Here are five picks for the weekend:
- A full day of loud, local and legendary: Worcester’s own Four Year Strong headlines a packed day of punk, hardcore and emo when the Seven Hills Music Festival takes over The Palladium on Saturday, July 11. The massive lineup also includes Silverstein, Haywire, Knuckle Puck, Origami Angel, A Loss For Words, Worry Club, One Step Closer, Space, Hard Target and more. The all-ages festival kicks off at 3 p.m., with doors opening at 2, giving fans plenty of time to settle in for an afternoon and evening of music — and giving their ears plenty of time to reconsider their life choices.
- The tiny creatures running the world: Spend the day getting up close with some of the planet’s smallest — and most important — residents during Insect Day at the EcoTarium on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. With more than half of all known species belonging to the insect world, there’s plenty to explore as visitors investigate the remarkable diversity of bugs and learn about their enormous impact on the world around us. The day promises plenty of opportunities to see these six-legged creatures up close and perhaps gain a little more appreciation for the ones you usually swat away. Insect Day activities are included with regular museum admission.
- One last ride with the Deloreans: Take a short drive out of Worcester for a farewell performance by the Deloreans, who bring their horn-powered mix of 1970s and ’80s pop, rock and soul to Powder Mill Park on Sunday, July 12, from 2-5 p.m. The seven-piece band — featuring guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, saxophone, trumpet and trombone — is winding down its run and will disband at the end of the month. The free outdoor performance is part of Spencer’s popular Summer Concert Series, which continues every Sunday through Aug. 23. Bring a chair or blanket and catch one of the Deloreans’ final shows before this particular time machine makes its last trip back to the ’80s.
- Anything can be a canvas: Forget the easel and bring whatever you feel like painting to WuhLWoo’s Paint in the Park gathering on Sunday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Green Hill Park. The casual outdoor event invites participants to bring an object of their choice to transform with a little paint and imagination while mingling, listening to music and enjoying snacks. Whether you show up with a traditional canvas or something considerably less predictable, the idea is simple: get creative, meet some new people and spend a summer afternoon making something entirely your own.
- A little drag before the Disney magic: Movie night gets a colorful warm-up on Thursday, July 9, when Zootopia 2 comes to the Worcester Common Oval. Pre-movie festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a drag performance by Victoria Obvious, an interactive dance game and more before the movie starts at 7 p.m. The first 100 attendees receive free popcorn, while the first 50 can snag a free food or drink voucher for an on-site vendor. Bring a blanket or chair and arrive early, as space is first come, first served. The movie is shown with English closed captioning, with descriptive video service also available. The rain date is July 16.
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
