5 things to do this weekend, including a nighttime frog walk and Wicked Queer film fest

Boston seems to be on the verge of bursting with color and vibrancy as we move into warmer days and welcome the arrival of spring. This weekend, those looking to inject some brightness into their routines might visit a Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary to meet some animals in nature. The Wicked Queer film festival kicks off this Friday. And at Quincy Market, visitors can celebrate the Hindu holiday Holi, recognizing the exuberance of spring. These events and more, below.

Wander over to Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick to meet some new friends! Spring is the season for encountering frogs, who can be heard singing during the evenings when the weather gets milder. Visitors will stroll around the open space at night to spot amphibians and distinguish between their voices, which can be high-pitched or even have a twang that sounds like the music of a banjo. Open to families, the event lasts from 6:30-8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for members and $24 for nonmembers. Interested in animals that are a bit more furry? Check out Mass Audubon’s Sunset Beaver Watch at its Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Lenox, also on Friday evening. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers.

Boston’s LGBTQ+ film festival has been surprising audiences with fun and engaging films since 1984. An all-volunteer organization, Wicked Queer is one of the longest-running queer film festivals in the world. This weekend, attendees can see movies like “At the Place of Ghosts,” directed by Bretten Hannam. Screening at the Brattle Theatre Friday, the film follows the experience of two divided siblings who must reunite to combat a dark force that haunts them from their childhood. At the Coolidge Corner Theatre on Saturday, the shorts program “Stories from our Community” showcases three films about queer life in Massachusetts. Tickets to the screenings can be purchased individually. [Check out our spring arts guide for more film festival recommendations.]

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City Ballet of Boston celebrates classical ballet through performances that will take place at the Calderwood Pavilion at Boston Center for the Arts. “Tradition, Reimagined” is a dance concert that showcases works by modern, contemporary choreographer Isadora Duncan, artistic director Tony Williams’ “Ben’s Trumpet Suite,” and a contemporary vision for “Swan Lake,” imagined by Lorraine Chapman, as well as works by Gianni Di Marco and Marcus Schulkind. Friday’s show will be an open dress rehearsal held at 7 p.m., while Saturday presents two stagings, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets to Friday’s performance are pay-as-you-wish, starting at $5; tickets for Saturday’s performances start at $30. [For more spring dance performances, explore our spring guide.]

In the Hindu religion, Holi is a festival that ushers in the spring season with an abundance of color, brightness and warmth. The India Society of Worcester is organizing a celebration at Quincy Market this weekend, with live performances of Dhol-Tasha-Lezim (Indian drums), vibrant dances and the “joyful play of dry colors.” From 3-7 p.m., revelers can honor the triumph of good over evil and the end of winter. Those interested in participating can register at this link.

New England Conservatory pays tribute to a powerful civil rights leader and alumna of the school, Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. Curated by the Black Student Union, the concert will spotlight works such as the world premiere of “In Remembrance," composed by Black Student Union president Shileta Peregrino Cezario, Margaret Bonds’ “Little David,” Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s “Blue/s Forms,” Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Gonna Come.” The event strives to represent musical traditions grounded in African American culture, such as spirituals, jazz, gospel and blues. The free happening takes place at NEC’s Jordan Hall at 7:30 p.m.