Friends Calendar of Events
Introduction
We are delighted to provide you with a listing of the currently scheduled Friends of the Albany Rural Cemetery's events for 2026! These are definitely not to be missed, so we strongly recommend that you register now to guarantee your spot at one or more of our planned activities.
Additional "pop-up" events are in the works and will be announced as the season progresses. Be sure to stay in the know and look for Friends announcements through email and social media.
Thank you for supporting Friends and we look forward to connecting with you in 2026!
Caring for Your Cemetery Day
DATE:Sunday, April 26, 2026
TIME:9:00am to 12:00 pm and/or 12pm to 3:00pm
LOCATION:Meet at Albany Rural Cemetery's Chapel
COST:FreeRegistration in Advance is Appreciated
The New York State Division of Cemeteries is seeking to connect cemeteries with volunteers to assist in clean-up activities, including clearing small debris, weeding, trimming and other light tasks. Albany Rural Cemetery and its Friends of the Albany Rural Cemetery Board members will be proudly participating in this event and seek volunteers to help celebrate the beauty of our glorious cemetery. Enjoy the day, meet new people and give a little back to your community. All participants will receive a gift of appreciation from the Friends Board for their efforts. Clean-up tools will gladly be provided by Friends!
NOTE: Dress comfortably and for the weather. Activities will involve walking on uneven surfaces, around burial plots and may include carpooling to different areas of the cemetery. Watch for the event signs that will guide you to the Chapel.
Follow this link for directions to the cemetery: Albany Rural Cemetery Map. There are two entrances to the cemetery: the main gate off Broadway in Menands and the south gate entrance off Route 378 (Menand Rd. at Van Rensselaer Blvd).
Classic Cars and Crypts
DATE:Saturday, June 6, 2026 (Rain Date Sunday June 7, 2026)
TIME:11:00am to 3:00pm (NOTE NEW TIME!)
LOCATION:Albany Rural Cemetery's Cypress Pond
COST:Free$10 per Person for "Millionaire's Row" Tour (pay at event)$15 to Register your Classic Car for Judging (link below)
Join us for our fifth annual Classic Cars and Crypts event! This family-friendly day includes a car show, great music, food, merchandise, raffles and more. In addition, board members of the Friends of Albany Rural Cemetery, together with knowledgeable volunteers, will offer guided tours of the cemetery's famous "Millionaire's Row" every half hour from 11:30AM to 1:30PM. Register and pay for these popular tours at the registration table.
Classic car owners can pre-register their car by clicking on the Register Now button below, or send a check and submit it with a printout of the Register Now form to:
Friends of the Albany Rural CemeteryCars and Crypts
68 Cemetery Avenue
Menands, New York 12204
The first 100 attendees who pre-register their classic cars will receive a gift of appreciation, courtesy of the Friends of Albany Rural Cemetery. Those driving a classic car should arrive for check-in between 10:00AM and 11:00AM.
Have some fun, meet classic car enthusiasts, cast a vote for your favorite car for the "People's Choice" award and view the car judged "Best in Show."
Follow this link for directions to the cemetery: Albany Rural Cemetery Map. There are two entrances to the cemetery: the main gate off Broadway in Menands and the south gate entrance off Route 378 (Menand Rd. at Van Rensselaer Blvd).
Cemetery Symbolism – Walking Tour
DATE:Saturday, May 16, 2026 (Rain Date Sunday, May 17, 2026)
TIME:10:00AM to 12:00PM
LOCATION:Albany Rural Cemetery's Chapel
COST:$20 Per Person Registration in Advance is Appreciated
PRESENTERS: Elizabeth Berberian, Kevin Jack and Erin Sheehan, Friends of the Albany Rural Cemetery Board of Directors members
Please join us for a walking tour through one of the cemetery's quieter and more natural areas, Middle Ridge, as we explore ARC's rich tapestry of gravestone symbols and share stories about some of the notable individuals buried here. You may have wondered about the meaning behind sculptures like an anchor, an upside-down torch, or a draped urn. Each gravestone symbol holds a unique significance, mostly stemming from the Victorian era. This tour lifts the veil on these carvings, explaining the significance behind some of the most common (and not-so-common) symbols of death and mourning.
If you register in advance, you will be contacted by email if the forecast warrants moving the date.
NOTE: Dress comfortably and for the weather. Activities will involve walking on uneven surfaces and around burial plots.
Follow this link for directions to the cemetery: Albany Rural Cemetery Map. There are two entrances to the cemetery: the main gate off Broadway in Menands and the south gate entrance off Route 378 (Menand Rd. at Van Rensselaer Blvd).
Heroes of the American Revolution – Walking Tour
Source: Rare Flags
DATE:June 28, 2026TIME:1:00PM to 3:00PM
LOCATION:Meet at the Albany Rural Cemetery's Chapel
COST:$20 Per Person Registration in Advance is Appreciated
PRESENTERS: Michael P. Barrett, noted historian, Board member of the Albany Cemetery Association and Executive Director Emeritus of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway and John DiNuzzo, First Vice President of the Friends of Albany Rural Cemetery and President of the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance
As part of our commemoration of America's 250th birthday, Michael and John will host a walking tour that highlights the final resting places of Albany Rural Cemetery's Patriot heroes who played important roles in the forming of our nation. In addition to famous names such as Major General Philip Schuyler and Colonel Peter Gansevoort, Michael and John will share fascinating stories on the Surveyor General of the Continental Army, the Chief Physician of the Continental Army's Northern Department, a Captain who served under Lafayette at Yorktown, and others buried in our hallowed grounds.
NOTE: Dress comfortably and for the weather. Activities will involve walking on uneven surfaces, around burial plots and may include carpooling between sites. If weather is inclement, a presentation and discussion at the cemetery's Chapel will occur instead.
Follow this link for directions to the cemetery: Albany Rural Cemetery Map. There are two entrances to the cemetery: the main gate off Broadway in Menands and the south gate entrance off Route 378 (Menand Rd. at Van Rensselaer Blvd).
Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur – Walking Tour
DATE:July 25, 2026
TIME:10:00AM to 12:00PM
LOCATION:Meet at Albany Rural Cemetery's Cypress Pond
COST:$20 Per Person Registration in Advance is Appreciated
PRESENTER: Tom Fraser, Friends Volunteer, Former National Park Service Ranger and Tour Leader at Lindenwald, President Martin Van Buren's Kinderhook Home
Join Tom as he explores the many people near and dear to Chester A. Arthur, our nation's 21st President. Tom will share stories about Arthur's family members also buried at Albany Rural Cemetery, as well as the many politicians and other public figures he associated with in the Albany area. Tom will also discuss Arthur's health issues which impacted his presidency and beyond and provide interesting insight into Arthur's portrayal in the recent Netflix series, "Death by Lightning." This will prove to be a fascinating tour full of intrigue, discussions of fate, underscoring how timing is everything.
NOTE: Dress comfortably and for the weather. Activities will involve walking on uneven surfaces, around burial plots and may include carpooling between sites. If weather is inclement, a presentation and discussion at the cemetery's Chapel will occur instead.
Follow this link for directions to the cemetery: Albany Rural Cemetery Map. There are two entrances to the cemetery: the main gate off Broadway in Menands and the south gate entrance off Route 378 (Menand Rd. at Van Rensselaer Blvd).