5 things to do this weekend, including The WBUR Festival and 'Romeo and Juliet' onstage

There’s reason to rejoice this weekend — a number of celebrations and lively performances are happening. If you aren’t heading to The WBUR Festival, we have a few other suggestions for you, including the New England Hong Kong Festival and the global culture MayFair event in Harvard Square. There’s also a special public performance from Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and an art exhibition that explores the idea of heaven. These and more, below.

Held at Boston University, at venues along Commonwealth Avenue, this two-day extravaganza features live podcast tapings, musical performances and conversations — plus a range of unexpected treats. Speakers include 2025 Maker Lani Asunción and 2021 ARTery 25 featured artist Erin Genia, who will both be guests on the panel  “Creative Climate: Art That Makes the Crisis Visible.” Author Celeste Ng, who wrote “Little Fires Everywhere,” will give a talk on “Stories That Stay.” NPR CEO Katherine Maher, actor and comedian David Cross, memoirist Lindy West and many more will also be in attendance. On Saturday, the WBUR Street Fair brings an afternoon of free events on the BU Beach. Hear live music from Jake Blount, also a 2025 WBUR Maker, whose new album “The New Faith” is rooted in dystopian Afrofuturism, and 2023 Maker Kimaya Diggs, a musician who blends the styles of folk, soul and R&B. There will also be food trucks, FOUND vintage market pop-up, dance lessons and more. Tickets to The WBUR Festival cost $157.20 for a one-day pass, while a two-day pass costs $262.70. Student tickets are $29.

Stop by Seven Hills Park in Somerville to experience the food and culture of Hong Kong. Over 40 booths with food, art, items from local vendors and more, as well as live performances and games will be on site. Visitors will be able to buy nibbles from Holy Snacks!, Hen Chicken Rice and Lucky Bao Bakery. There will also be stalls from Little Wolf Creations, which makes handmade goods such as towels and pouches, and the Taiwan Film Festival of Boston, who will sell Taiwanese goodies and share news about festival programming. Performers include Eagle Claw Kung Fu, and Contempo, a band passionate about Chinese pop music. The festival, whose theme this year is public transit, will run from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m., and entry to the event is free.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” that’s specifically meant for students. The Stage2 production team has cut the tragedy to approximately 100 minutes, and the play will be performed at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at The Strand Theatre in Dorchester. Directed by Bryn Boice, audiences can expect to enjoy the classic tale of star-crossed lovers, familial rivalries and doomed endeavors. This show will be kicking off Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s summer season — starting in July, the theater company mounts its annual free outdoor production “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Boston Common. For “Romeo and Juliet,” tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.

Every spring, Harvard Square hosts the outdoor, family-friendly celebration MayFair. Attendees will be able to savor flavors from around the globe, as well as take in music and dance performances, shop crafts and gifts, and enjoy al fresco beer gardens. Performers include Terrafunk, an eight-piece, female-fronted funk jam band, and singer-songwriter Magen Tracy. Alongside the MayFair event, the 4th Annual Asian Street Food & Music Festival will also take place, featuring a karaoke contest and a cosplay showdown. MayFair and the Asian Street Food & Music Festival both run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and entry is free.

This weekend is your last chance to absorb the art of Bones Gilmore and Matthew Bonneau at Exit Galleries in Allston. The exhibit “So… this is heaven?” asks viewers to consider whether the idea of heaven could actually refer to a connection between people, rather than a distant, metaphysical place. In this sense, it asks spectators to ponder “the subtle tension between the everyday and the transcendent.” Gilmore and Bonneau are both visual artists who first connected in 2017 through mutual friends over social media. Their virtual friendship developed into a Discord server that brings together artists who also enjoy video games and eventually gave way to a duo art show. It is free to enter the gallery and see their work.