That Brussels market everyone is talking about is going strong on Sundays. Plus, there’s a festival at Polar Park, music at WCUW, a talk about the Turtle Boy statue and a drag event at Electric Haze. The Worcester Guardian highlights events you may want to consider hitting up this weekend.
Here are five picks of things to do in Worcester this weekend:
- Pride, power, and a whole Lot of glitter: The Drag Gauntlet: Pride Runs Deep finale hits Electric Haze on Friday, June 27 — and it’s not just sequins and sass. This final showdown celebrates queer resilience through performance, protest, and pure spectacle. Doors open at 8 p.m., show starts at 8:30, and yes — drinks, hookah, and takeout are all welcome vibes. Think of it as a love letter wrapped in eyeliner and high notes. Bonus: open auditions for Cycle 7 happen next week, so if you’ve got the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent… you better werk.
- Bites, beers & ballpark shenanigans: Polar Park turns into a foodie’s playground on Saturday, June 28, for the Food Truck, Beer & Bev Fest. From 5-10 p.m., graze through more than 20 food trucks and sip from a wild lineup of 70+ craft beers, seltzers, and more — plus there’s a full bar if you’re feeling classic. Expect games, live music, and the rare chance to wander the actual outfield like you own the place. Tickets often sell out, so if snacks and stadium vibes are your thing, don’t sleep on it.
- Cajun heat, Yankee feet: The Empty Bottle Ramblers bring bayou flair to Worcester with a night of traditional Cajun music at the WCUW Frontroom on Saturday, June 28. Expect foot-stomping two-steps, slow-dance waltzes, and bluesy charm delivered in Cajun French by a band that’s been lighting up the Northeast for over a decade. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:30. It’s $15 cash at the door, BYOB, and light refreshments will be served. Find the groove at 910 Main St., with parking available across the street in the Clark University lot.
- Sunday groceries, local vibes, and a side of community: Market on Brussels is more than your average farmers market — it’s part open-air grocery store, part community hub, and 100% Worcester. Every Sunday through the season (including June 29!), head to the MJ Whittall Mills lot on Brussels Street for fresh produce, meats, baked goods, artisan products, and local energy you can’t get at the supermarket. With more than 30 small businesses involved — from distillers to pie-makers to ice cream slingers — this market’s becoming a Sunday ritual for anyone craving local flavor with a side of good vibes. Free parking, good eats, and zero regrets.
- Wait, what is that thing? You’ve seen it. You’ve probably made a joke about it. Now it’s time to learn the real story behind Worcester’s most meme-able monument: Turtle Boy. Join the Worcester Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Librarian, Alex, for a free deep dive into the curious history of the Burnside Fountain — how it came to be, what it was supposed to represent, and why it’s become such a beloved oddity. Saturday, June 28 from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Saxe Room at the main library on Salem Square. Come for the lore, stay for the awkward civic pride.
For more events, visit the Discover Central Massachusetts events calendar.
Have an event, news tip, information, joke, favorite recipe or anything else you’d like to tell us about? You should. Contact carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
