Things to Do: Get up close with sharks — and therapy dogs
Deep dive
Photographer and scuba diver Brian Perry gets up close and personal with sharks and other denizens of the depths, sharing his experiences through his photos. An exhibit of Perry's work, "Underwater Photography," is set for May 1 to 31 at the café gallery at Booklovers' Gourmet in Webster, with an artist's talk on May 4. Perry, who taught diving at Inland Divers and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said, "My local underwater photography is done in Gloucester and Rockport and my favorite area is Key Largo, Florida, where the water is clear and the fish colorful." (MS)
What: "Underwater Photography" by Brian Berry
When: May 1 to 31. Artist's talk 2 p.m. May 4
Where: Booklovers' Gourmet, 72 East Main St., Webster
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How much: free. (508) 949-6232; bookloversgourmet.com.
Music and magic in the air
Anyone interested in the supernatural should swing by A Touch of Magick in Uxbridge on May 4 and 5 for the shop's Spring Psychic Faire & Witches Market. The faire will feature $30 psychic readings with the shop's readers all weekend, more than 30 local vendors selling handcrafted wares, sale prices inside the shop itself, and live music from DJ Little Hayes, Worcester jam band Gumby's Girlfriend, and LaRocke, who not only sings but also owns a record shop in the historic building that houses A Touch of Magick. All ages are welcome, as are dogs (on leash), and attendees are encouraged to wear their best witchy outfits. (MT)
What: Spring Psychic Faire & Witches Market
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 4 and 5
Where: A Touch of Magick, 195 South Main St., Uxbridge
How much: Free. atouchofmagick.com.
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From Nashville to Bull Run
Nashville duo Swearingen and Kelli build a haunting folk-and-country sound in their latest release, the six-track "Build Myself Up From the Ground." AJ Swearingen and Jayne Kelli have been performing and writing music together since 2010, and a maturity and yet also a fresh inventiveness keeps the listener riveted. They are likely even better together live, as audiences will find out at the Bull Run Restaurant May 4. (RD)
What: Swearingen and Kelli
When: 8 p.m. May 4 (doors open for dinner and seating at 6 p.m.)
Where: Ballroom, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley
How much: $20. bullrunrestaurant.com
'La magia de las palabras'
The Poet's Cauldron partners with Worcester's El Salon cultural center to present "El Caldero," a special Cinco de Mayo edition of the Poet's Cauldron showcasing Mexican and Mexican-American poetry, art and culture on May 5 at the White Room. Featured poet Alejandro Jimenez hails from Colima, Mexico, and will be traveling all the way from his current home in New Mexico to read. His work, which has been featured by Time magazine and PBS, explores everything from Mexican cultural identity to masculinity and what happens when international borders are drawn through already-existing communities. (MT)
What: El Caldero
When: 5 to 7:30 p.m. May 5
Where: The White Room, 138 Green St., Worcester
How much: $20 suggested donation. @thepoetscauldron and @_el_salon_ via Instagram.
A 'paw'-se in the afternoon
Visitors to the Worcester Public Library on May 6 can relieve their stress by meeting and petting trained and registered therapy dogs in the library's first-floor ellipse. Therapy dogs are typically pets who go through training, alongside their owners, to provide a calming presence to anyone who needs a little emotional relief. That means if you had a rough weekend or if you're having a bad Monday, these dogs will be ready at the library to do their (volunteer) jobs and make you smile. (MT)
What: De-stress with Dogs
When: 3:30 to 5 p.m. May 6
Where: Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Square, Worcester
How much: Free. mywpl.org.
'Mesmerizing' musicianship
Experience "mesmerizing" pianist and composer Marc-André Hamelin in a recital at Mechanics Hall May 9 presented by Music Worcester. Hamelin, who was born in Montreal and now lives in Boston, is known worldwide for his consummate musicianship and brilliant technique. The recital program includes the Piano Sonata No. 2 by modernist American composer Charles Ives, 19th-century Romanticist Robert Schumann's "Forest Scenes," and 20th-century French composer Maurice Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit." Prior to the concert Hamelin has been working with students in Worcester. (RD)
What: Marc-André Hamelin in recital — presented by Music Worcester
When: 7:30 p.m. May 9
Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester
How much: $45 to $55; $17.50 student; $7.50 youth: adult ticket and reception $75. musicworcester.org.