This weekend in Lawrence, MA

An inviting Saturday Artist Workshop takes place in the hall behind First Church of Christ on Bradford Common. Creators of all ages, experience levels, and mediums are welcome to make art in a relaxed setting, with choices that include portrait studies with a live model or still life using a prepared arrangement. Throughout the session, Mark Hayden, a Copley Master and art teacher, offers supportive one-on-one guidance without pressure. Bring your own materials. You can work at your own easel, settle in at a table, sketch from your lap, or use the floor. Chairs and tables are available. Walk-ins are welcome, and no advance registration is needed. A $5 contribution is requested and appreciated. Those interested in being a portrait model can register for a sitting and receive a $25 stipend.

St. Augustine Parish hosts a community electronics recycling day focused on clearing out old tech and keeping hazardous materials out of landfills. Acceptable items include nearly anything with a plug or batteries, along with reusable bicycles, and everything is processed responsibly. The event takes place rain or shine and is open to participants from any community. Upon arrival, follow posted cones and staff directions, pull up near the collection trucks or dumpsters, and remain in your vehicle while workers handle unloading. Fees vary by item type. Items at 5 dollars each include computer towers, laptops, DVD players, VCRs, small printers, stereos, radios, alarm clocks, speakers, video game consoles, table lamps, fans, hair dryers, curling irons, projectors, power tools, drills, cameras, clocks, trophies, frying pans, holiday lights and other small electronics. Items at 10 dollars each include small household appliances, vacuum cleaners including robotic models, toaster ovens, ceiling fans, floor lamps, air fryers, electric grills, hot plates, small radiators, keyboard pianos, coffee makers, ice makers, sewing machines, car seats and strollers. Items at 20 dollars each include flat screen computer monitors, microwaves, dehumidifiers, air conditioners, water coolers, large printers and copiers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, heat lamps, artificial Christmas trees, fire extinguishers and empty propane tanks. Items at 25 dollars each include televisions up to 26 inches, CRT monitors, outdoor grills and dorm size refrigerators. Items at 30 dollars each include televisions between 26 and 35 inches, white goods such as washing machines, dryers, stoves and dishwashers, as well as large appliances and yard equipment including treadmills, exercise machines, snow blowers, lawn mowers, rototillers, large generators, motors and water tanks. Items at 35 dollars each include televisions over 36 inches and large refrigerators. Projection televisions are 40 dollars each. There is no charge for cell phones, reusable bicycles, video game media and accessories, wires, cables, chargers, car and truck batteries, DVDs, keyboards and tablets, and cash donations are appreciated for these no fee items. Computer hard drives are destroyed during processing, and drives can also be removed on site for an additional charge. Cash is preferred for payment, and checks are accepted for totals over 30 dollars.

Children and teens are welcome at a relaxed weekly meet-up focused on chess, where participants can play, pick up new strategies, and connect with peers. The drop-in format suits all experience levels, with friendly games and guidance from mentors. Taking place at Nevins Memorial Library, this gathering offers a supportive way to build skills and make new friends.

Celebrate the flavors, sights, and sounds of Asia at a lively market and festival. Vendors will serve Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and other regional dishes alongside handmade crafts and artisan gifts. The program includes cultural performances, activities for families and kids, and a wide selection of fashion, home decor, and lifestyle products to explore. Admission is free. Presented by the Nathika Thai-America Cultural Foundation and Nathika Events LLC.

The well-known garage sale returns with exceptional bargains on printing presses and other print shop equipment, a wide variety of type, many kinds of metal cuts, supplies, inks, paper, books, prints and artwork, ephemera, and gifts, along with other unexpected finds. Additional details will be announced soon.

Currier Square performs at Willow Spring Vineyards with a set that blends original folk and folk-rock with cover songs. This live music event takes place in a vineyard setting in Essex County.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram channels Delta roots while reshaping where the blues can go next. His latest release, Hard Road, arrives on his Red Zero Records label and widens his sound with fresh urgency and deeper emotion. Executive production comes from Ingram and Ric Whitney, with production by Patrick “Guitar Boy” Hayes, Nick Goldston, and longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge. The album connects timeless blues to the broader landscape of contemporary Black music. Songs like Nothin’ But Your Love and the fiery Voodoo Charm fuse classic licks with hard rock, gritty funk, soulful pop, and smooth R&B, putting his voice and songwriting on equal footing with his formidable guitar work. Raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he first drew attention as a teenager. Inspired by B.B. King, Albert King, and Buddy Guy, he expanded the tradition by weaving in funk, soul, rock, pop, and jazz. His debut, Kingfish, topped Billboard’s Blues Albums chart for 91 weeks and earned a GRAMMY nomination along with three Blues Music Awards including Album of the Year. The follow up, 662, won the GRAMMY and the Blues Music Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Live In London added another GRAMMY nod, a second Blues Music Award for Album of the Year, and a third straight win for Best Contemporary Blues Album. He describes this chapter as a moment to spotlight his voice and songwriting as much as his guitar.

A Puerto Rican festival takes place in Lowell, Massachusetts. Its title references both the United States and Puerto Rico.

The Silver String Slingers present a tribute to Jerry Garcia’s acoustic legacy at Rapscallion Brewery, marking the 31st anniversary of his passing. The program features two sets of Dawg Music, drawing on his collaborations with David Grisman and the bluegrass, folk, and roots blend at the heart of his music. Free entry.

Mahadev Entertainment brings the Gujarati comedy stage hit Gujjubhai Ni Exchange Offer, headlined by Siddharth Randeria, back to Boston at the Andover High School Auditorium. Expect an evening of Gujarati theater filled with laughs. Food from Choice Indian Restaurant will be available for purchase and pre-order, with orders delivered during the intermission. Tickets are available and seats are in high demand.

Ripe brings a story shaped by basement rehearsals and hand-to-hand hustle, from crafting early songs beneath a sandwich shop to selling first tickets outside a friend’s coffee spot. At the heart is a tight-knit partnership built on collaboration and community, a bond that feels like family and keeps evolving beyond any single snapshot. The current chapter finds the band charged with joyful momentum, with new music in the world and more on the way, creating in long-dreamed-of studios in a city they fought to fully embrace, working with a producer whose records guided their early years alongside trusted musical companions. What unfolds is a tribute to layered nostalgia and energizing change, with the group going all in to pursue a meaningful connection with listeners.