5+ Things To Do Around Tewksbury This Weekend: Tie-Dye, Tax-Free, Fairs and Fairy Houses

Brave the heat and rock some tie-dye at the Tewksbury Public Library. Today (Friday) from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. the TPL is hosting Outdoor Family Fun Fridays: Tie-Dye Party! on the lawn. While the event is designed for children aged 3 thru 8 and their families, all are welcome to attend. No registration is required. Please bring a shirt, bandana, or shoelaces; the library will provide dye, rubber bands and everything else you need.

This will be weather-permitting, but as of now, it looks to be sunny and warm enough to dry that dye pretty quickly. And consider joining or supporting the Friends of the TPL, which provides funding for these fun extras, by ordering some bulbs to ensure spring flowers.

Shop local on tax-free weekend. The traditional two-day sales tax holiday will take take place this weekend, Aug. 14 and 15. Items bought on Saturday and Sunday will not be subject to Massachusetts’ 6.25% sales tax, as long as the item costs less than $2,500. Local retailers selling everything from plants to paint and hardware to custom cornhole sets to appliances will appreciate the business.

Catch a drive-in. MVP will screen Frozen on Saturday beginning at dusk, so around 8 p.m. The cost is $25 per car, and you can beat the heat inside with some arcade games and ice cream beforehand.

If you’re open to venturing further afield, admission to the Discovery Museum in Acton is free from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Friday night through September 3. Visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation, to be distributed to the Acton Food Pantry and Open Table. Note that reservations are required.

This weekend will be especially whimsical because of the museum’s ongoing “Welcome to Fairyborough – the little city with a big future!” project, where staff and visitors design, build and explore a mysterious forest environment of fairy houses, gnome homes, and sprite skyscrapers, constructed completely out of natural materials and creativity.

There’s live music scheduled at Bobby & Jack’s (Better Left Acoustic) and T.J. Callahan’s (Mo Bounce tonight, Mischief Mile on Saturday). Or, head down to Boardinghouse Park in Lowell for the legendary Tower of Power, which has been rocking their renowned sound since 1968. They’re featuring music from their new album, STEP UP. Kids age 12 and under are admitted free if accompanied by a ticket holder, courtesy of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. GA tickets are $49.

Also check out the Lowell Summer Music Series Free Fun for Kids events lineup.

Gloucester hosts its Blues Festival on August 14, with craft vendors, a beer garden, delicious food, and more. The Jane Lee Hooker band is worth the drive. Tickets are $45 at the gate.

Finally, fair season kicks off with the Bolton Fair, which runs Aug. 13 to 16. The fair is held at The Fairgrounds at Lancaster, 318 Seven Bridge Rd., Lancaster, Mass. That’s about a 45-minute drive. You’ll find the usual: midway, animals, fried food, crafter exhibits, demolition derby, fried foods, lumberjacks, reptiles, a beer garden. And say hi to local Krochmal Farms, which is offering pony rides.