FRIDAY

If you’d prefer your theatrical experience to be indoors and air-conditioned (especially if you’re bringing the kids), then here’s a little something from the folks at Foothills Theatre. First of all, our hats are off to them for providing delightful, consistent entertainment for the youngsters during the summer months — that’s not as easy as it looks; just ask any parent trying to keep a cranky grade-schooler happy and occupied for more than 10 minutes in the summer heat. OK, now where were we? Oh yeah — what’s going on at Foothills. This week and next, they’re staging Mother Goosed, which is not a video left over from the old Paris or Fine Arts theaters. Something unprecedented is happening in Fairytale Land — all the nursery rhyme characters are revolting (cue Groucho Marx) against their own stories. Humpty Dumpty refuses to fall off the wall (and commit ovacide). Miss Muffett takes a whack at that spider, and Peter Piper finally loses his peppers (which is not a metaphor for what happened in the back seat of his dad’s DeSoto with Little Bo Peep at the drive-in). No word on whether said peppers were pickled, or if there was indeed a peck of them. Anyway, there’s a news crew involved and Mother Goose, like Leona Helmsley at a tax deposition hearing, is strangely silent. Take the kids to see how it all turns out. For show times and admission prices, call 508-754-4018 or visit foothillstheatre.com.

Another group that receives our hearty kudos for their summertime youth (and grown-up) activities is the Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary. Under the aegis of our good friend Deb Cary, Broad Meadow is ever-active and takes its mission of educating all of us about our natural resources very seriously — and they do it with abundant ingenuity and smiles upon their faces. Here’s what they’re up to this week: In a program called Neighborhood Nature, they’ll be at Elm Park today (at 10 a.m.) — for free — to tell stories, and conduct activities, crafts and nature walks. These programs are designed so you can drop in and learn some fun hands-on animal and/or plant facts while taking a break from the playground. Then, at 2 p.m., they’ll be up at Green Hill Park doing the same thing, near the pond — with canoes and water stuff. They’re busy, so we can be educated about the wonders of our natural world. Take advantage of it. Again, it’s FREE. For more information, call them at 508-753-6087.

SATURDAY

Raising the custom to an art form: The folks at Digital Federal Credit Union (which they shorten to DCU; they don’t use the “F” because the acronym looks like a naughty word) out at 853 Donald Lynch Blvd. in Marlboro are hosting their annual Cruisin’ with D (no F) CU Classic Car Show. The event, starting at 11 a.m., is free and open to classic car enthusiasts of all ages. Plus, there are activities planned throughout the day, including free food (hot dogs, cheeseburgers, popcorn), hourly raffles, a soda jerk station (references the motion, not the poor guy serving the Cherry Coke), appearances by pretend Elvis and pretend Betty Boop (who’s pretend to begin with, so is that “double-pretend”?), face-painting and pretend tattooing, and music and entertainment by Cruisin’ Bruce of 100.1 FM. For more information, call 508-263-6700 or visit dcu.org. No “f” in that, either.

SUNDAY

Here’s a third organization we doff our Spandex to for their fair-weather, fun-making, learning experiences: The Seven Hills Wheelmen. Today they’re hosting what’s become a popular yearly event — The Fourth Annual George Street Bike Challenge for Major Taylor (George and Main streets, beginning at 10 a.m.). See how fast you can pedal up George Street, a 500-foot quad-buster where 1899 world champion Major Taylor used to train. The grade averages 18%. It’s one rider at a time against the clock in this uphill time trial. The entry fee is $15, and proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Association. For more information, contact our friend Lynne Tolman at info@majortaylorassociation,org or call 508-831-0301. Or call Peter at sponsor Barney’s Bicycle, 508-799-BIKE.

It’s easier to get elected president, it seems, than it is to get property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Well, the folks in West Boylston (just in time for their bicentennial festivities) have done just that — twice — having The Mount Vernon Cemetery (the eternal resting place of town founder Ezra Beaman) and The Holbrook Chapel (an example of Victorian Eclecticism) so designated. The ceremony to dedicate these properties and recognize their new status takes place at 2 p.m. today on West Boylston Common. They’re also dedicating a Bicentennial Bell to the late Julius Lovell this afternoon as well. Refreshments follow at the West Boylston Historical Society. It’s a real dedicatin’ day in W.B. — so turn out and take it all in. For more information, visit wb200.com. o