Five Things To Do: Winter Festival, Hearts and Crafts, Broadway

Editor’s Note: Because of the cold weather forecast, the Downtown Worcester Winter Festival has been postponed to Feb. 18.

Winter Wonderland

The family-friendly Downtown Worcester Winter Festival from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Worcester Common Oval will include ice skating ($5 skate rental), curling, ice sculptures, art activities with Creative Hub Worcester, Worcester team mascots, “Touch a Truck,” local food truck, and more. The first 100 festival attendees who donate a canned good or nonperishable food item for Woo Fridge will ice skate for free and receive a complimentary hot chocolate and cookie courtesy of Brew on the Grid and Worcester Beer Garden. Presented by the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District and Perrone Landscaping.

What: Downtown Worcester Winter Festival

When: 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 4. Rain/snow date: Feb. 18.

Where: Worcester Common Oval, behind Worcester City Hall, 455 Main St., Worcester

How much: Free admission. For more information go to downtownworcester.org.

Looking for ‘Treasures’

Symphony Pro Musica’s celebratory 40th anniversary season continues with a program titled “Symphonic Treasures” with performances at 7:30 pm Feb. 4 at Hudson High School and 3:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at St. Mark’s School in Southborough. Guest violinist Maria Ioudenitch will make her Symphony Pro Musica debut, performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. “She is an extraordinary young Russian-American musician and one of the greatest rising violin stars performing today,” said Symphony Pro Musica’s founder and conductor, Mark Churchill. The program also includes Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, and Borodin’s Symphony No. 2. Churchill said Borodin’s symphony “used to be a staple of symphony concerts around the world. We think it still should be! It’s exciting, tuneful, challenging but satisfying to play, and it’s a joy to listen to. It brings out the best qualities and spirit of the romantic symphony orchestra.”

What: Symphony Pro Musica — “Symphonic Treasures”

When/Where: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 Hudson High School, Hudson; 3:30 p.m. Feb. 5 St. Mark’s School, Southborough

How much: $25; seniors, $20; students, free; symphonypromusica.org

‘Hibernation Day’

It’s deep mid-winter so a good time for “Hibernation Day” on Feb. 4 at the EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature. Science Discovery programs during the day will include Hibernation Station Storytime, Animals in Winter, and Do Trees Hibernate. Also, visit Cornelia, EcoTarium’s resident woodchuck, and try your hand at building a cold-weather shelter of your own.

What: Hibernation Day

When: Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 4

Where: EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester

How much: Free with museum admission; ecotarium.org

Give my regards …

Greater Worcester Opera‘s winter cabaret fundraiser “Broadway Upside Down” will see its artists sing songs from Broadway that “they’d never be cast to perform!” The orchestra was founded 20 years ago this year. Olga Rogach accompanies Connell Benn,Elaine Crane, Donna DeWitt, Betsy Fiedler, Elisabeth LaBarre, Taylor Lawton, Benjamin Morse, Lonnie Powell, and Carolyn Kelly Schwartz. The event also includes a silent auction and raffle.

What: Greater Worcester Opera — “Broadway Upside Down”

When: 7 p.m. Feb. 4; Snow date: 7 p.m. Feb. 5

Where: Loring Auditorium at Briarwood, 65 Briarwood Circle, Worcester

How much: $10 admission at the door. Raffle and auction items purchased separately; greaterworcesteropera.org.

Put your heart into it

“Hearts and Crafts” Valentine events put on by the Worcester Historical Museum on Feb. 2 at the museum and Feb. 8 at Redemption Rock Brewing will include learning the history of the Valentine and its connection to Worcester with the museum’s executive director, Bill Wallace. After the history lesson, participants can make their own Valentine cards in the style of Worcester’s famous Valentine business entrepreneur, Esther Howland. The museum provides all the materials. All members bringing a “friend” will receive a Valentine treat. New memberships will be accepted at the event. Those joining will be eligible for a special raffle basket filled with Worcester goodies. Registration is required for these free events. Meanwhile, it’s Free February at the museum as well as Salisbury Mansion. Admission is free to all during regular hours at the Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm St., Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at Salisbury Mansion, 40 Highland St., Thursdays through Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

What: Hearts and Crafts

When/Where: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 2, Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm St., Worcester. Light snacks and Polar Beverages will be served.  Registration link on Constant Contact.

6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 8, Redemption Rock Brewing, 333 Shrewsbury St., Worcester. Beverages and savory snacks will be available for purchase.  Registration link on Constant Contact.

How much: Free; worcesterhistory.org.

source