An Evening with Regie Gibson: Massachusetts' First Poet Laureate

Red, White, Black, &amp; Blues The Rants, Chants, &amp; Coos of a Literary-Musician. Event Description The world is an especially tough place right now, and we all need a space where we can slow down, reflect, and connect. Join Regie Gibson, Inaugural Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the award-winning global funk ensemble Atlas Soul for a passionate and poignant evening of storytelling, spoken-word poetry, music, and song. This two-part performance will be a thoughtful, bluesy, funky, jazzy, and moving exploration of what it means to live, laugh, and love as a human being. Regie Gibson Whatever you think about poetry, Regie Gibson will make you rethink it. Named the Commonwealth’s first Poet Laureate, he doesn’t simply recite poetry—he performs it. He becomes it! Regie has lectured and performed widely throughout the U.S., Cuba, and Europe. Representing the United States in Italy, he competed for and received both the Absolute Poetry Award in Monfalcone and the Europa in Versi Award in Laglio, Lake Como. An actor and multidisciplinary artist, Regie is the creator of The Shakespeare Time-Traveling Speakeasy, a theatrical literary concert exploring the life and works of William Shakespeare. He is also the Artistic Director of Arts for Social Cohesion, a social transformation organization that uses the arts and pedagogy to strengthen relationships within and between communities. Regie serves on the boards of the New England Poetry Club, GrubStreet, and the Lexington Symphony, and teaches at Berklee College of Music and Clark University. On May 30, 2025, Governor Maura Healey appointed Regie the Inaugural Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Most recently, on July 4, Regie performed his poem “The Song of Massachusetts” with the Boston Pops at the Esplanade. Atlas Soul Atlas Soul is a multiple award-winning band performing original music that celebrates polyrhythms and melodies rooted in Afro-Mediterranean traditions, infused with organic deep funk, jazz, and intelligent hip-hop. Electrifying live performances and audience participation are their trademarks! Atlas Soul has performed at scores of major venues and festivals, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center, Festival International de Louisiane, the Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Joe’s Pub, Montreal’s Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, and more. Musicians: Jacques Pardo: Composer, Saxophone, and Electric Guitar Perry Bakalos: Electric Guitar Nadjim Kebir: Drums Fernando Huergo: Electric Bass

Hopkinton Center for the Arts

EXPERIMENTAL: Exhibition by Courtney Fern

Artist Courtney Fern, winner of the 2025 Members Art Show, will have her own exhibition titled "EXPERIMENTAL" at the HCA Gallery located at 34 Hayden Rowe Street. The exhibition runs from September 28 to December 5, with an opening reception on October 9 at 6 p.m. The reception is open to the public.&nbsp;

Create & Sip at the Center: Duck Pastels

This Month's Featured Project: Quirky &amp; Colorful Rubber Ducks We are trading the traditional landscapes for something way more playful! Grab a friend and join us at the HCA to paint these vibrant, whimsical rubber ducks using soft pastels. Pastels offer immediate, richly saturated color and a super satisfying hands-on experience with easy cleanup. Our instructor will guide you step-by-step through blocking out shapes, layering bright pigments, and blending bold colors to make your characters pop. No Experience? No Problem: Beginners can follow the demonstration directly, while seasoned artists can add their own creative spin or background. All levels are welcome—this night is all about relaxing, laughing, and getting creative in a fun, social setting.

HCA Wicked 5K 2026

Lace up your sneakers, grab your (optional) costume, and join us for the Wicked 5K, a fun-filled community fundraiser benefiting the Hopkinton Center for the Arts! Whether you're running for a personal best or strolling with friends and family, every step you take helps support arts education, performances, exhibitions, scholarships, and community programs that make the arts accessible to all. Your registration is more than race entry—it's an investment in creativity and community. You will automatically be set up as a FUNdraiser!&nbsp;It is not required to fundraise to join us but it makes it more FUN! Proceeds from the event directly support the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to fostering joy, belonging, and lifelong learning through the arts. Create your own fundraising page!&nbsp;Join one of the fundraising teams!&nbsp;Win prizes!! This festive fall tradition features a relatively flat 5K walk/run course with traffic-free roads and groomed gravel trails, making it enjoyable for participants of all ages and abilities. Little goblins and ghouls can join the excitement, too, in our 100-meter Wee Wicked Dash, held just before the start of the 5K. &nbsp; Costumes are encouraged, holiday spirit is welcome, and every mile makes a difference!

