Gimme shelter

The party moved underground Thursday evening, as thousands of day-before-the-Fourth revelers, gathered to watch the Boston Pops on the Esplanade, took cover in the Storrow Drive tunnel from a fast-moving downpour. It was the first time in 35 years of Fourth of July parties that the State Police used the tunnel for shelter.

One of the youngest celebs on the guest list for "Cheers" owner Tom Kershaw's Fourth of July party at the Hampshire House last night was Maria Lark (above), costar of the NBC drama "Medium." Before the party, the 11-year-old, who plays Patricia Arquette's daughter on the show, stopped for lunch at Miel at the InterContinental Hotel with her mother Peggy Lark and Rosanne Mercer of Mercer Public Relations. Mercer and Peggy Lark have been friends since they worked together on "The Mike Douglas Show." The younger Lark, who had a stuffed panda in-tow, ordered chicken fingers.

Clearly, Craig Ferguson has become a big fan of Boston. The "Late Late Show" host last night emcee'd the Pops's July Fourth show on the Esplanade for the second year in a row, and he's already planning a return trip. We're told Ferguson, a Scotsman who became a US citizen this year, will be shooting his first comedy DVD in September, and he's chosen to film it in front of an audience in Boston. Jolly good.

It looked like Tom Brady was gearing up for one helluva bash on the Fourth; five Winston Flowers trucks were spotted outside his Beacon Street penthouse yesterday, along with a Party By Design truck. It's been delivery-rama at the house of Brady lately; the street was blocked off while a crane lifted a giant box into the building Monday and shrubbery was hoisted up in May.

Dot-born superstar Donna Summer is still workin' hard for the money; the original Bad Girl will hit the Bank of America Pavilion stage next Saturday. Summer, who has a new album, "Crayons," and kicks off her tour today in Virginia, recently told the Associated Press her shows this summer will be like a "chocolate-chip cookie." In other words, she'll sprinkle in those classic, sweet hits to give fans their disco fix. "I tried to put them in in a way that they still get the oldies mixed in, so that every few minutes it's like a familiar taste," she said. "Then it's like, 'Ooh, this is good. I like this. Aw! There's a piece of chocolate!' "

Chevy Chase must have had a good time at last summer's Newport JVC Jazz Festival because the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian is coming back for more. Chase will host the festival, which takes place Aug. 8-10 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Fort Adams State Park. A jazz fan who was good friends with the late Bill Evans, Chase will introduce the acts performing on the festival's main stage, including Aretha Franklin, Sonny Rollins, and Herbie Hancock.

Organizers of next month's Possible Dreams Auction on Martha's Vineyard say the 30th anniversary event is shaping up to be extra special. The celeb-heavy soiree benefiting Martha's Vineyard Community Services will feature a performance by Jennifer Holliday - the original "Dreamgirl," get it? - and even more enticing auction items than usual. They include: A private golf lesson with Ernie Els and a week at the Masters golf tournament - both donated by SAP president Marty Homlish - a visit to the set of director Doug Liman's new movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal, and a day job-shadowing Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols. The event, which will be held Aug. 4 at Outerland, has raised $7.25 million over the past 29 years. "We have a lot to celebrate," said Jan Hatchard, director of Martha's Vineyard Community Services. "This is a celebration of dreams and dreamers."

Evicted "Big Brother" housemate Matt McDonald of Charlestown was expected to hang with the Playboy energizer bunnies last night at the Marina Bay Beach Club in Quincy. The bash was a promo partay for the naughty lad mag's new Energy Drink (and really, who could use a ginseng and guarana boost more than Hef?) Dance floor diva Crystal Waters and Jes Brieden of Motorcycle were also expected to rock the house last night, along with DJ Louie DeVito.

R&B hottie Cassie shared two bottles of Ciroc (her label head P. Diddy's vodka-of-choice) with her family and chatted with fans Thursday night at Shrine, the hot new nightclub at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Meanwhile, DJ Cassidy (right) rocked the turntables. Old-school DJ Jazzy Jeff was expected to bring a little "Summertime" to the club last night.

We've heard of the flying nun . . . but the floating nun? Senior state swim champ Eileen McCarthy (right), a 75-year-old Catholic nun from Marshfield, has won a spot in the 2009 Summer National Senior Games next August in San Francisco. McCarthy backstroked past her opponents at a recent state qualifying meet, winning the 50-, 100-, and 200-meter races in her age category. She's swum nationally before, placing 10th and 12th; next year, her goal is eighth. McCarthy, who took up swimming after arthritis curtailed her jogging habit, insisted in a recent statement she has no "illusions of medals." (At least, of the gold, silver, or bronze variety.) Her competitors are mostly lifelong, elite swimmers with coaches, and until 1999 she was a mere beach bather, she said.

Meredith Goldstein of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.