In today’s daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.
These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding what’s going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.
In today’s edition – Tuesday, April 19 – Creative Hub Worcester holds its inaugural gala next weekend, the Worcester Chamber Music Society wraps up its 16th season this weekend, Massachusetts taxpayers receive the 6th largest refunds nationwide, Big Brother Big Sister picking up donations in Worcester this week and the average gas price in Massachusetts fall four cents this week.
Creative Hub Inaugural Gala Next Weekend
Creative Hub Worcester will host its inaugural gala on Saturday, April 29, at the Mercantile Center in Worcester. The event will showcase the art and creativity of the diverse cultures in Worcester.
The evening includes a private VIP cocktail hour starting at 5 PM including a sneak peak at the silent auction and a meet and greet with the evening’s fabulous performers, General admission opens at 6 PM.
Rather than a traditional buffet, guests will enjoy food from various local food businesses throughout Worcester County, while Struck Catering will be providing the cash bar. Guests can expect a fashion show from local fashion designer, Emmanuel Carboo (WavvzNewage), as well as performances by Guardians of Traditions, celebrating the traditions of Dominican Carnival, and Flamenco Worcester. In addition, Adael Mejia, the City of Worcester’s Youth Poet Laureate, will be performing spoken word poetry during the event. Music will be provided by DanceAway Sound Productions.
Tickets are limited and available here. For more info, visit the Creative Hub Worcester website.
Worcester Chamber Music Society’s 16th Season Finale
Worcester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) performs the final Main Stage concert of its 16th concert season with “Looking East”, a concert featuring music influenced by the folk songs of Northern and Eastern Europe.
The final two performances are:
- Friday, April 22 | Fitchburg Art Museum – 7:30 PM
- Sunday, April 24 | Jean McDonough Arts Center BrickBox – 4:00PM
The performances feature:
- Edvard Grieg String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, Op. 27
- György Kósa Trio for Flute Viola and Cello
- Grażyna Bacewicz Piano Quintet No. 1
For more information and ticket, visit the Worcester Chamber Music Society website or call the box office at (508) 926-8624.
Massachusetts Taxpayers Receive the 6th Highest Refunds
A new study found that 74% of taxpayers in Massachusetts are set to receive an average refund of $4,175 – the 6th largest nationwide.
The 23% of taxpayers that owed money to the IRS, owe an average $7,605.
Big Brother Big Sister Picking Up Donations in Worcester
The Big Brother Big Sister Foundation has a truck scheduled for pickups in the Worcester area on Friday, April 22.
Founded in 1904, Big Brother Big Sisters is the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, Big Brother Big Sister makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 5 through young adulthood in communities across the country.
Foundation pickups accept a range of items, including clothing, certain household items, books and other items. See the full list of acceptable items here.
Schedule a home pickup here.
Gas Prices Down Four Cents in Massachusetts This Week
AAA Northeast reports changes in gas prices across the region on a weekly basis.
Massachusetts’s average gas price declined four cents from last week, averaging $4.07 per gallon. That price is 22 cents lower than a month ago ($4.29) and $1.33 cents higher than April 18, 2021 ($2.74).
Massachusetts’s average gas price is one cent lower than the national average.“As the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and pump prices dip from their record highs, consumers feel more confident about hitting the road,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Government Affairs. “But these lower pump prices could be temporary if the global price of oil increases due to constrained supply.”
AAA Northeast’s April 18 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be three cents lower than last week ($4.11), averaging $4.08 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 19 cents lower than a month ago ($4.27) and $1.21 cents higher than this day last year ($2.87).
Comparison to neighboring states, according to AAA Northeast:
