CALENDAR

27 FRIDAY A free Craft Klatsch will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Rollstone Studios, 633 Main St.,

Fitchburg. Enjoy doing embroidery, crewel, knitting, scrap-booking, painting and drawing. Children welcome with parents. Visit rollstonestudio. com for more information.

A mystery meal will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fitchburg Lodge of Elks #847, 860 Ashby State Road. Cost is $7. Call (978) 342-9032.

The Amazing Duck Race will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park, Fitchburg. Adopt a duck for $5 or a flock of five for $20. Admission is free; open to the public. For additional information on adopting a duck, call (978) 345-9550. A Civic Days event.

Dr. William Schmidt, of Trivium School in Lancaster, presents "The Arts as an Image of God" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Ecclesia Christian Counseling, 2 Narrows Road, Suite C-1,

Westminster. Free; open to the public. Call (978) 297-3080.

Theatre at the Mount will perform the musical "The Secret Garden" at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, June 28, at Theatre at the Mount, 444 Green St., Gardner. Tickets are $20. Call (978) 632-2403 or visit theatre.mwcc.edu

28 SATURDAY A Finnish Summer Festival Breakfast will be held from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Road, Fitchburg. Finnish pancakes (pannukakku) will be served. Cost is $5. Call Maija Mard at (978) 582-7717.

A book sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ashburnham Council on Aging, 1 Memorial Drive. Proceeds to benefit the town's Conservation Trust (ACT) and Historical Society.

The Ashburnham Lions will hold a Silent Auction and 50/50 auction from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. followed by a chicken barbecue from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ashburnham Downtown Day. Anyone interested in donating items for the Silent Auction or purchasing barbecue tickets is asked to contact Mary Reed at (978) 827- 6696.

Ashburnham Downtown Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Festivities include shopping in downtown stores, exhibitors and crafters, classic cars, children's games and activities, petting zoo and pony rides, a silent auction, Chinese raffle, safety demonstrations, book sale, musical entertainment, trolley rides, refreshments and a chicken barbecue. The event is sponsored by the Ashburnham Business Council and the Ashburnham Lions Club.

The Friends of the Leominster Public Library will hold a book sale, in conjunction with the Summer Stroll, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the library and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monument Square (across the street from Subway),

Leominster. Proceeds from the book sale support Friends' sponsored library programs for all ages.

The first annual Nashua River Brewers Festival will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. at Riverfront Park, Fitchburg. More than 15 regional craft brewers will present the finest beers and ales for $1 per taste in a commemorative glass given to each ticket holder upon admission. The event will also feature music by New Pond Fondle, Moving Pictures and Eastern Eyes. Tickets are $10. Celebrate the 1950s and 1960s at the second annual Summer Stroll from 2 to 6 p.m. in downtown Leominster. Festivities include and "Art in the Park" art exhibit, classic cars, parade, music, food and more. Rain date is June 29. For information, visit www.leominsterevents. com.

The 102nd annual New England Finnish Summer Festival (Kesäjuhla) will kick off with a concert by Sillanpaa from Finland at 7:30 p.m. at Saima Park, Scott Road, Fitchburg. After the concert there will be a bonfire (kokko) for all to enjoy. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. Coffee and pulla is included in the price. Also, cheese donated by Cabot Cheese will be served with crackers.

29 SUNDAY A book sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ashburnham COA, 1 Memorial Drive. Proceeds to benefit the town's Conservation Trust (ACT) and Historical Society.

The 102nd annual New England Finnish Summer Festival (Kesäjuhla) will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Saima Park, Scott Road, Fitchburg. A fun walk will be held at 10:30 a.m., followed by a chicken barbecue from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a cultural program at 1:30 p.m. Festivities also include moomin stories, demonstrations, artists, arctic sundaes and more. Proceeds to benefit Raivaaja Publishing Company and The Finnish Center at Saima Park.

A Bike and Doll Carriage Parade will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Riverfront Park,

Fitchburg. A Civic Days event. Call (978) 345-9550.

