Free Community Day at the Worcester Art Museum Celebrates the Return of Spring
Full day of activities takes place on Sunday, April 3 from 10am to 4pm
WORCESTER—Spring is in the air! Throughout central Massachusetts snow is melting, birds are singing, and signs of new life are emerging from the earth. The Worcester Art Museum is celebrating this welcome change of seasons with a Free Community Day on Sunday, April 3 from 10am to 4pm. There will be activities throughout the day for all ages, from performances to Roman reenactor demonstrations, art making, face painting, and much more! Admission is free for everyone.
Performances and demonstrations will explore how people from other cultures and times from around the world have welcomed the coming of new life every year. The Southeast Asia Coalition’s Worcester Youth Nian Dancers will perform the traditional Lion Dance, a Chinese-Vietnamese dance that dates back over 1,000 years and is believed to bring good luck.
In addition, the living history group, Roman Legion III Cyrenaica, will give interactive demonstrations on how spring was celebrated in ancient Rome. Students and faculty from the College of the Holy Cross, under the direction of Shirish Korde, will present diverse musical pieces that hail the arrival of spring.
“This year’s free community day is a refreshing change in focusing on spring and new life after the cold and dark of winter,” says Aileen Novick, manager of Education and Public Programs at the Worcester Art Museum. “We are excited to be hosting performances and demonstrations of how spring has been ushered in by other cultures throughout history.”
Programing and Performances
All programs and activities are FREE and will be held at the Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA. Museum parking is free but limited. For directions and a map of additional parking around the Museum, visit: http://www.worcesterart.org/information/directions/
Lion Dance
1pm
Renaissance Court
The Southeast Asia Coalition’s Worcester Youth Nian Dancers enact a traditional Lion Dance, an energetic and colorful performance that dates back over 1,000 years. This Chinese-Vietnamese custom s believed to bring good luck, prosperity and peace into the Lunar New Year and for birthdays, weddings, and other celebratory events.
“Celebrate Spring!” Concert
2pm
Renaissance Court
College of the Holy Cross students and faculty perform diverse musical pieces to welcome spring. This concert, developed as part of a community performance seminar taught by Professor Shirish Korde, will be accompanied by guest faculty member and pianist Matt Jaskot.
Spring in Ancient Rome
11am-3pm
Salisbury Hall
The Roman Legion III Cyrenaica will welcome visitors in Salisbury Hall, where they will demonstrate how spring was celebrated in Ancient Rome with touchable replicas of objects from the ancient world.
Ongoing Activates
Spring Scavenger Hunt
Find works of art from the collection that have spring connections! Scavenger hunts are available at the Lancaster and Salisbury welcome desks.
Grub Guru Food Truck
11:30am-3pm
Lancaster Street
Step outside and enjoy the delicious food from Grub Guru, available for purchase.
Face Painting
11:30am to 2:30pm
Lancaster Lobby
Become your own canvas of art with face painting for all ages.
Spring Storytime
11:30am and 2:30pm
Family Nook in Higgins Education Wing
Spring comes to life for young children during storybook readings in our comfortable Family Nook.
Studio Art Activities
Studios 101 & 102
Spring Tissue Paper Tree Buds
Studio 101
Bring spring home by creating a flowering branch of a cherry, crabapple tree, or magnolia tree.
Create a Chenille Stem Flower
Studio 102
Use chenille pipe cleaners to make a colorful flower.
Love Stories from Worcester
Hoche-Schofield Room in Higgins Education Wing
Love is all around us in Worcester! Hear stories of love from around our community, recorded by visitors to WAM.
Good Deeds Tree Creation
Lancaster Lobby
Did you know that April 3 is Good Deeds Day? Join WAM in recognizing this day by adding a Good Deed you would like to do this day. Add the deed as a leaf on our Good Deeds Tree in Lancaster Lobby.
Worcester Bravehearts
Lancaster Lobby
The Bravehearts will be here to share how you can participate in their Community Mural Project! Look for their mascot Jake the Lion!
About the Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.
The Worcester Art Museum, located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors 65+ and for college students with ID. Admission is free for Museum Members and children ages 0-17. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is free for everyone. Museum parking is free. Tickets may be purchased in advance at