Boston Opera House (Boston, MA)

A thrilling hybrid of rock concert and Broadway show, The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream brings the magic of America's classic blue-eyed soul band to Boston Opera House. The show marks the first time that original band members Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli and Gene Cornish have played together since 1970. The show, written by Bruce Springsteen guitarist Steven Van Zandt, features a complete concert performance, including hits "Good Lovin'," "A Beautiful Morning" and "I've Been Lonely Too Long." It also tells the history of the group through archival footage, narration and dramatic film segments. Don't miss this fascinating look at one of rock's biggest acts. Learn more...

Gore Place (Waltham, MA)

Scott Jameson brings his trademark blend of magic, juggling and pure entertainment to the historic grounds of Gore Place for a knockout show, Scott Jameson Presents: Magic!. Visually striking and consistently surprising, Jameson's magic appeals to the entire family. Sit back as Jameson boggles your brain by plucking umbrellas from thin air, bringing drawings to life and juggling basketballs with a style that even a Harlem Globetrotter would envy. Be prepared to be delighted by this heartwarming and genuinely fun show from a master entertainer. Learn more...

Gore Place (Waltham, MA)

Kids of all ages -- but especially those age 3 to 8 -- love the silliness, fun, audience participation and memorable characters of Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals. Featuring amazingly crafted, life-size puppets, the show proceeds as a series of charming, positive and attention-keeping short stories, each featuring Lindsay and one of her puppet pals. Together, they tell tales with child-relevant themes like imagination, being kind, sharing, making friends and working together. Along the way, there are opportunities for little ones to sing along, dance, call out ideas and more. Learn more...

Gore Place (Waltham, MA)

Boston's own Shirim Klezmer Orchestra, headed up by clarinetist Glenn Dickson, lets loose with their joyful mash-up of jazz, Eastern European folk music, classical and more at the historic Gore Place. This acclaimed local sextet gets you on your feet with renditions of traditional Jewish dance classics and witty arrangements of Brahms and Mahler, while sprinkling in a little history of the genre as well. Known for their clever crossovers, Shirim's created both a Klezmer Nutcracker and collaborated with famed children's author Maurice Sendak on Pincus and the Pig, their adaptation of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. They've released several CDs, including Oy! It's Good and Of Angels and Horseradish and are even featured on the soundtrack of Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. Learn more...

Prowse Farm (Canton, MA)

Family members of both the two- and four-legged variety are invited to enjoy this two-day dog-themed outdoor festival on Prowse Farm at the base of the beautiful Blue Hills. There's plenty of fun to be had by both man and man's best friend alike, with performances from the Marvelous Mutts, an entertaining sports show starring all canine athletes, plus live music, food truck cuisine, a microbrew beer garden, an interactive kids' zone and more. The inaugural Pooch-A-Palooza also plans to get tails wagging with best-dressed dog and dog-owner lookalike contests, as well as a vendor marketplace. Local bands set to play the main stage include the Motel Kings, the Groove Junkies, Joshua Tree, Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, the Josh Logan Trio, and family favorites Steve Songs and Vanessa Trien. Learn more...

Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (New Bedford, MA)

David Byrne and St. Vincent's Love This Giant tour comes to the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center for its only Massachusetts performance. With an explosive eight-piece brass band, Grammy-nominated John Congleton's drum wizardry and synchronized dances choreographed by Annie-B Parson (Big Dance Theater), this incredible show feature songs from the duo's acclaimed 2012 album Love This Giant as well as Byrne's solo work. David Byrne is a trailblazing art rocker who gained international acclaim with his band Talking Heads before embarking on a successful and musically ambitious solo career. St. Vincent became one of indie rock's darlings as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens before making her name as a solo artist. Here's your chance to see these two celebrated artists as they come together for this highly praised, artfully poppy musical collaboration. Learn more...

Gore Place (Waltham, MA)

Meet live owls, hawks, falcons and vultures, as naturalist Marla Isaac of New England Reptiles & Raptors brings her fascinating flock to Gore Place for the whole family to see. You might've spied the velociraptors -- the prehistoric version of these birds of prey -- starring in the movie Jurassic Park, but now you'll get to experience these modern-day aerial hunters up-close, as expert Isaac discusses the raptors' history, biology, habitats, the sport of falconry, their current life in the wild and more. Learn more...

The DUCK (Boston, MA)

Experience Boston from both land and water by traveling in an amphibious World War II-style landing vehicle called a "Duck." With a friendly and informative conDUCKtor behind the wheel, you'll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, including the golden-domed State House, Bunker Hill, TD Banknorth Garden Arena, Boston Common, Copley Square, Big Dig, Government Center, fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market, Prudential Tower and more. As the best of Boston passes before your eyes, you'll hear lots of little-known facts and interesting insights about this unique and wonderful city. Then, your conDUCKtor will drive the vehicle right into the Charles River for breathtaking views of the Boston and Cambridge skylines. Learn more...

Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts (Boston, MA)

In the Heights made a splash on Broadway, scoring the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical and winning over audiences with its fresh-faced charm and vibrant music. Now, SpeakEasy Stage Company brings the uplifting musical to Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts. With a brilliant cast, incredible hip-hop dancing and a contemporary Latin-flavored score, In the Heights is an exhilarating journey into the lives of the residents of the Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City. It's a place where the coffee is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythms of three generations of music. Learn more...

Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre (Wellesley, MA)

Wellesley Summer Theatre Company presents Dancing at Lughnasa, Irish playwright Brian Friel's intimate and lyrical portrait of a country and a family at a crossroads. The now-adult narrator of the play recalls the summer when he was seven years old. It was a tough time, but his mother and aunts, the proud Mundy sisters, staved off the hardships of daily life through talk, laughter and dance. Set during the Festival of Lughnasa in the rural Ireland of 1936, the play focuses on the sisters as they welcome home their frail missionary brother from Uganda. His arrival is the first of several events that coincide to burst the Mundy sisters' fragile bubble of happiness forever. Learn more...

Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)

Bon Jovi brings Because We Can -- The Tour back to the U.S. for the summer, and one of its stops is Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Come and rock out with these international superstars as they return from a trip around the world. There's no place like home, so it's sure to be an exciting show where you can expect to hear all your favorite Bon Jovi hits along with songs from the band's new album, What About Now. The album debuted at No. 1 in March 2013, making it the fifth number one album for the band. What About Now's first hit single, "Because We Can," was the biggest single launch in the iTunes era of the band's storied career, hitting the iTunes Top 5 in 24 countries and reaching No. 1 in 12 countries. Learn more...

The Factory Theatre (Boston, MA)

Vagabond Theatre Group presents the world premiere of local playwright Heather Houston's Supergravity and the Eleventh Dimension. This extraordinary play is told from the point of view of Tom, a theoretical physicist, who has lost his friend Carmen in a tragic accident. In the year following her death, the relationships of Carmen's friends are strained to the breaking point as memories of her continue to haunt them. In order to save themselves, Carmen's friends must work through their suspicions, grief, anger, and sadness together to answer the question of how she died, bouncing back and forth through time. As they slowly bring the truth to light, each character must reconcile what truly happened with their own version of reality. Learn more...

Robinson Theatre (Waltham, MA)

There's a good chance you've seen the movie or listened to the soundtrack, but even if you haven't, it's time for you to see the real thing -- Kander and Ebb's Tony Award-winning musical Chicago. The longest-running American musical in Broadway history, this stinging satire on corruption, crime and celebrity features dazzling costumes and music (including "Razzle Dazzle" and "All That Jazz"). Based on true crime stories of the 1920s, Chicago chronicles the exploits of convicted murderesses Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, who compete to cash in on their criminal deeds for fame and fortune. This Reagle Music Theatre premiere is directed and choreographed in the style of Bob Fosse by Broadway's Gerry McIntyre. Learn more...

Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)

Bon Jovi brings the Because We Can -- The Tour back to the U.S. for the summer, and one of its stops is Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Come and rock out with these international superstars as they return from a trip around the world. There's no place like home, so it's sure to be an exciting show where you can expect to hear all your favorite Bon Jovi hits along with songs from the band's new album. The band's What About Now release debuted at No. 1 in March 2013, making it their fifth No. 1 position on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart. The new album's first hit single, "Because We Can," was the biggest single launch in the iTunes era of the band's storied career, hitting the iTunes Top 5 in 24 countries and reaching No. 1 in 12 countries. Learn more...

The Hanover Theatre (Worcester, MA)

Teen idol Ricky Nelson ruled the airwaves, small screen and film during his life, and is the only artist to have a number one song ("Poor Little Fool"), number one movie (Rio Bravo) and a number one show (Ozzie & Harriet) all in same week. The nation watched him grow up on television and his musical career spanned teen pop to country-rock, before his tragic death in an airplane crash at the age of 45. Nelson's twin sons Gunnar and Matthew have carried on their family's musical career with a hit album in the early '90s, and pay tribute to Ricky with this concert performance. Ricky Nelson Remembered is a multimedia event that celebrates their father's legacy with music and memories. Learn more...

Boston Opera House (Boston, MA)

A thrilling hybrid of rock concert and Broadway show, The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream brings the magic of America's classic blue-eyed soul band to Boston Opera House. The show marks the first time that original band members Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli and Gene Cornish have played together since 1970. The show, written by Bruce Springsteen guitarist Steven Van Zandt, features a complete concert performance, including hits "Good Lovin'," "A Beautiful Morning" and "I've Been Lonely Too Long." It also tells the history of the group through archival footage, narration and dramatic film segments. Don't miss this fascinating look at one of rock's biggest acts. Learn more...

The Hanover Theatre (Worcester, MA)

In its three years of existence, the Happy Together Tour has become a hugely successful summer tour. This merry band of musicians hits the road every year once the sun comes out to celebrate music of the 1960s with fans across America. This year's tour is headlined by tour creators The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, who will be joined by Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders) and Gary Lewis & The Playboys. The show will be jam-packed with great music, as the artists on this year's tour have more than 60 top 40 hits between them (including favorites like "Happy Together," "Joy to the World," "Young Girl" and "This Diamond Ring") and they'll be putting together a playlist of the very best. Learn more...