Your Weekly Guide to What's Up in Downtown
August 12, 2021
Schenectady Restaurant Week 2021
Special Summer Edition! | August 16-22

Enjoy fixed-price, multi-course meals at participating Schenectady restaurants for the special price of $30! We highly encourage reservations during Restaurant Week; for many restaurants, reservations may be required. For any menu or restaurant specific questions, please contact the restaurant directly.

Participating Restaurants:
  • Dukes Chophouse at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady | Menu
  • Johnny’s Italian Restaurant | Menu
  • Katie O’Byrne’s Irish Pub & Restaurant | Menu
  • Mexican Radio | Menu | Veg Menu
  • More Perreca’s Italian Kitchen | Menu
  • Pho Queen | Menu
  • Tops American Grill, Bakery & Bar | Menu
  • Turf Tavern | Menu
  • Zen Asian Fusion Lounge | Menu

Downtown Schenectady Starlight Cinema
Wednesdays in August | Live Music at 6:30 p.m. | Movie at Dusk | Jay Street in Front of Schenectady City Hall

This Week | August 18
LIVE MUSIC | Running the River | 6:30-7:45 p.m.
MOVIE | Trolls World Tour | Dusk
Rediscover Downtown Schenectady

Downtown Schenectady is open for business! Now, more than ever before, it's vital to support our small, local entrepreneurs. Each week, we are featuring a different retailer, restaurant, or service business to keep you connected with all that Downtown Schenectady has to offer.

Canvas Corks & Forks | 402 Union Street
  • Looking for a creative outlet or something to do that's outside of your comfort level, but still fun? Grab a group of friends and sign up for a painting class at Canvas Cork & Forks! They have classes for painting on canvas, glass, woodwork and even ceramic gnomes. Enjoy their mac & cheese bar and specialty drinks while you paint. They also offer private painting parties for your special celebration.
Jazz on Jay
Thursdays, through Sept. 23 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Jay Street Marketplace

  • Free Concert Series every Thursday at the corner of Jay and State streets in Downtown Schenectady.
  • TODAY: The Dadtet
  • August 19: Henry Fernandez Quartet
  • August 26: Claire Daly Quartet
  • Come enjoy amazing jazz artists, then stick around for lunch or a bit of downtown shopping!

The Downtown Buzz
The Jay Street Business Association | Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • “SaturJay” | Spotlighting the eclectic shops, galleries, and specialty cafés and restaurants with special events and special promotions. Music provided by the George Fletcher Blues Band.

Tara Kitchen | 431 Liberty St.
Tuesday-Thursday in August
  • Eat Out For a Cause | For every order purchased Tuesday-Thursday in August, Tara Kitchen will donate $2 to the City Mission of Schenectady.

32 Washington Ave. | August 17, 5:30 p.m.
  • Bike Tour: Electric City Highlights | This tour begins at the Mohawk Harbor and takes you through some of Schenectady’s historic highlights. From the shaded streets and spectacular architecture of the Stockade to the booming growth of the industrial era, we’ll see it all.
  • Admission is $15 and BYO bike. Estimated tour time is 1.5 hours.
  • Tickets

Gateway Plaza | Thursdays, through August 19
Alltown Fresh | 1410-1424 Erie Blvd.
Thursdays & Fridays in August
  • Chef Popups | During the month of August, the Alltown Chefs will be turning out fresh eats like wood-fired pizza from our outdoor pizza oven, smoked brisket fresh from our mobile smoker, hot dogs, hamburgers, dumplings and more. Stop by and see what they have to offer.

New York Folklore | 129 Jay Street
August 14, 12 - 3 p.m.
  • Artist in the Gallery | Capital Region artist Efthimios (Altin) Stoja will be demonstrating and offering comments on the long history, traditions, and techniques of the Macedonian Greek Orthodox religious iconography. Mr. Stoja’s work is at New York Folklore’s Jay Street gallery through mid-October. 

Myers Ballet School | 418 Liberty Street
  • Now registering for fall classes.
  • Preregistration open until August 15 or when classes are full. Information/register.

Under the Proctors Marquee | Tuesdays through August 31
  • Chess in the City | Free community event! Stop by for a game of chess on Tuesdays outside of Proctors. It's free to play and open to all ages. In case of rain, games will be moved inside Proctors. 
Schenectady Business Awards Nominations Now Open

This fall, the Chamber of Schenectady County will honor businesses located in Schenectady County that have made positive contributions to the community. They are now accepting nominations for the following categories:

  • Rising Star/Outstanding New Business Award
  • Business Innovation Award
  • Enterprise of the Year Award
  • Business Leader Award
  • Renaissance Award

To be considered, an organization or individual should not have received an award at this event in the past 10 years. Click here to view previous award recipients. Please submit nominations no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2021. 
Rivers Casino & Resort

Save the Dates! | Live music returns to the Mohawk Harbor Amphitheater with Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady presenting two nights of FREE live music featuring timeless hits of rock music. You are welcome to bring chairs & blankets to sit on. Concerts are rain or shine.
  • August 21, 5 p.m. | Journeyman, a tribute to Eric Clapton, will take the stage. Main concert will be preceded by a favorite local band.
  • August 28, 5 p.m. | The Lords of 52nd Street will wow the crowd with Billy Joel’s greatest hits followed by a spectacular fireworks display. Main concert will be preceded by a favorite local band.
  • Food trucks will be available to purchase food and drinks.

Dukes Lounge | August 13 & 14 | 7-10 p.m. | Live entertainment with Cliff Brucker

The Landing Hotel Patio: Sunset Sips | Sun-Thu 5-8 p.m. | Fri-Sat 6-10 p.m. | Live music daily

Van Slyck's | Friday & Saturday | 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. | DJs are back!
151 Bar & Restaurant | 151 Lafayette Street
  • Kevin & Josh | August 12, 7 p.m.
  • Local 11 | August 13, 8 p.m.

Centre Street Pub | 308 Union Street
  • Frankie Lessard | August 12, 6 p.m.
  • Up the River | August 13, 7 p.m.
  • The Heaters | August 14, 7 p.m.
  • Tony "Lonetone" Ezzo | August 15, 7:30 p.m.

  • Zeppole Night with Brian Singing Italian Love Songs | Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m.

Frog Alley Brewing | 108 State Street
  • Skeeter Creek | August 12, 7 p.m.
  • Steve Hanson Duo | August 13, 4 p.m.
  • Grand Central Station | August 13, 8:30 p.m.
  • Jay Yager | August 14, 1 p.m.
  • Badfish | August 14, 7 p.m.
  • Funk Evolution | August 14, 8:30 p.m.
  • Wreckless Duo | August 15, 2 p.m.
Jay St. Pub | 118 Jay Street
  • Live music on weekends. Check Facebook for information.

Johnny's | 433 State Street
  • Live Music | Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m.

Katie O'Byrne's | 121 Wall Street
  • Claude Sawyer | August 12, 6 p.m.
  • Jimmy Kelly | August 14, 7 p.m.

More Perreca's | 33 North Jay St.
  • Edward T. Clifford - The Human Jukebox | Every Wednesday, 5:30-8 p.m.

The Nest | 512 State Street
  • Megan Morse & Ryan Cahil | August 12
  • Happenstance | August 13

Tara Kitchen | 431 Liberty Street
  • Trevor Wheelock | Fridays, 5-8 p.m.
Passport Parking is a mobile app that offers contactless payment for on-street parking and parking lots in Downtown Schenectady.

Download the app (Android, iPhone) and enjoy the convenience of paying for parking via your smartphone.
Stay informed on the latest economic development news in Schenectady County.

CDTA announces their first fully electric scooters. Scooters will be available soon daily from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. and can be accessed using the SCOOT mobile app.
MOVIELAND 6 | 400 State Street
Looking to celebrate a birthday or special event? Consider having a private party at the Bow -Tie.
  • Private movie bookings for 30 people or less.
  • Concession packages available
  • Party Room space available for rent
  • Private Premiere packages available for adults or children

Opens August 13
10 North Jay Street

August 20, 8 p.m.
432 State Street

August 14, 7:30 p.m.

A new video for the single “Selfish” from reaLation's upcoming release entitled “What Lies Beneath." The band will also be performing a short live set. 

Please Note: For this performance we will be doing E-TICKETS ONLY.
The Downtown Dish

This week's recipe will be a cooling salad to have on these hot August days.
Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Outdoors Around City Hall

Fresh local produce and artisan goods in a festive community atmosphere with 80+ vendors. Complimentary CDTA trolley runs 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Map & Information

Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Outdoors Around City Hall

Fresh locally-produced fruits and vegetables, natural eggs, herbs, baked goods, flowers & plants, crafts and more.
Health & Wellness in Downtown

  • Ptale Stretch and Zumba powered by Vent is back: Ending for the season August 21
  • Ptale every Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. & Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
  • Zumba on Thursdays at 7 p.m,, weather permitting.
  • Yoga Bliss outdoor yoga classes:
  • Fridays at 5:30 p.m. | Happy Hour Yoga
  • Sundays at 8:30 a.m. | Breathwork & Meditation
  • Sundays at 9 a.m. | Healthy Bliss Yoga

  • Get out on your bike or walk and enjoy some fresh air on this paved shared-use path connecting Albany and Schenectady counties, including an on-street segment through the heart of Downtown Schenectady. Click here for a PDF map of the Cohoes to Rotterdam Junction section of the trail.

  • Stroll through and learn about Schenectady's historic neighborhood dating to 1661. The audio narrative is activated as you cross into nearby GPS zones and then guides you around the streets to points of interest.
2021 Hometown Heroes Banner Program

The Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. and the City of Schenectady are celebrating the 7th season of our Hometown Heroes program with 53 new banners and dozens more from previous years displayed on light poles in Downtown Schenectady through Veterans Day.


Congratulations and thank you to all of our honorees, their families and our sponsors, including Hometown Heroes major sponsor SEFCU.
Browse a Map of Downtown Schenectady Businesses
Catch Up on Downtown Schenectady News
Contact the DSIC
Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation | Website