Mother's Day (May 9 for those who are unsure) may look a little different this year, but that won't keep us from celebrating mom! Downtown restaurants and retailers are here to help you honor these wonderful women.
News Archive
NEWS ARCHIVE
Join us on Saturday, April 24, 2021 for two Earth Day neighborhood clean-ups. We'll start at the Olde English Downtown Dog Park (119 N.
The Downtown Albany Gift Card makes it easy for all of us to play an important role in boosting the local economy and strengthening our community.
The prize period for the Artful Albany Spring Scavenger Hunt has ended. You can still play along on your own time by downloading the clue sheet here and hunting down the pictured artwork.
The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) is seeking proposals for website redesign and development, with submissions due by 3:00 PM on April 23, 2021.
Through in-person or online services and dine-in or meals enjoyed at home, Downtown churches and restaurants are working to ensure your souls and stomachs are well nourished this Holy Week. Remember to shop Downtown to help fill those Easter baskets, too!
Governor Cuomo announced in mid-March that construction on the Albany Skyway, the region's first elevated park, will begin this month and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.
May the road rise up to meet you this St. Patrick's Day! From a virtual parade to great dining specials, there are plenty of ways to celebrate this year. Reservations recommended for St. Patrick's Day dining; find a full list of Downtown dining destinations here.
Those seeking to work in downtown Albany now have another option, as Novel Coworking was officially welcomed to downtown Albany with a ribbon cutting ceremony at their 69 State Street location.
Through a partnership between ParkAlbany and The City of Albany, special free Curbside Pick-Up parking zones are available for customers picking up orders from Downtown restaurants and retailers.
The National Lacrosse League has announced that a new professional indoor lacross team will be based at the Times Union Center, with games slated to begin in December 2021.
Please note that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 has been canceled.
Free to attend for all downtown Albany residents! Register to play here.
The African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region hosts Black History Month activities February 3-26, 2021 with both virtual and in-person offerings.
February is Albany County Restaurant Appreciation Month, and all month long your support of Downtown eateries could win you a great takeout care package.
We invite you to support - today and every day - the Black-owned businesses and organizations in downtown Albany. These leaders of their industries offer a wide array of services and through them you can master a new yoga pose, enjoy an incredible meal, experience meaningful exhibits and programs, and sport new clothes, accessories, and hairdos.
If there was ever a year to express love, it is this one. For gifts, cards, meals, and more head to - or order from - your favorite Downtown businesses that also need your love.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, financial assistance in the form of loans and grants have been made available to businesses and non-profit organizations. Below is a list of currently available funding opportunities, and resources that can provide additional information and assistance.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
As small businesses have experienced major economic impacts related to COVID-19, state-mandated restrictions, and winter weather, the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (DABID) is making one-time, forgivable loans of up to $2,500 available for eligible small businesses.
For over three decades the Business Review has been releasing the Book of Lists, a go-to publication in doing business for anything from job-seekers to CEOs looking for bids on an upcoming project.
There's no shortage of ways to support local Downtown businesses and organizations this holiday season, and for those last minute shoppers, here are the spots where you can shop online, in-store, and more.
As with so many things, Covid postponed the Downtown Albany BID's Board elections and Annual Meeting. We are pleased now, though, to present this video recapping 2019, a year that saw the State announce over $40 million in grants for projects in our District and immediately adjacent, substantial growth of residential, and a broad range of businesses open in Downtown.
Serving up a delicious meal this holiday season while supporting local has never been easier - or more important. Whether it's setting the table for those who live in your house or sending food to a loved one or employees, here are the holiday offerings from downtown Albany eateries:
Shop Small this holiday season and support the locally owned and operated businesses that make up the fabric of our community. Small Business Saturday in Downtown features special deals and events from local restaurants and retailers, and kicks off two weeks of Shop & Savor smAlbany promotions.
Earlier this year the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) postponed our Board elections and Annual Meeting due to the pandemic. With restrictions on gathering still in place, we have decided to release a video about the BID’s accomplishments in 2019 that will be sent out to all of our members when we announce the results of our elections, which begin today.
Artful Albany is a guided walking tour podcast designed to celebrate the art, history, and culture unique to New York's Capital City. During each episode, we'll focus on an area of downtown Albany to explore. We'll regale you with stories, highlight dynamic public art, and hear from some of the artists behind the Capital Walls public art project.
The Winter Wonderland exhibit is now closed. Thank you for enjoying this seasonal public art programs!
O'Connell & Aronowitz presents Shop & Savor smAlbany, two weeks of promotions celebrating and showcasing downtown Albany's independent businesses this holiday season.
Skip the stress of preparing for Thanksgiving and focus more on family time this year, with multiple Downtown restaurants offering to-go options, centerpieces available, and an opportunity to help those in need.
The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District is collecting community feedback information on how consumers are engaging with businesses within our District this fall and winter. We will use this data to inform our retail and retail-related businesses and restaurants about consumer insights and habits.
The BID is pleased to announce the slate for the Board of Directors elections. Several qualified candidates were submitted for consideration. Upon conducting interviews and careful consideration, the following individuals were selected by the Governance Committee:
Supporting Downtown businesses is as easy as the click of a button, with online shopping offering online everything from clothing to accessories and floral arrangements to hair products. All this with the benefit of supporting locally-owned businesses!
Application due date: November 2, 2020 at 5:00 PM
The latest two murals added to the Capital Walls public art portfolio were unveiled in downtown Albany, NY on October 27, 2020 as elected officials, arts organization leaders, and artists gathered to celebrate the works by artists BoogieREZ and Jade Warrick.
Spook-tacular details below for what downtown Albany businesses are serving up for Halloween 2020, and as always, you can view our full event calendar right here.
Albany Archives, Discover Albany, and the Downtown Albany BID present Albany I Spy, with a seasonal spin! The competitive portion of the scavenger hunt has ended, but you can still play along for fun and search out the ghouls, gargoyles, and Gothic architecture looming in Downtown’s streets.
Here’s how to play:
The National Arena League's Albany team name has been selected - and the Albany Empire will strike back, return to downtown starting April 2021. The news follows an announcement in August that indoor football would return to the Times Union Center under a three-year agreement to play at the Downtown venue.
Step aside, basic salad, because downtown Albany eateries are serving up some seriously delicious vegetarian and vegan meals. No need to romaine calm as you sink your teeth into these unique dishes that are great on meatless Monday and every other day of the week. Oh, and these eateries aren't a secret, so leek the list to all your friends.
Voting has closed for 2020 Hounds of Halloween, and we'll be announcing the winners on Halloween. Thanks to all who submitted their costumed canine pics and all who voted to help decide the Top Dogs.
Current downtown Albany, NY traffic advisories listed below. Vehicles in violations are subject to ticketing and/or tow. To receive Albany Police Department Nixle alerts via text or email, and to view all APD alerts online, click here.
As New York went on PAUSE, so did the Downtown Albany BID's Board election process. We are seeking nominations for candidates to join the BID Board beginning November 2020 and serve three-year terms. Please note that nominations that were previously submitted this year for consideration do not need to be resubmitted.
With the safety of our Downtown community in mind, the PearlPalooza music festival goes virtual in 2020.
Safely enjoy all Downtown has to offer with Stretch, Shop & Savor, every Saturday in September.
Bring your pups on your next trip to downtown Albany and enjoy shopping and dining (and, of course, the Olde English Downtown Dog Park) with man's best friend.