This weekend in Worcester County, MA

Discover a community craft fair filled with handcrafted goods from local artisans and crafters. Browse jewelry, home decor, gifts, and other specialty pieces, then enjoy tasty bites while you shop. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. It is a chance to support small businesses, uncover unique finds, and spend time with family and friends in a creative marketplace.

The REC Farmers Market at University Park features fresh, locally grown produce and opportunities to connect with community organizations. Vendors include Harper's Farm & Garden, Fay Mountain Farm, Coolidge Hill Farm, Circling Carrots Farm, Wooden Bakery, and more. Payment options include cash, card, SNAP, the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), and Senior and WIC farmers market coupons. Parking is available in the Clark University lot on Gates Street in Worcester.

This performance features lively, all-ages acoustic renditions of familiar songs at the Gardner farmers market, bringing an upbeat, family friendly vibe.

Casey and Kathy bring lively music.

Athol Public Library and Hero Shack Press are teaming up for the fifth annual celebration of comics at Athol Town Hall. The venue becomes a lively hub for enthusiasts with comics, live drawing demonstrations, author question and answer sessions, games, vendors, a cosplay contest, free activities, and crafts, offering something for every age group. Admission is free for all ages. The full 2026 schedule will be shared soon. Cosplay contestants can sign up during the registration window before the competition, and cash prizes are offered.

Discover scratchboard in a welcoming workshop designed for all skill levels. No prior experience is needed, and all necessary supplies are provided so participants can focus on learning. Joe will also present a free live demonstration of this distinctive art form, offering another opportunity to see the process in action.

Celebrate an International Space Station contact with a day of special programs at the EcoTarium. Discover ham radio, experiment with the radio technology that allows students to speak with an astronaut in outer space, and watch a complete replay of the conversation. The focus is on how space-to-Earth communication works, highlighting the systems that make a call to the cosmos possible from the EcoTarium.

Take part in a prerelease sealed event featuring the Unleashed set, played in best-of-one matches. Entry is $30 and capacity is limited to 24 players. Pre-registration is available through the Riftbound website, with payment accepted upon arrival. Walk-in entries may be accommodated if space remains.

Playful pups take center stage at the second annual Howl-O-Ween Party, a doggie open play celebration filled with costumes, games, and prizes. Highlights include a pup costume parade and contest, Halloween themed dog games, treats for four-legged guests, and plenty of photo opportunities. Dogs can strut their spooky or silly style while owners mingle with fellow dog lovers in a fun and festive setting. More details will be shared as the event nears. Entry is charged per pup, and human companions attend for free.

Wild Kratts Live 2.0: Activate Creature Power! brings the Kratt brothers to the stage for a lively creature adventure that blends onstage performance with animated segments. Chris and Martin appear in person while the rest of the Wild Kratts team participates on screen from their Tortuga headquarters. The show invites the audience to call out answers from their seats, using their animal know-how to help power the mission. Look forward to surprising facts about amazing creatures and the excitement fans know from the Wild Kratts television series. All-inclusive ticket prices are $44, $57, or $67 depending on seat location. A limited number of VIP Meet and Greet seats are available for $169. VIP access includes a post-show meet and greet with Chris and Martin Kratt. Each child attending the meet and greet must be accompanied by an adult who also holds a VIP ticket. For more information, call the box office at 877.571.7469.

Celebrate character building and stage presence at a cosplay competition that spotlights creativity, craftsmanship, and accuracy. Participants will compete for honors that include Best in Show, Creativity, Craftsmanship, Accuracy, and Best Presentation or Performance, with cash prizes selected by a panel of Comic Book Fest judges. Each person may enter only one costume, and preference is given to builds created at home. Professional commission-based costumers are invited to showcase their work at Comic Book Fest but should not enter the competition. Costumes that include nudity, obscene or graphic elements, or anything not in keeping with the spirit of the event will lead to disqualification. Judging focuses on resemblance to the character, the quality of construction, creative choices, presentation to the audience, and how well the costume is represented. Registration is free at the Comic Book Fest entry table inside Athol Town Hall and requires a name, age, character title, and franchise, along with a quick photo at sign-up. During the contest, each entrant will cross the stage, pause for a pose, and answer one or two brief questions from the MC about the character or the costume. To remain eligible for prizes, contestants are expected to present a new cosplay each year.

Spend the afternoon playing board games and enjoying barbecue at BBQ Underground in Worcester.

Winchendon Community Park hosts a free, family friendly Halloween celebration featuring car to car trick or treating, festive music and seasonal games, a spooky trail experience after dark, and a lineup of food trucks and local vendors. Costumes are welcome. The festivities also celebrate the second year of the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation Performing Arts Amphitheater and bring together communities from across the region for entertainment, food, vendors, and games.

The HUB and the Kiwanis Club of Winchendon are seeking volunteers for Haunted Happenings, a family-friendly Halloween celebration at Winchendon Community Park. Highlights include Trunk or Treat, music, seasonal games, haunted trails after dark, food trucks, local vendors, and plenty of spooky fun. Volunteer roles cover setup, cleanup, serving, cafe support, and other on site needs, with most shifts lasting about two to three hours. Proceeds from the HUB and Kiwanis food tent help fund The HUB’s year-round programs and services, including Community Food, Emergency Assistance, Community Threads, Youth Leadership Training, Senior Bowling, Teen Drop-In, cooking classes, after school programs, and more, and also support the Kiwanis Club of Winchendon’s ongoing service to children, families, and community initiatives throughout Winchendon.

