On Friday night in Syracuse. (Courtesy of Chris Besaw)

There’s Thanksgiving, when you hang with your loved ones, eat your favorite food until it makes you sleepy and watch football with one eye open until you recover.

Oh, yeah, in our house, dear wife Karen and I also like to start off by watching the Thanksgiving Day parade, and perhaps a breed or three in the following American Dog Show.

Then there’s Thanksgiving Weekend, when maybe, just maybe, you’re looking to get out and celebrate in other ways.

People in the know say that this coming Friday and Saturday are traditionally the biggest go-out nights of the entire year. Being less of an expert, I’ll venture my opinion anyway: Some people are home for the holiday. Some people are glad that those folks are home for the holiday. And they want to celebrate.

In Syracuse, those who put on music events have set up something cool for both nights.

On Friday night, Hamell on Trial is playing at the St. Clare Theatre on North Townsend Street. That’s the extremely compelling one-man show from the guitar, voice and brain of Central New Yorker Ed Hamell. Back in the day, Hamell played in some popular Syracuse band with some equally talented local musicians. Then he got the traveling bug and hit the road. He’s been a big tourer since, seeing the world and country on his own and opening for good friend Ani DiFranco. (Her Righteous Babe site labels his sound as rant ‘n’ roll.) He’s overcome a serious car accident. He’s not afraid to write songs about whatever is on his mind. He plays guitar and sings with passion of a punk rock band, all alone with his acoustic guitar. Lyncourt neighborhood guy Chuck Schiele opens. Tickets are $10, and the doors open at 7 p.m.

On Saturday night, Gary Frenay will again sing “The Last Waltz” words of Bob Dylan in Syracuse. (Courtesy of Syracuse Waltz)

On Saturday night, Salt City Waltz takes over the Palace Theatre on James Street. It’s a reprise of the event last Thanksgiving weekend that set the city abuzz. Wonderfully and with great passion, Central New York musicians recreate, song-by-song, the seminal concert album by The Band, “The Last Waltz.” Gary Frenay will serve as music director, and Los Blancos is again the house band. A new addition to this year’s cast is Mike Powell, the former Syracuse University lacrosse star who is a powerful singer-songwriter. Tickets are $20 in advance, and it would be a good thing to go down to Sound Garden in Armory Square today or Friday because last year’s event was sold out. Doors open at 7 p.m.

For those of you from other parts far and wide, do you like to go out or stay in on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving? Are there any cool events like these scheduled where you live?