Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

2013 FIRST PLACE WINNER “LET ME SPREAD MY INK” BY JONATHAN BOUCHARD. / Photo by Olga Khvan

Theater
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

In The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), a three-person cast tears through the Bard’s canon in an hour and a half. The relatively new Hub Theatre Company of Boston is presenting the comedy, which is “almost a roast of Shakespeare,” says Lauren Elias, managing director and cofounder of Hub Theatre Company as well as director of the production. “I think what this play does so beautifully is, without insulting [Shakespeare]…it reminds us of the fact that this is for everybody, that these characters are not just for the privileged few.” Each performance is preceded by the 45-minute one man show Hallucinating Shakespeare, which is essentially Shakespearean standup, Elias says. And the evening doesn’t have to break the bank: every show is “pay what you can,” as part of the Hub Theatre Company’s mission to make theater available regardless of economic circumstances.

Pay what you can, opens Friday, July 18, various times, Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, hubtheatreboston.org.

Beach
Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival

The country’s first public beach will be flooded with sand sculptors and onlookers this weekend when it hosts the 11th annual National Sand Sculpting Festival. Around 300,000 people are anticipated to attend the three-day event, where sand sculptors compete for a top prize of $5,000. Highlights of the weekend include gourmet food trucks, a fireworks display, and live entertainment.

Free, Friday, July 18, through Sunday, July 20, Revere Beach, reverebeachpartnership.com.

Art
ArtBeat 2014

ArtBeat returns to Somerville for another year. This year’s theme, “Hatch,” “ties into what’s happening in Somerville right now,” says Rachel Strutt, program manager for the Somerville Arts Council—who has written for Boston magazine. “There’s such a large, vibrant arts community, and I think things just keep hatching.” The festival will include musical acts, dance troupes, art installations, craft vendors, and activities including a demonstration with recently hatched animals. Food from local restaurants will be available as well. At ArtBeat, the Somerville Arts Council will debut its traveling art bus, and the public is invited to collaborate on a mural to be installed on the bus, Strutt says. The festival is likely to be “teeming with people,” she says, and, with a suggested $3 donation, it’s a “good bang for your buck.”

$3 donation, Friday, July 18, 6 p.m., through Saturday, July 19, 10 p.m., Davis Square, Somerville, somervilleartscouncil.org.

Fitness
Dirty Girl Mud Run Boston

Ladies: feel like getting muddy for a good cause? Then get ready for The Dirty Girl Mud Run—a 5K obstacle course with muddy features—which is partnering with Bright Pink, an organization that supports prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancers. The run is not a race. Participants are not timed, and it’s open to individuals and teams of all ages and fitness levels. “Approximately 70 percent [of participants] have never done a run before, so the experience for them is empowering,” says Tia Mattson, Dirty Girl’s chief marketing officer. Family and friends of participants may watch the run for free, save for the cost of parking. In addition to the run, participants and guests may enjoy other diversions, including visiting concession stands, dancing, and drinking beer.

$95, ages 14+, Saturday, July 19, various times beginning 8 a.m., Amesbury Sports Park, 12 South Hunt Road, Amesbury, godirtygirl.com.

Music
Jamaica Plain PorchFest

Jamaica Plain will hold its first annual Porchfest the on Saturday afternoon. Accommodating more than 60 bands on more than 30 porches, the free festival celebrates the neighborhood’s diversity through musical acts that draw from an array of genres. The event has been made possible by volunteer efforts and donations and is free to attend. Even Mayor Marty Walsh is expected to make an appearance. Consult the interactive map on the event’s website to see when and where bands are playing, as well as read a description of each performer’s musical styles.

Free, Saturday, July 19, 12-4 p.m., Jamaica Plain, jpporchfest.org.