Wicked 5K Fun Run FUNdraiser

Lace up your sneakers, grab your (optional) costume, and join us for the Wicked 5K, a fun-filled community fundraiser benefiting the Hopkinton Center for the Arts! Whether you're running for a personal best or strolling with friends and family, every step you take helps support arts education, performances, exhibitions, scholarships, and community programs that make the arts accessible to all. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in various age brackets. This festive fall tradition features a relatively flat 5K walk/run course with traffic-free roads and groomed gravel trails, making it enjoyable for participants of all ages and abilities. Little goblins and ghouls can join the excitement, too, in our 100-meter Wee Wicked Dash, held just before the start of the 5K. Your registration is more than race entry—it's an investment in creativity and community. Proceeds from the event directly support the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to fostering joy, belonging, and lifelong learning through the arts. Create your own fundraising page! Join one of the fundraising teams! Win prizes!! Costumes are encouraged, holiday spirit is welcome, and every mile makes a difference! And we welcome all to stay after the race for some post-run fun - including music, games, food and more!

Rasa String Quartet: An American Patchwork

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, Rasa String Quartet presents a musical patchwork quilt, weaving together the cultural traditions that have shaped the nation’s identity.&nbsp; Spanning jazz, bluegrass, Latin pop, Indigenous traditions, global folk music, and classical favorites, the program captures the vibrant creative spirit of American music. From the soulful lyricism of William Grant Still and the Latin groove of Bad Bunny to the infectious swing of Billy Strayhorn and the driving energy of Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, An American Patchwork brings America’s multitude of rich soundscapes all together on one stage. Sponsored by Scott's Landscaping

Night of the Living Comics

They’re alive…and they’ve got jokes! This Halloween, the comics are crawling out of the crypt and onto the stage for Night of the Living Comics—an evening of killer comedy, wicked wit, and drop-dead funny stand-up! Featuring a frightfully hilarious lineup of comedians:<ul><li>Zach Morin</li><li>Dan Donahue</li><li>Bill Simas</li></ul>Hosted by Mike Koutrobis of Mike’d Up Comedy Productions Grab your friends and settle in for a night of laughs that are absolutely to die for. Costumes are welcome (but not required), and a sense of humor is highly encouraged. Come for the boos. Stay for the laughs. Just don’t sit too close to the stage…we can’t guarantee the comics won’t bite.&nbsp;

Radio Musikola Halloween Bash

GET READY FOR A TOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN BASH!&nbsp; Break out the big hair, neon, leg warmers, leather jackets, and your best Halloween getup—it’s time to party like it’s 1985! Join us for a Halloween Bash featuring Radio Musikola, a powerhouse eight-piece band bringing the biggest sounds of the ’80s back to life! From pop and rock to new wave and dance-floor favorites, they’ll deliver a high-energy night packed with the songs you know, love, and probably still sing at the top of your lungs in the car. Costumes are optional…but really? It’s Halloween. Go spooky. Go funny. Go full-on ’80s. Just GO FOR IT. Grab your friends, plan the costumes, and get ready to dance the night away to an unforgettable mix of iconic ’80s hits performed by some of Boston’s most accomplished musicians.<ul><li>Big hair encouraged</li><li>Costumes highly encouraged</li><li>Dancing practically unavoidable</li></ul>This Halloween, we’re turning back the clock and turning UP the music.

Drop the Mic: Sunday Morning Poetry & Spoken Word

Start your Sunday morning with coffee, creativity, and community! Join us for a relaxed and welcoming gathering celebrating poetry, spoken word, and storytelling from local voices.&nbsp; Each month features a new poet or performer, followed by an open invitation for community members to step up and share their own work—or simply sit back, listen, and enjoy.&nbsp; Come for the words. Stay for the conversation and connection. $5 suggested donation.&nbsp; About Our Guest Speaker: Lisa Breger was the Director of the Undergraduate Writing Program and Assistant Professor of English at Pine Manor College for many years. However, after a life-changing illness, she left academia and currently teaches poetry as a spiritual practice at Open Spirit in Framingham, as well as on-line for the Sisters of St. Benedict at St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island, Illinois. Her poetry has received many awards including the Thomas Merton Award for Poetry of the Sacred, The Grolier Poetry Prize, and was a runner up for the Ruth Stone Poetry Prize. Currently her poems appear in Presence, Parabola, Hunger Mountain, The Lavender Review, and the anthology Love is for All of Us: Poems of tenderness and belonging edited by James Crews and Brad Peacock. She is the author of the chapbook, Ways I’ve Known Water.

