For your autumn enjoyment: 5 picks from the WBUR 2024 fall arts guides

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It was so nice to watch folks in Boston take advantage of the warm weather and clear skies during the long dry stretch we had in Massachusetts. Even as the sunsets arrived earlier, the city remained full of life, with people heading to their dinner reservations on foot and children playing at the parks as if summer never ended.

The rain finally returned this week, but I’m here to remind you it’s not a reason to be blue. It’s just as lively indoors.

With autumn officially starting Sunday, WBUR’s arts and culture team just wrapped up our 2024 fall arts guides. The collection of guides previews the music, performances, exhibits and more that have local arts scene buzzing this season. It’s an entertaining refuge from the elements, as the weather gets cooler and darker.

Here’s a glance at all seven guides, along with a few personal favorites:

Our fall film guide highlights 11 film festivals happening across Greater Boston, with focuses on culture, history and even psychedelics. Meanwhile in the theater world, 14 productions are lighting up stages at ArtsEmerson, the Huntington Theatre, Broadway and beyond — including one production of Romeo & Juliet that offers the rare opportunity to get even the most theater-averse teens excited (especially if they’re fans of the Netflix hit “Outer Banks”).

Don your finest duds for a night at the opera or orchestra. The fall guide to classical performances in the Boston area is nearly as grand as the events included in it. Or if you’re more of a contemporary music listener, this roundup of 14 new albums by New England musicians might better suit your tastes (genres range from New Orleans-style jazz to rock to Korean folk to R&B).

This fall, you’ve got your choice of 11 dance performances to take in featuring a many styles of movement, from traditional flamenco and Indian dance to ultra-modern works set to pop music.

Does grabbing coffee and browsing a bookstore sounds like your ideal day in the city? Our fall literary guide has a slew of new independent bookshops in Greater Boston you’ll want to check out, as well as 10 forthcoming books written by authors with New England ties for the next time you’d rather just hole up inside and read.

Last but not least, we’ve got a roundup of 13 art exhibits to fascinate and inspire you this season. Paint, photography, sculpture and even needlepoint (produced in protest) are on display at museums across Massachusetts.

P.S. — You can find the full collection of 2024 fall arts guides at this landing page. And if you’re looking for a preview of the pop culture coming our way this fall, NPR has you covered with movie, television and even more book recommendations for the season.