Things to See & Do

The Umbrella's beloved Open Studios is May 2 & 3, from 12 - 5 PM in Concord, MA. It's fun for all, FREE to attend, and priceless to get to know your local artists! The Umbrella Arts Center is home to more than 60 working artists skilled in a variety of fine and applied arts, including ceramics, glass, fiber arts, jewelry making, illustration, mixed-media, painting, photography, printmaking, illustration, sculpture, woodworking, writing, and more. Our annual Open Studios is an incredible opportunity to meet our artists, learn about their process, and share in celebrating their work.

Join the student artists featured in the new special exhibition Revolutionary Legacies, along with  Curator David Wood and Curator and Director of Exhibitions Christie Jackson, for a gallery talk.

Legal scholar Gerard Magliocca explores Justice Robert H. Jackson’s landmark concurring opinion in the Steel Seizure Case, illuminating its enduring framework for presidential power. This forum connects constitutional history to current debates, examining how Jackson’s analysis continues to shape limits on executive authority in times of crisis.

Join 2026 CFPL Writer-In-Residence Danielle Bradley in conversation with celebrated local author Alan Lightman. Danielle Bradley is the winner of the 2025 Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award and a 2025–2026 Tin House Reading Fellow. Her debut novel, Crying in Baseball, is forthcoming from Avid Reader Press.

Don't miss a very special benefit concert, The Anna And Mickey Show. Starring Anna Huckabee Tull and Mickey Zibello, with Special Friends, Kristin Moore on Fiddle, Dave Carter on Guitar and Accordion, Noah Mendelsohn on Bass, Eli Zibello on Percussion, and Sage Miller, a First Parish Rising Vocalist! Come for an evening of joyful camaraderie that lifts our spirits while supporting important social justice work underway this year! 

Join Alexander Cain, noted historian and author, for an immersive day-long tour tracing the pivotal sites of the 1775-1776 Siege of Boston! Trace the Continental Army's strategic movements and defensive positions around British-occupied Boston. You'll gain a deeper understanding of how the ragtag American forces effectively locked down the city and ultimately forced the British evacuation. Visit Prospect Hill, Bunker Hill, Washington's Headquarters and Cambridge Common, Fort Washington, Dillaway-Thomas House, and Dorchester Heights.

With big hair, big laughs, and even bigger heart, this joyous, high-energy musical proves that when we dance together, anything is possible. Tracy Turnblad’s dream to dance on the Corny Collins Show has come true, but this determined teen won’t just do the twist and the mashed potato: she’ll use her star power to integrate Baltimore’s TV network to a swingin’ soundtrack! 

To celebrate Earth Day and OARS’ 40th anniversary, we are bringing the Wild & Scenic Film Festival to Concord, where three remarkable rivers meet, and America’s roots run deep. In partnerships with friends and local organizations, we are hosting five days of community-focused events in and around Concord Center, including film screenings, art installations, guest speakers, outdoor walks, and a 3-day cross-town scavenger hunt. Join us for an inspirational, educational, always wild, and sure to be scenic five days in Concord!

Experience the intoxicating sounds of Biribá Union. Borrowing its name from a Brazilian wild sugar-apple, the group came together through Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop and quickly bonded over their shared love of music from Brazil. Their sound is a thrilling blend of the freestyle theatrics of Hip-Hop and Go-go music, the effortless beauty of Brazilian Forró and Choro, the earthiness of American Roots music, and the improvisational spontaneity of jazz.

The Guitar Museum of New England is proud to host Master luthier Steve Kauffman—traveling from Oregon as part of the celebrations of his 50th anniversary year as a guitar builder— as he shares insights into the elements that shape a guitar’s voice, from tone woods to construction techniques to stunning inlay and marquetry. The evening concludes with a live musical performance featuring Kauffman-built instruments from the Museum’s core collection, offering a rare opportunity to hear their depth, nuance, and expressive range. Ideal for musicians, collectors, luthiers, and anyone with an appreciation for fine craftsmanship and live music.