Creative Mornings for Little Artists

Join our monthly creative mornings for kids ages 3–5 and caregivers! Get inspired by the monthly theme and make art together to enjoy and take home. Our mornings will be focused on discovery, creativity, and the joy of making art as you rotate between both performing (music) and visual art. We'll play games, sing songs, and make hands-on crafts. Please note:<ul><li>Though the program is geared towards 3 to 5 year olds, younger siblings are also welcome (registration is only needed for the 3–5 year old though)</li><li>Space is limited, so pre-registration is highly encouraged but not required.</li><li>Register for one at a time or receive 10% off when you register for all 4 workshops!</li></ul>Monthly Themes:<ul><li>October 16 (Spooky Season)</li><li>November 20 (Forest Animals)&nbsp;</li><li>December 18 (Coziness)</li></ul>

Adaptive Karaoke Night: Spooky Songs

Calling all adaptive singers ages 15+! Pick a spooky favorite and join us for a fun, welcoming night of karaoke. Costumes are welcome, and everyone is invited to cheer on the performers. The first 15 people to sign up will have a chance to sing, so RSVP early!

MOON MAN Movie Premier

MOON MAN Comes Home to the HCA! The 2026 short film MOON MAN, co-created by Maximilian Kent and Paul Champlin, comes to the HCA on Thursday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Delbridge Family Performance Space. The film brings to life the story of Worcester native Robert Goddard, the visionary space pioneer who made history with the launch of the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Presented as part of the Massachusetts Space Consortium’s statewide STEM Week events, the screening will be followed by a brief Q&amp;A with several members of the film’s cast and crew. MOON MAN was produced by Overture Entertainment with significant support from Enter Stage Left Theater and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. After premiering at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in July, the film now comes home to the HCA—where members of our own creative community helped bring this remarkable story to the screen.

Life Drawing: Teen Workshops

This is an all-levels drawing workshop from live models for teens. This course focuses on observing and translating the human form onto paper. Learning to capture proportions, gesture, and volume, as well as relevant terms, such as contrapposto, is included in this course. Students will learn how to sight and measure with a sighting stick/straightedge. We will have dynamic poses to learn the art of gesture drawing, with longer poses to work on detailed rendering. Materials: All supplies included in tuition. Please note: Sign up for all three workshops and receive 10% off, or sign up on a per-day basis.&nbsp; Save the date for the first ever comprehensive Youth Visual Art Exhibit! All are invited on the evening Thursday, March 25, 2027 to see examples from all HCA youth visual art classes taking place from fall 2026 through winter 2027, on display, celebrate our young artist’s achievements, and meet the staff and Program Manager, Beth Gismondi. Each class in those two terms will save one project to be exhibited at this show.

Comic Drawing Workshop

Dynamic Panels, Perspective and Inking Designed specifically for adults who already have a foundation in drawing, this intensive, 4-hour workshop will guide students as they story board, draw and ink a&nbsp;two page comic book spread. First, students will do a quick character sheet&nbsp;to warm up. Then the instructor will give an overview of&nbsp;1, 2 and 3 point perspective.&nbsp; Next an open ended scenario for their character to storyboard is used as the jumping off point for learning about pacing, composition of panels, and completing a story arc. Students will be encouraged to include perspective, differing view points and a variety of value and tone in their panels. Learn how to recuperate from mistakes and boldly bring their characters to life! We will also be using traditional tools of the trade such as non-photo copy blue pencils and dip-ink pens on comic book Bristol board as well as microns and white-out when needed. By completing a "slice of life"&nbsp;short story arc for your character you will gain insight on how to carry this process forward for more in-depth stories you have been dreaming of creating but were too overwhelmed to get started. Instructor will provide guidance, encouragement and introduce you to resources that can help you on your comic or graphic novel journey! Materials: All supplies are provided by HCA. However, you are welcome to bring your own materials; a suggested supply list is available below.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

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Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

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S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

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S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

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S17: interest based

Your guide to everything to do around Boston.

Things to do in Boston and beyond

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S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

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S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

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S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

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S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

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S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

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S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

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S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

joyraft.host11255

Experiences

An Evening with Regie Gibson: Massachusetts' First Poet Laureate

EXPERIMENTAL: Exhibition by Courtney Fern

Create & Sip at the Center: Duck Pastels

HCA Wicked 5K 2026

Wicked 5K Fun Run FUNdraiser

Rasa String Quartet: An American Patchwork

Night of the Living Comics

Radio Musikola Halloween Bash

Drop the Mic: Sunday Morning Poetry & Spoken Word

Creative Mornings for Little Artists

Creative Mornings for Little Artists

Adaptive Karaoke Night: Spooky Songs

MOON MAN Movie Premier

Life Drawing: Teen Workshops

Comic Drawing Workshop