5 things to do this weekend, including public art on the Greenway and an arts festival

Transitioning back into a regular weekend after a luxurious three-day weekend is always hard. It can feel like those two days pass us by before we even make plans. To help you savor your days off, we’ve done some prep work for you. This weekend, you can watch a one-night-only one-woman show, catch some live music and take a writing workshop. All that, and more, below.

If your new year's resolution included doing more writing, it’s not too late. Grub Street, a staple of Boston’s literary scene, is hosting a free workshop on Friday. In this course, students will work together to create a story based on a series of prompts. The class is a fun way to get your creative juices flowing and practice working with other writers. It’s also free and open to the public.

This arts festival is a community-centered event for the whole family. The festival features “Nightscapes,” an indoor exhibition at the Lofts Gallery, outdoor exhibitions from the Hyde Park Art Association, the Switch Co-op and more. Visitors will also have the opportunity to buy original work. Beyond visual art, you can catch dance and musical performances. Come hungry—a taco truck and beer garden will be open, serving food and drinks all day long.

The Newton Theatre Company is kicking off its new season with a pop-up performance of “No Child…” by Nilaja Sun. The play follows an art teacher in a Bronx public school as she puts on a play for her 10th graders. It’s a one-woman show, and actor Regan Sims plays the part of the entire school, from other teachers to janitors and students.

For a lowkey way to wind down the weekend, and to hold onto those last few days of summer, head out to the Berkshires for live music from Sherri Buxton & Friends at Lilac Park in Lenox. Buxton and her band will sing tunes from multiple genres, including show tunes and jazz. She’s a cabaret singer who has performed all around Massachusetts and New York and has been called “a master of the American songbook.”

Tuȟmaǧatipi is the Dakota word for beehive and the name of artist Erin Genia's newest work. Genia has created a sculptural water source for bees and other insects from clay, natural composites and driftwood. It’s an homage to Indigenous science and innovation, as well as pollinators and plants. Located on a part of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, her art is both beautiful and necessary. [Genia is a member of our 2021 ARTery 25 cohort, celebrating emerging artists of color in Greater Boston.]