Folk and fun in Lowell
More than 30 years ago, community leaders in Lowell created festivals to celebrate the Merrimack River and the city's cultural diversity. Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, and Arthur Fiedler (with his Pops) entertained, and these festivals were forerunners to the Lowell Folk Festival. The latter is celebrating its 20th year, and for three days there will be six stages of traditional music at several locations, along with crafts, ethnic food, art, and stuff to keep the kids busy (a puppet parade Saturday at 4:30). Friday night at 8:30, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (left) bring their Cajun sound to the Tsongas Arena Dance Pavilion. The festival is Friday 7-10, Sat. noon-10, and Sun. noon-7. Free. Rain or shine.
National Park Service Visitor Center, 246 Market St., Lowell 978-970-5200. www.lowellfolkfestival.org.
A month of events
Sunday 23The FBI is offering a reward of $5 million for the ``safe recovery of all stolen items in good condition" that were taken in 1990 from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (interested?). The largest art heist in history robbed the museum of masterpieces including Vermeer's ``The Concert," the world's most valuable stolen painting. Rebecca Dreyfus's documentary ``Stolen" re examines the theft of the unlucky 13 pieces and screens at the neighboring MFA through Aug. 12. Today's showing is at 11 a.m. Tickets: $7; $6 students, seniors.
>Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave. 617-369-3306. www.mfa.org.
Monday 24
Miss Adelaide wants to get married; Nathan wants to keep stalling; Sky wants to find a place for his dice game; Sarah wants to save gamblers from their sins. The couples speak their words, sing their songs, and dance their dances in the Cape Playhouse production of ``Guys and Dolls." Damon Runyon's lovable characters are brought to life by Tony winners Jarrod Emick (Sky), Liz Larsen (Miss Adelaide), and Drama Desk nominees Jason Graae (Nathan) and Garrett Long (Sarah). Shows run through Saturday, and the tickets won't cost you a bushel and a peck ($25-$45).
Cape Playhouse, 820 Main St., Route 6A, Dennis 877-385-3911. www.capeplayhouse.com.
Tuesday 25
Bumper stickers and T-shirts are two ways to proclaim patriotism, but in 1863 Hiram Berdan made a cast likeness of Abraham Lincoln in the hammer of a rifle so that the president would be firing at the enemy. This and other freedom icons are on exhibit at the National Heritage Museum in ``American Visions of Liberty & Freedom." More than 200 objects from the Revolutionary War to the present include Mae Rockland Tupa's ``Mother of Exiles" Hanukkah lamp with statues of liberty from different races raising their torches. The ongoing exhibit is on view through Oct. 15 Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5. Free.
National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington 781-861-6559. www.monh.org.
Wednesday 26
Tonight at 7 at the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall, four short films tackle corporate cheating, racial and class disparity in public schools, friendship, and bullying in 64 minutes. The Roxbury Film Festival screens ``The Numbers," ``Sticks and Stones," `` Monsieur Etienne," and ``Detroit, Not for Wimps. " Through July 30 more than 60 documentary, animated, short, and feature films by emerging and noted filmmakers of color screen at several locations. Tonight's pre-festival reception is at 6, and tickets are $75 (includes all festival screenings), $100 (all festival screenings and tonight's reception), $125 (all festival screenings, pre-festival and closing receptions). Tickets for single screenings are $8 and $12.
Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall, 182-186 Dudley St., Roxbury 617-541-3900, ext. 2327.www.roxburyfilmfestival.org.
Thursday 27
When your last name is Gershwin, people probably ask if you're related to those musical brothers. Alexis Gershwin can say yes, because George and Ira were her uncles. The next question is probably about whether she is in the music business, and the singer can say yes again. ``Gershwin Sings Gershwin" is a tribute to her uncles' lives and music with the help of the Gershwin Singers and Orchestra. Performances are here to stay through Sunday, and tonight's music is at 7:30. Tickets are $42; $36 seniors; $21 students.
Stoneham Theatre , 395 Main St., Stoneham 781-279-2200. www.stonehamtheatre.org.
Friday 28
He tells dirty jokes and has a CD and DVD called `` Dirty Jokes," but Gilbert Gottfried makes us laugh when he upstages humans as the voice of the duck in the
Comedy Connection, 245 Quincy Market Place 617-248-9700. www.comedyconnectionboston.com.
Saturday 29
Natalie Maines has said that the Dixie Chicks Accidents and Accusations Tour is ``more of an old-style rock show, not so much about theatrics and props, but just about the music." We don't know if there will be any Bush whacks, but the ladies will play music from their new album "Taking the Long Way" along with hits from "Wide Open Spaces," "Fly," and "Home." Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $45, $75.
TD Banknorth Garden, North Station 617-931-2000. www.ticketmaster.com.
30
Forest Hills Educational Trust will hold a walking tour through Forest Hills Cemetery, where Great Women of Boston are buried, including suffragist Lucy Stone and surgeon Susan Dimock . 2 p.m. $8; 95 Forest Hills Ave., Jamaica Plain. 617-524-0128.
