Above: Compañía Irene Rodríguez. Photo Credit: jacobspillow.org Christopher Duggan 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26

Essential Art: 28th Annual Regional Juried Art Show
Peruse the gallery and get inspired. It’s the last day of exhibition for this collection of work by New York State artists. 
@ Cooperstown Art Association | 11 AM | Free

Driftwood, The Sea The Sea
Rockin’ on the River hosts Binghamton, NY Americana/folk-rock band Driftwood and Troy indie folk-pop band The Sea The Sea.
@ Riverfront Park, Troy | 5 PM | Free

On the Lawn with LARAC
You can hang out on the lawn of the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council every Wednesday evening this summer for kid-friendly arts activities and games. 
@ LARAC, Glens Falls | 5 PM | Free

Solid Sound Ticket Giveaway Party
WEQX has some tickets to spare for the sold out Solid Sound Festival at MASS MoCA, taking place this Friday, June 28-July 1. Featured artists include Wilco, Courtney Barnett, Cate Le Bon, Rough Francis, Tortoise and Jeff Tweedy & Friends. Get in on this while you can, simply show up and enter!
@ Albany Distilling Co. | 5 PM 

Photo courtesy of the ACCR event announcement

Franklin Alley Public Forum with artist Joe Iurato
The artist will host an forum with the Troy community to discuss the the mural project of Franklin Alley in order for the piece to be informed by a wide variety of local experiences and voices.

“Public engagement is a key component of this effort,” said Elizabeth Reiss, CEO of the Arts Center of the Capital Region. “We’re envisioning the Franklin Alley project as a demonstration of best practices for placemaking. Unfortunately, we’ve seen communities install murals without reference to their environment or their neighbors. The ACCR is working as a community for the community, and we hope this will serve as a model for other public art programs.”
@ The Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy | 6 PM | Free

Drank The Gold
As a part of the Wednesday Night Concert Series, the Saratoga folk band, Drank The Gold performs a free concert at Artisanal Brew Works.
@ Artisanal Brew Works, Saratoga | 7 PM | Free

‘A Human Being, Of A Sort’ by Jonathan Payne
It’s 1906, and at the Bronx Zoological Park, an African-American convict named “Smokey” is guarding the zoo’s most sensational exhibit: Ota Benga, a Congolese pygmy. As the public’s fascination intensifies and protestors call for Ota’s release, Smokey must grapple with the fact that his own freedom depends on another black man’s captivity. This world premiere play is based on a true story.
@ Williamstown Theatre Festival | June 26-July 7 | $60

Compañía Irene Rodriguez
After selling out the Pillow in 2017, the company known for their blend of Spanish and Cuban flamenco returns in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The fiery ensemble of live musicians and dancers with some of their classic pieces and a world premiere.
@ Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Mass. | 8 PM, Thursday 2 & 8 PM, Friday 8 PM, Saturday 2 & 8 PM, Sunday 2 PM | $45-$78

Abby Z and the New Utility
2017 Recipient of the Juried Bessie Award, Abby Zbikowski makes her Pillow debut with an intimate setup with nine dancers. Her choreography draws from tap, hip-hop, West African, and postmodern.
@ Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Mass. | Wed.-Fri. 8:15 PM, Sat. 2:15 & 8:15 PM, Sun. 2:15 PM | $40