5 things to do this weekend, including Black Owned Bos. Market and seashells made of glass

A few Massachusetts schoolchildren are already celebrating the end of the school year this week, and those who aren’t are surely getting into the summer vacation mindset. It’s hard not to, considering all the sunshine we’ve had lately. With the continuing warm weather and an abundance of outdoor events, it’s time to unpack those shorts and get out there! Here are a few ideas for where to get a headstart on those summer sandal tan lines.

Friday night starting at 7 p.m., Detroit-based Ahya Simone will perform on the harp at Black Market. As a harpist, her influences draw from R&B, soul, jazz and even experimental music. Additionally, Simone is a composer, filmmaker and performance artist, so don’t be surprised if the Q&A that follows delves into her multi-disciplinary talents. Black Market was established in 2017 with a mission to reignite Roxbury’s creative economy. Since then the market has expanded its programming to include arts, culture and civic engagement. If you haven’t dropped by Nubian Square yet, Friday night will be a good time to do so!

The crowds haven’t arrived on Cape Cod yet, so if you’re looking for a weekend trip with the family, try this free fair in Sandwich. Now in its fifth year, the Sandwich Glass Museum’s Sea Fair features hand-blown glass recreations of all things nautical, including fish, crabs, shells, waves, and more.

Outside of the fair, visitors can check out the museum’s permanent collections, which include artifacts from Sandwich’s storied history with glass production. The museum features hourly glass-blowing demonstrations, so children are sure to be mesmerized by the day’s activities. Combine that with fish and chips from the nearby Seafood Sam’s, and suddenly it’s feeling more like June than May!

The Brookline Symphony Orchestra will go into its summer vacation after one final show of its 2022-2023 season. Performed in the intimate and echoey venue of All Saints Parish in Brookline, this symphony is one of the more affordable in the Boston area with tickets at $17. This season’s closer will feature music new and old. It includes Prokofiev’s fifth symphony from 1944 as well as Jessie Montgomery’s “Hymn for Everyone,” which she wrote during the pandemic and describes as a “big corral for orchestra.”

Boston is one of those lucky cities where Broadway-bound shows spend time before making the big move. If you haven’t yet gotten to see Alex Edelman’s new solo show “Just for Us,” you have one more chance this weekend because a final performance has been added after high demand. The show is an autobiographical story that touches on themes of identity and the challenges of growing up Jewish in an often antisemitic society. While those topics might not sound inherently funny, audiences should expect more thoughtfulness than in typical solo shows from standup comedians. Edelman received help from fellow comedian Mike Birbiglia, who is known for weaving the occasional tender moment in between laughs. Tickets are selling quickly, so solo theater-goers will probably be the lucky ones who get to fill up this already crowded house. [Listen to Alex Edelman talk about “Just for Us” on Radio Boston here.]

With more vendors than ever before in its four-year history, the Seaport x Black Owned Bos. Market is returning on Sunday to kick off its 2023 series. The market features over 60 Black-owned small businesses with industries such as fashion, food, beauty, art and wellness represented. Black Owned Bos. Market was founded in 2019 as a space-making and business/consulting agency with the mission of “amplify, incubate, and support” locally Black-owned businesses. And they know how to throw a party.

With activities such as games and playhouses, it’s a weekend outing the whole family can enjoy. The market will continue monthly through October with a different theme each month. This month’s theme is fitting for the midst of spring: Flower Power.