Traffic Safety Awareness Show will be held this weekend at Crossgates Mall on Saturday, September 29 (10 am - 9:30 pm) and Sunday, September 30 (11 am - 6 pm) in the lower level during normal mall hours. The car seat check will run Saturday only in the overflow lot adjacent to JC Penney from 11 am to 2 pm.

Afternoon of bluegrass and folk music on the lawn at the historic Willows at Brandow Point at 480 Rt. 385, Athens, NY 12015 from 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm. Reserve your tickets today by calling 518-731-5544. Tickets are $20 per person, $15 per person if a member of the Greene Land Trust.

Fall Colors Tour at Thacher Park. 10 a.m. Join us as we learn the different trees and why they behave the way they do. Meet at the Pear Orchard parking lot. Pre-register for this program by calling the park office at 518-872-1237. The park entrance fee is $6 per vehicle.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County offers a five-week Strengthening Families Program for youth in grades 4 – 6 and their parents/caregivers.  When: The series begins on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and runs for five weeks (9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24) from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Where: Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST), 94 Delaware Ave., Albany. Registration: Advanced Registration is required by contacting Maria at 518.765.3559 or

On Sunday, Sept. 23, at 2 pm: ‘Bushes, Berries & Birds’ at Thacher Nature Center. Autumn is a wonderful time of year to go outside and enjoy the gorgeous days and fall color. It’s also a great time of year to explore our local shrubs and learn who’s who and what’s what. We’ll identify some beneficial native shrubs, figure out which invasive plants to remove from our yards, and how to benefit birds and other wildlife. We’ll also keep our eyes open for migrating bird species. Dress for the outdoors and bring binoculars and/or a notebook. Call 518-872-0800 to register.

The Empire State Aerosciences Museum at 250 Rudy Chase Dr. Glenville, NY will open its doors free of charge on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 10 am to 4 pm as part of Smithsonian magazine’s fourteenth annual “Museum Day Live,” a National celebration of boundless curiosity in which participating museums emulate the free admission policy at the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington DC-based museums..

An evening of Irish music with Ímar​ on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 pm at the Old Songs Community Arts Center, 37 S. Main St., Voorheesville, NY. Tickets are $25 ($5 for children 12 and under) and are available at oldsongs.org or by calling Old Songs at (518) 765-2815.

‘Vultures: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ at Thacher Visitor Center. 1 p.m. Turkey Vultures fill an important ecological niche, and exhibit some truly amazing, albeit peculiar, adaptations! Their habit of eating rotting carcasses has earned them a rather grisly reputation in the hearts of many. Join us to learn more about turkey vulture biology, and discover why the world is better off with these misunderstood birds of prey! This program is appropriate for adults and children age 8 and older. Please call 518-872-0800 to register. Park entrance fee is $6 per vehicle.