A Softball Tournament will be held at 1 p.m. at Coolidge Park, Fitchburg. Enjoy a friendly competitive tournament with teams made up of City Councilors, Firefighters, Police Officers and teachers. Free; open to the public. A Civic Days event. Call (978) 345-9550.

Fitchburg Art Museum presents "Eating Your Way Through Art History 'Foods of the Ancient Greeks'" from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the museum, Merriam Parkway. Agni Thurner, chairperson of the Culinary Historians of Boston, will explore the ancient Greek objects on view and how they relate to ancient Greek foods and beverages. Held in conjunction with BETA "Better Education Through Art." Reservations can be made by calling (978) 345-4207, ext. 303 or visit fitchburgartmuseum. org.

F-Troop, Inc. will host its ninth annual Charity Chicken Barbecue and Summerfest at 1 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge, 456 Litchfield St., Leominster. Festivities include a motorcycle run leaving from American Harley Davidson on Central Street in Leominster at 11 a.m. and ending at the Eagles at 1 p.m. for an "all-you-can-eat" barbecue, music by the local band Neurotic Gumbo, prizes and raffles. Donation is $20. To purchase tickets, call Jim McDonald at (978) 422-3341.

Theatre at the Mount will perform the musical "The Secret Garden" at 2 p.m. at Theatre at the Mount, 444 Green St., Gardner. Tickets are $15. Call (978) 632-2403 or visit theatre. mwcc.edu.

Dance2Swing presents The Jump City Band at 7:30 p.m. at the Leominster Lodge of Elks, 134 North Main St. Admission is $12. A group swing dance lesson will be held at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.dance2swing.com or call (978) 263-7220.

MONDAY

30 A book sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ashburnham COA, 1 Memorial Drive. Proceeds to benefit the town's Conservation Trust (ACT) and Historical Society.

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Fitchburg Lodge of Elks, 860 Ashby State Road, Fitchburg. Each presenting donor can register to win a

TUESDAY

1 A movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. at the Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Call (978) 827-4115.

The Kelly Miller Circus will be in Townsend today with performances at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The Big Top will be located at the Hawthorne Brook Middle School Field, 64 Brookline St. Proceeds to support the Townsend Recreation Department. Call (978) 597-5914.

2 WEDNESDAY Craft Time will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Call (978) 827-4115.

The Best Western Royal Plaza in Fitchburg, the official Fitchburg Longsjo Classic headquarters, will host an All You Can Eat Pasta Buffet from 6 to 8 p.m. in conjunction with the Opening Ceremony. Tickets for the dinner are $12.95 in advance or $15.95 at the door. To reserve tickets, please call (978) 342-0002.

The first round of the Richard G. McMaster Memorial Chess Tournament will be held at 7:15 p.m. in Room C199 of the McKay Campus School, Fitchburg State College. Sponsored by the Wachusett Chess Club, the event is open to all area residents who are current members of the U.S. Chess Federation or who join at the playing site. The tournament will continue through July 30.

3 THURSDAY Applewild School invites the public to an Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Alumni Center for the Performing Arts, 98 Prospect St., Fitchburg. For information about the school, call Terry Perlmutter, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, at (978) 342-6053, ext 110.

Cow Chip Poker will be held at 4 p.m. at Amiot Field, Fitchburg. Take a chance to win $500, Bessie the Cow will make a special guest appearance and she will decide the winning square. Open to the public. A Civic Days event. Call (978) 345-9550.

A Main Street Block Party will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. in downtown Fitchburg. Enjoy activities, vendors, an appearance by the Thayer Symphony Orchestra, and a fireworks display at dusk. Free; open to the public. A Civic Days event. Call (978) 345-9550.

An Italian Conversational Circle will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Moderated by Mary G. Bodanza. Free; open to the public. For information, call Mary at (978) 466-5104 or Anna Mazzaferro at (978) 537-2172.

The Ashby Band, under the musical direction of Robert Healy, will perform a special holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. at Allen Field,

Ashby. A chicken barbecue will be held before the concert. The 32-piece band will feature marches, light classical overtures, show tunes, pop medleys, children's favorites and guest artists.