Summer may be unofficially over (no, no no!), but Worcester apparently missed the memo.
Labor Day weekend brings plenty of reasons to squeeze a little more fun out of the season, with the Worcester Music Awards celebrating the local scene, an art exhibition devoted to thinking outside the box, improv comedy inside one of the city’s most storied bars, classic cars in Auburn and the Hip Swayers making sure nobody goes quietly into Tuesday morning.
- And the award goes to … Worcester: The city’s music scene gets its night in the spotlight Thursday, Sept. 3, when the 2026 Pulse Magazine Worcester Music Awards take over Off The Rails from 7-10 p.m. Comedian Shaun Connolly returns as host for an evening of awards, live performances and hometown bragging rights, with Young Man Winter, Colt and the Coyotes, Legacy Legend and Whiskey 6 taking the stage, plus an early set from Worcester native and hitmaking producer Kool Kojak. The celebration actually starts before the first award is handed out: Merit Media, which acquired Pulse earlier this year, hosts a launch party from 4-7 p.m., bringing together local movers and shakers, writers and the publication’s new leadership before the WMAs begin. Both make for one big Worcester media-and-music meet-up at Off The Rails — and the Music Awards are free to attend.
- Class is in session. Attendance is questionable: Forget reading, writing and arithmetic — Mistakes Were Made is heading back to school with a curriculum built entirely around making things up. The Worcester improv troupe brings its School of Fools show to Hotel Vernon on Saturday, Sept. 5, from 7-9:30 p.m., with unscripted characters, scenes and assorted classroom chaos created on the spot. After the show, audience members can get in on the foolishness during an open improv jam, with no experience — or studying — required. Admission is free, no registration is necessary and, as organizers helpfully note, you won’t need a hall pass.
- Thinking outside the box is kind of the point: Nearly 40 local artists take one of the most ordinary objects imaginable and see just how far they can push it in “Boxes: Reimagined Containers,” opening Thursday, Sept. 3, at Worcester State University’s Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery. Juried by Boylston artist Carrie Crane, the exhibition plays with boxes both literal and metaphorical, exploring ideas of boundaries, transformation, concealment, interior spaces and even the places where secrets might hide. A free public opening reception runs from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, and the exhibition remains on view through Oct. 3.
- Hip to holiday: Labor Day is no reason to spend Monday night thinking about Tuesday. Worcester’s own Hip Swayers bring their good-time blend of Americana, old-time country, mountain music and reverb-soaked surf to Vincent’s on Monday, Sept. 7, from 8 to 11 p.m. Hailing from the hills of West Tatnuck, the band mixes tight rhythms, hot guitar picking, soulful harmonies and plenty of twang into catchy originals and rootsy favorites designed to do exactly what the name suggests. Consider it one last chance to sway a little more out of the long weekend before reality returns Tuesday morning.
- Chrome, classics and Cruisin’ Bruce: Give Labor Day weekend a little horsepower at the Auburn Lions Club’s annual Antique and Classic Car Show, rolling into its new home at the Auburn Sportsman’s Club on Saturday, Sept. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Along with rows of vintage rides, the day features music from Cruisin’ Bruce, barbecue from Buck Hill BBQ, Tastee Treats ice cream, burgers and hot dogs, a 50/50 raffle and awards including People’s Choice and Kid’s Choice. General admission is free, while car registration is $20, with proceeds benefiting Lions community projects.
For more events, visit the Discover Central Massachusetts events calendar.
Have an event, news tip, idea for a feature, information, joke, favorite recipe or anything else you’d like to tell us about? You should. Contact carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