31
Learn about your insides at Dr. Gunther von Hagens's ``Body Worlds 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies" at the Museum of Science. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. $24, $21 students and seniors, $18 kids, $11 members. Science Park. 617-723-2500.
1
Harvard's Fogg Art Museum presents ``Under Cover: Artists' Sketchbooks ," an exhibition of more than 70 books and 45 drawings from the past two centuries. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $7.50, $6 seniors and students. 32 Quincy St., Cambridge. 617-495-9422.
2
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart, the Boston Midsummer Opera debuts with its production of ``The Marriages of Mozart" tonight at BU's Tsai Performance Center. 8 p.m. $20-$50. 685 Commonwealth Ave. 617-227-0442.
3
Lowell's Quilt Festival: A Citywide Celebration of Quilts runs through Aug. 6, with events at Tsongas Arena, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, New England Quilt Museum, and other sites. Today, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. $10 for the weekend. 978-452-4207.
4
The Newport Folk Festival kicks off tonight with an event held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame featuring tenor Ronan Tynan and the Celtic group Cherish the Ladies. 8 p.m. $30-$75. 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport, R.I. 401-847-3700.
5
This comedy is sure to be sick. Opie & Anthony present their Traveling Virus Tour tonight at the DCU Center featuring performances by Bob Saget, Tracy Morgan, and Jim Norton. 6 p.m. $36.25 and $66.25. 50 Foster St., Worcester. 617-931-2000.
6
The Boston Jazz Society presents an Air Conditioned, Bug Free Barbeque Festival at Scullers Jazz Club this afternoon, featuring food and performances. 2 p.m. $50; 400 Soldiers Field Road. 617-562-4111.
7
After touring with the Dave Matthews Band for two years, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones know how to get it done. They come to the
8
Boston-based Matt Germak Band will play a gig tonight at the Middle East. Expect some catchy hooks and sensitive songwriting. Doors open at 8 . $8. 472 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. 617-864-3278, ext 221.
9
``I Wanna Be With You" became a trademark song in the mid-'90s. Remember? Spend the night with Hootie and the Blowfish at the North Shore Music Theatre. 7:30 . $65, $70. 62 Dunham Road, Beverly. 978-232-7200.
10
Go back in time even further tonight at the Bank of America Pavilion with We Are the '80s as Rick Springfield, Eddie Money, Loverboy, and Scandal perform their hits. 7:30 . $25, $40, $45. 290 Northern Ave. 617-931-2000.
11
Set sail on the Rock and Blues Concert Cruise tonight with deSol and Chad Perrone . ``Rock 'n' roll with a Latin soul" meets Perrone's ``journal set to music" sound. A light dinner is available. Board at 7:15 . $25. Departs from Long Wharf. 800-594-8499.
12
Beginning today, the Harvard University Art Museums will unveil ``The New Chinese Landscape: Recent Acquisitions ." 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $7.50, $6 seniors and students, free ages 18 and under . 485 Broadway, Cambridge. 617-495-9400.
13
Legendary rockers Alice in Chains will be headlining this year's Loco-bazooka! United We Rock Festival , to be held this year at the Tweeter Center. 11 a.m. $46, $56. 885 South Main St., Mansfield. 617-931-2000.
14
Yonder Mountain Spring Band , after opening for Guster Saturday , travels down for a show on the Vineyard. The bluegrass group, originally from Colorado, will play at Outerland tonight at 9 . $25, $28. 17 Airport Road, Edgartown. 508-693-1137.
15
Travel out west to catch a preview of Berkshire Theatre Festival's production of the Tony Award - and Pulitzer Prize-winning ``The Heidi Chronicles" before the show opens this weekend. 8 p.m. $37-$47. Main Street, Stockbridge. 413-298-5576.
16
Still craving the theater? Tackling bigotry and acceptance , ``The Blowin of Baile Gall" begins its two-week run with a preview show tonight at The Vineyard Playhouse . 7 p.m. $20. 24 Church St., Vineyard Haven. 508-696-6300.
17
Authentic 19th-century coaches and trained teams of horses will make daily runs through the streets of Newport , R.I., today through Sunday during the Preservation Society of Newport County's Weekend of Coaching. Free. 401-847-1000.
18
Dar Williams , who has been compared to Joni Mitchell and the Indigo Girls, heads north tonight for a show as part of the Lowell Summer Music Series. 7:30 . $16. Boarding House Park , 40 French St., Lowell. 978-275-1783.
19
Comic Jim Gaffigan has sure made a name for himself in the world of laughs. He brings yuks to the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom tonight. 8 p.m. $29, $36, $46. 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, N.H. 617-931-2000.
Events can always be canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; call to confirm. Submit items 4-6 weeks in advance to: June Wulff, Living/Arts, The Boston Globe, PO Box 55819, Boston MA 02205-5819 or e-mail event information to jwulff@globe.com. 