This session offers assistance with VA claims and provides an opportunity to have questions answered.

Fox and the Dragon perform live at Wormtown Brewery’s Worcester taproom and production site with a set that spans 90s favorites, one-hit wonders, classic rock, and folk. The music pairs with the brewery’s beers in a welcoming setting.

This performance is made possible in part through funding from the Wales Cultural Council, a local agency, with additional support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Dillinger Escape Plan performs live at Worcester Palladium with a hard-hitting show. Recognized as an iconic band in metalcore, they bring an intense concert experience that spotlights their fierce sound and onstage power.

Russo Brothers Jazz Quintet performs live in the FrontRoom at WCUW. The group blends jazz with the blues and funk they grew up on, stepping outside strict genre boundaries. Admission is $20, payable in cash or Venmo at the door.

Wind Walkers headlines an all-ages live music event, joined by special guests If Not For Me and True North.

Dave Mansfield and Ben Cote return to The Cellar 14Mill with an acoustic duo performance featuring some of their favorite songs from the 1960s through the 2000s. The set focuses on acoustic versions of familiar favorites spanning several decades.

Blackstone Soul transforms Point Breeze into a lakeside dance floor with an upbeat mix of funk, soul, disco, R&B, yacht rock, and modern dance favorites, blending timeless cuts with current hits. The six-piece lineup features both female and male lead vocals, a saxophone that drives the groove, and a tight rhythm section built for nonstop movement, creating a polished, feel-good atmosphere from start to finish. Dinner seating offers the prime spots, and reservations can be made by calling 508-943-0404. There is a $10 cover at the door. Dress up, gather friends, and plan for a celebration by the water.

That’s Entertainment hosts a free Pokemon Trading Card Game league that welcomes both new and experienced players. Bring a deck for casual matches or come ready to learn the basics with guidance on site. The league is open to all ages, and children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent. Attendees receive prize packs. For questions about the game or getting started, contact Pokemon professor Jeff at obijeff@outlook.com.

Discover self-care through floral arts with Flower Therapy in Oxford, MA. This hands-on class focuses on designing an elegant autumn arrangement in a dark, moody palette of cream, deep burgundy, and rich purple. Beginners are welcome. Learn foundational floral design techniques and build your own seasonal piece while taking time for mindfulness, stress relief, creativity, and a deeper connection with nature. All materials are provided and instruction is live. The workshop is led by Ashley Starzec, LMFT, a mental health professional with nearly two decades of experience and the creator of Flower Therapy wellness groups. While Ashley brings a mental health perspective, the session is a wellness workshop, not psychotherapy.

Explore the pottery wheel in a relaxed two hour class that covers the basics of centering clay and shaping a bowl or other small vessel. Work with durable stoneware clay that is safe for the oven, dishwasher, and microwave. Suitable for beginners and welcoming to all experience levels, this hands-on session offers a simple way to try the wheel and create something of your own.

This benefit bingo brings together 10 vendors, each offering a brief introduction before calling a round. There is a single winner per game, and the prize is the calling vendor’s product. Play 10 games for $5. Vendors on hand include Tastefully Simple with Sheila Perrow and Acadian Gifts & More with Melissa Cominoli.

Evening Sky brings its genre-blending sound to the FrontRoom at WCUW with a special appearance by guitarist Mino Lanzieri. This quartet of pedal steel guitar, electric guitar, bass, and drums crafts modern takes on jazz, rock, country, and pop alongside original pieces that shift from spacious and reflective to tight and funky grooves. Listeners and writers have praised the group for its balance of jazz and roots traditions, its soulful rhythms, and its spirited improvisation that draws on Americana, R&B, country, and more. The collaboration with Lanzieri traces back to guitarist Gino Rosati’s time in Naples, where the two first connected and performed together, eventually reuniting in the studio at Jim Eno’s Public Hi-Fi in Providence for sessions that highlighted both players’ compositions and interplay. With pedal steel guitarist Chris Brooks in the fold, their recent work moves easily between modern jazz textures and expansive Americana. Admission is $20, payable in cash or via Venmo at the door. Light refreshments are available, or bring your own. Parking is available across the street in the Clark U lot.

Madame LeDuke leads an evening at The Cursed Page Bookstore offering tarot readings, spiritual guidance, and otherworldly insights. A mystical atmosphere encourages reflection and curiosity as attendees explore questions and seek clarity.

A soothing yoga nidra session invites deep rest and a sense of joy. Participants ease in with gentle shapes to settle the body and focus the mind, then recline in stillness as an enveloping soundscape supports relaxation throughout. This is a donation based offering. To register, send a text to 774-261-3126. Space is limited.

Scene Queen presents METALICIOUS with guest sets by Wargasm and Bailey Spinn. Open to all ages, this show brings these artists together on one stage for a night of live performances.