5 things to do this weekend, including a multisensory Mars concert and A.R.T.'s 'Romeo and Juliet'

I was never really a space kid. I get nauseous sometimes just waking up, and I vividly remember how horrific I felt getting off of the “Mission: SPACE” simulator ride at Epcot. However, I love a good concert and immersive art experience. The Museum of Science is bringing the sounds and vibes of space without the g-forces, spinning and tilting, so if that’s also more up your alley, head to Mars this Thursday, Aug. 29. If thinking about the vast expanses beyond our planet sends you into an existential crisis, there are plenty of other events happening in Greater Boston this Labor Day weekend that are more grounded and lighthearted.

Have you always wanted to know what it would be like to take a rocket ship to Mars? At the Museum of Science on Thursday, guests will experience the closest version of Mars that they can as residents of Earth, hearing sounds from the red planet, layered with a live orchestra playing a score by Boston-based composer David Ibbett. Winds, dust devils and seismic rumbles will accompany footage at the Charles Hayden Planetarium for a rich, multisensory experience in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The show also integrates research and audio from the Perseverance Rover and Webb Space Telescope. The 7:30 p.m. show sold out, but an additional show at 9:30 p.m. was added. As of publication, tickets are still available. Tickets are $20.

Club Passim has hosted its cozy laid-back Campfire Festival for 25 years. The four-day event presents dozens of up-and-coming artists for attendees to catch their favorites and find new bands to add to their playlists. Boston duo Axel & Lolo, who play WBUR’s CitySpace on Sept. 27, and Northampton singer-songwriter Lisa Bastoni will perform this weekend. Past performers include alt-indie band Lake Street Dive, electro-folk duo Tall Heights and folk singer-songwriter Alisa Amador. One-day tickets are $15 and full festival passes are $30. The entire event is free for students.

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The Guild of Boston Artists, a nonprofit art gallery on Newbury Street, develops an annual exhibition showcasing and awarding realist work by student, emerging and established artists. Photorealism oil painter Paul Beckingham and sculptor Erin McCarthy are among the 37 selected artists. The opening reception and awards presentation will take place on Saturday, Aug. 31 from 3-5 p.m. Winning artists will present their work and answer questions during a panel on Saturday, Sept. 14. Both events are free and open to the public.

Have you been hoping damaged, easy-on-the-eyes Rudy Pankow (who plays JJ in Netflix’s “Outer Banks”) would eventually hit the stage? If you can get to Harvard’s Loeb Drama Center, you’re in luck. Pankow and Emilia Suárez — an actress and singer-songwriter featured in Hulu’s rom-com series “Up Here” — will star in American Repertory Theater’s rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” beginning Saturday, Aug. 31. For those who aren’t familiar, the play by William Shakespeare follows the torrid love affair between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, star-crossed lovers from feuding families. They fight for their love, but after quarrels and consequent deaths of family and friends, their story ends, too. It’s a tragic, timeless tale that will be reinvigorated by the TV stars. The play runs through Sunday, Oct. 6 with tickets ranging from $35-150.

The Pao Arts Center is kicking off its 7th annual Experience Chinatown Arts Festival. The festival is a means of celebrating Boston’s Chinatown and the local AAPI community. Murals will be on display across restaurants in Chinatown starting Sunday, Sept. 1. The artists were asked to paint on the theme "What collective actions can we take for a healthy Chinatown?" Boston-based graphic designer Dana Balletta developed a mural at WakuWaku Ramen at 2 Tyler St.. Her work investigates her identity as a transracial adoptee and what it means to be Chinese and American. Japanese American illustrator Yuko Okabe paints whimsical, colorful stories and created a mural at Q Restaurant at 660 Washington St. Performances will take place at Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park on The Greenway on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Pao Art Center’s “The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea” — exploring the diversity of contemporary calligraphy and featuring local artists Mike Yuguo Mei, Michiko Imai and YoungSun Jang — also runs through Friday, Dec. 13. The festival is free but welcomes donations.