The race has been temporarily moved to Saratoga while Belmont Park is under construction.) The big race is on Saturday, but world-class racing—including 27 stakes races—will be going on all week long. nyra.com
New York Capital District Renaissance Festival
June 14-15 & 21-22
Indian Ladder Farms
Calling all lords and ladies: The 518’s favorite ren faire is returning to the fields and orchards of Altamont’s Indian Ladder Farms to send you back in time. On two weekends this June, Renaissance enthusiasts can shop wares from more than 60 vendors hawking everything from jewelry to weaponry, witness sword-fighting acts, listen to live music, and even partake in a pub crawl to sample different brews from Indian Ladder Cidery and Brewery. Kids and dogs are welcome, too. nycapitaldistrictrenfest.com
Chris Stapleton
June 20
MVP Arena
Award-winning entertainer and “Tennessee Whiskey” singer Chris Stapleton will make sure “Nobody’s Lonely Tonight” at his All-American Road Show Tour, coming to MVP Arena this June. The country show will feature special guest Maggie Rose. mvparena.com
Albany Anime-Fest
June 22
Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel
Immerse yourself in the world of Japanese art and culture at Albany Anime-Fest, which is striving to be New York’s best and truest anime convention bringing together fandoms of multiple genres. Featuring celebrity voice actors, cosplay contests, panels, screenings, and a live Sailor Moon concert, the festival will have something for every anime enthusiast. albanyanimefest.com
TAP New York
June 28–29
Blackthorne Resort
New York State’s longest running craft beer festival returns to Blackthorne Resort in East Durham this June, but the two-day festival isn’t all about beer: More than 150 drink options will be available, including craft beer, cider, mead, and mixed drinks. Throw in food and live music, and TAP New York is a recipe for a good time. tap-ny.com
Beauty and the Beast
June 28–July 3
Proctors Theatre
This summer, Proctors invites you to be their guest for one of 10 performances of Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s first North American production of the beloved musical in more than 25 years. For a more in-depth look at the show, don’t miss Proctors’ free TheatreTalk following the Thursday matinee performance in the GE Theatre. atproctors.org
4th on the Third
July 3
Mabee Farm Historic Site
Why wait until the 4th of July to celebrate America’s independence? At Mabee Farm, the festivities—including live music, local craft and food vendors, farm animals, and living history tours—start on Thursday the 3rd at 5pm. Stick around after dark for a fireworks finale over the Mohawk River. schenectadycountyny.gov
New York City Ballet
July 9–12
SPAC
This July, the iconic New York City Ballet will return to Saratoga Performing Arts Center for its 59th summer residency. This year’s performances will showcase a mix of classic and groundbreaking new works, including the full-length ballet Coppélia, Jerome Robbins’ The Four Seasons, George Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and a newly composed work by Justin Peck. spac.org
