Here are the Worcester Guardian’s five picks for things to do in Worcester this weekend:
- Have Mercy – former Thunderbird hits the FrontRoom: Blues guitarist Troy Mercy returns to WCUW’s FrontRoom this Saturday, Jan. 17, with drummer Harrison Foti for a high-energy duo set that blends raw blues, rock ’n’ roll swagger, and sharp songwriting. A former guitarist for Booker T & The Fabulous Thunderbirds and winner of the 2024-25 Boston Blues Challenge, Mercy is known for fearless performances and a sound that pushes tradition forward. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., music starts at 7. $15 cash at the door, free parking across the street in the Clark University lot. Light refreshments served, or grab pizza and Indian food next door at Fantastic Pizza/Grub Guru.
- Bugs, blood & science (try not to itch): The EcoTarium opens its newest traveling exhibit, Attack of the Bloodsuckers!, this Saturday with a ribbon cutting and a whole lot of skin-crawling science. The hands-on exhibit dives into the weird world of mosquitoes, ticks, leeches, fleas, and other bloodsucking parasites — with live specimens, a giant inflatable tick named Phillipa, a life-size game of “Twitcher,” and mosquito larvae performing their surprisingly elegant water ballet. The ribbon cutting takes place Saturday, Jan. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to noon at the EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, with interactive exhibits open to visitors throughout the day.
- A decade of doom: Come To Grief Turns 10: Ten years is practically a lifetime in “band time”and Come To Grief is marking the milestone the only way that makes sense — loud, relentless and unapologetically heavy. Codex Obscurum brings the band to Ralph’s Diner on Friday for a 10-year anniversary show, joined by Churchburn, Angel Morgue and Continued Without a Finding for a stacked night of sludge, doom, and sonic punishment. If surviving a decade as a band deserves a celebration, this is it. Friday, Jan. 16, at Ralph’s Diner.
- Glide Into the Holiday at The Oval: Lace up and hit the ice this Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a free community skate at The Oval Ice Skating Rink in downtown Worcester. Sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the holiday skate runs Monday, Jan. 19, from 1-6 p.m. at the outdoor rink behind City Hall, 455 Main St. Kids 12 and under can skate for free with complimentary rentals, making it an easy, low-cost winter outing for families. The 12,000-square-foot rink—a downtown favorite since 2012— offers skate rentals and concessions, with weather updates available via The Oval’s social media or the rink hotline at 508-929-0777.
- Where words simmer and voices spark: The Poet’s Cauldron returns Sunday, Jan. 19, bringing spoken word, live music and raw creative energy to the White Room in the Crompton Collective Building, 138 Green St., in the Canal District. Hosted by multidisciplinary artist BrujaTheVillain and backed by house band MeloGreen, the monthly open mic blends poetry, music, and performance in a welcoming, inclusive space that centers community and creative expression. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m., with a suggested $5–$20 donation at the door. Held on the third Sunday of every month, The Poet’s Cauldron has become a vital gathering place for Worcester’s artists and storytellers.
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
