January 25, 26, 27, 28, 2018

This weekend, Family Owl Prowl at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary

“What’s Happening”

January 26, 27, 28, 2018

Ongoing until Feb. 4 – Coming Away: Winslow Homer and England at the Worcester Art Museum - Developed around two iconic Homer paintings—the Worcester Art Museum's The Gale (1883-93) and the Milwaukee Art Museum's Hark! The Lark (1882) -the exhibition Coming Away: Winslow Homer and England explores the artist's time in Cullercoats, England, in 1881 and 1882. Jointly coordinated by Worcester and Milwaukee, the exhibition features the most comprehensive group of oils made during or emerging directly from Homer's time abroad. Shown alongside comparative paintings by English artists, these works complicate our understanding of Homer's art as purely American in subject and style. Following its run in Worcester, the show will be on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum from March 2-May 10, 2018. For tickets and more information visit worcesterart.org.

25, 26, 27, 28, Thursday – Sunday, Worcester Art Museum presents Flora in Winter 2018 - The Worcester Art Museum is pleased to present the 16th annual Flora in Winter four-day celebration. Flora is one of the most highly anticipated events at the Museum — a premier floral design event that includes captivating and imaginative interpretations inspired by works of art. Around every corner visitors will discover beautiful and imaginative floral designs by arrangers from across the region. It's a succulent feast for the eyes and spirit in the middle of winter! Admission Members: Free during exhibition hours. Nonmembers: Adults $22, youth $6 during exhibition hours. Flora Preview Reception: Separate admission rates apply. 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. For more information call 508-793-4300 or visit worcesterart.org.

26, Friday – Lee Ann Womack performs at the Bull Run – 8:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and seating.) Artists don’t really make albums like Lee Ann Womack’s "THE LONELY, THE LONESOME AND THE GONE" anymore. Albums that seem to exist separate and apart from any external pressures. Albums that possess both a profound sense of history and a clear-eyed vision for the future. Albums that transcend genres while embracing their roots. Albums that evoke a sense of place and of personality so vivid they make listeners feel more like participants in the songs than simply admirers of them. Anybody who has paid attention to Womack for the past decade or so could see she was headed in this direction. THE LONELY, THE LONESOME AND THE GONE (ATO Records) — a breathtaking hybrid of country, soul, gospel and blues — comes from Womack’s core. “I could never shake my center of who I was,” says the East Texas native. “I’m drawn to rootsy music. It’s what moves me.” Recorded at Houston’s historic SugarHill Recording Studios and produced by Womack’s husband and fellow Texan, Frank Liddell (fresh off a 2017 ACM Album of the Year win for Miranda Lambert’s ‘The Weight of These Wings’), THE LONELY, THE LONESOME AND THE GONE marks the culmination of a journey that began with Womack’s 2005 CMA Album of the Year ‘There’s More Where That Come From,’ moving her toward an authentic American music that celebrates her roots and adds to the canon. It also underscores the emergence of Womack’s songwriting voice: She has more writing credits among this album’s 14 tracks than on all her previous albums combined. Womack found the lure of East Texas irresistible. “I love local things, and I missed local music,” she says. “I grew up in Jacksonville. It was small, so I spent a lot of time dreaming, and about getting out.” It required only a short leap of logic to view Houston, and specifically SugarHill, as the place to record. “When you make albums, and aren’t just going for singles, you really have to treat them with respect,” Liddell adds. “We did that at SugarHill, taking a bunch of like-minded lunatics and seeing what happened.” “We all felt we weren’t going someplace just to make a record,” Womack says. “We were going someplace to make a great record.”  Don’t just take her word for it, though. Listen. And when Womack and the music take you there, you’ll find you want to stay.

Tickets $65.00 in advance/ $70.00 day of. For more information visit bullrunrestaurant.com.

27, Saturday - Annual Fireworks and Bonfire 5:30 p.m., hosted by Winchendon American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Post, 295 School St., Winchendon. This Saturday we will be holding our Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire and and Firework Display. It's FREE to come up and watch the bonfire. We will be serving burgers, hotdogs, and sausage subs as well as refreshments in the upstairs hall. Food will begin being served at 5:30. Fireworks at 7:00 with the bonfire to follow. We hope to see you and to have a great night for the town of Winchendon!

27, 28, Saturday and Sunday – Snowshoeing and Winter Wildlife Tracking at Mass Audubon Broad Meadow Brook – 10:00-12:00 Sat. and Sun., and Sunday from 1:00-3:00 - Get outdoors this winter and come to Mass Audubon's Broad Meadow Brook on Massasoit Rd., in Worcester! Snowshoeing is easier than you think! We'll teach you how to use snowshoes before heading out to explore the sanctuary's trails. Learn now to look for signs of wildlife while enjoying the beauty of the sanctuary this winter. If Mother Nature does not provide us with enough snow, we will go for a hike. Return to the Visitor Center for hot cocoa and coffee. We're offering 4 dates to learn how to snowshoe:  Jan. 27, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, and Feb. 24. Fee:  $8.00 Adult Member, $10 Adult Nonmember, $4 Child Members, $6, Child Nonmembers. For tickets and more information call 508-753-6087 or visit massaudubon.org.

27, Saturday - Family Owl Prowl at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary - 5:00-7:00 p.m. Owls are fascinating birds. Did you know that some species breed in winter, or that they can be very vocal as they establish territories and communicate with mates? We'll learn all about owls in a hands-on indoor introduction, followed by a short hike to listen for owls WHOOO might be nearby, or other nighttime wildlife. Fee: $7 adult members, $9 adult nonmembers, $4 child members, $6 child nonmembers. Registration is required. Register online at massaudubon.org or call 978-464-2712.

27, 28 Saturday and Sunday – Midwinter Mischief at Old Sturbridge Village - After a successful run last year, Midwinter Mischief returns to Old Sturbridge Village this January and February! Midwinter Mischief combines theatrical storytelling, historical interpretation and period dining to offer guests a daytime winter adventure…

Imagine the tale of a Yankee peddler passing through the village who decides to settle down at the Bullard Tavern on a cold winter's night. There the peddler spends every dollar he has earned on food and drink, racking up a tab far beyond his means. After being confronted over his debt, the peddler fills up his cup with ashes from the hearth and promises the tavern owner that he will return with a cup overflowing of gold. From the Bullard Tavern, costumed storytellers, artisans, and villagers will entice tavern guests to wander deep into the village where they will find evidence of the peddler’s adventures and schemes. Admission to a Midwinter Mischief includes the two-hour outdoor/indoor experience and a period-inspired meal in the Village’s Bullard Tavern where guests can enjoy live music, demonstrations, and a cash bar featuring hot beverages and 1830s-inspired libations. Each day, the first experience departs the Visitor Center at 9:00 am and the last at 3:00 pm, with experiences beginning every 20 minutes (except for noon and 12:20). After your adventure, you will be led to the Bullard Tavern Great Room where you can enjoy your inclusive hearty soup or stew meal (soup options include Beef Stew (gluten-free), Tomato Vegetable (gluten-free and vegan), and New England Clam Chowder.

Midwinter Mischief was written and directed by P.J. Griffith. For tickets and more information call 508-733-1830 or visit osv.org.

27, Saturday – Peterborough Players present, Live from the MET, Puccini’s Tosca, 1:00-4:20 p.m., Tickets are $25 each and are available at www.peterboroughplayers.org. Total runtime is approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes including 2 intermissions.