Circus Smirkus - Gore Place, Waltham
Thu 7/26-Sun 7/29

Every summer, a company of talented Smirkus Troupers, ages 11 to 18, go on a two-month performance tour around New England. This year’s show, Topsy Turvy Time Travel, A Blast from the Past and Fun from the Future!, features a circus-powered time machine that arcs through the ages with acrobats, soars the centuries with aerialists, jumps decades with jugglers and laughs with playful, preposterous clowns. Adults $25; Children (2-12) $19, (under 2) Free

Charles River Food Truck Festival- Artesani Park, Brighton
Sat 7/28

Attendees can sample food from more than 20 food trucks, from hot dogs to cupcakes, ribs to ice cream. Purchase “taste tickets” and use them like currency at the trucks. Plus, music and children’s activities. Tickets: sold in increments of ten -- $13 for ten tickets and $25 for 20 tickets, $37 for 30

Summer Arts Festival - Copley Plaza, Boston
Sat 7/28

As part of a three-day musical celebration, the Copley Stage comes alive today with everything from rock ’n’ roll to Celtic, Broadway, a cappella, Latin, brass, classical, kids, folk, and even a touch of the blues. Soul Rebels, Poncho Sanchez, and Suzanne Vega are just some of the day’s performers. Special kids’ performances include Flooky and the Beans (11am), Boneparte (12n) and Dan Zanes and Friends (1pm). FREE

Cool Summer Fest - Houghton Pond, Milton
Sat 7/28

Families stay cool with water games, music, dance, live wildlife, pond explorations and free fishing. Crafts, games and other wet and wild activities. Free equipment loans for fishing, or bring your own. FREE

Play Date: Rhythm and Moves - ICA - Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
Sat 7/28

Kids ages 6-12 can join in on a day-long exploration of contemporary art and dance. Enjoy performances by David Parker and the Bang Group, as well as youth dancers from Summer Stages (Concord Academy’s summer program). Kids can also take part in art-making projects related to works on view in the galleries. FREE for families: up to two adults per family accompanied by children ages 6–12

Celebrate the Olympics - Boston Children’s Museum, Boston
Sat 7/28

Let the Games begin! Kids can try throwing a javelin or a shot-put, run the 100 inches dash and create their own rhythmic gymnastics routine. Watch demonstrations of fencing, judo and other events, and celebrate London, the host city of the 2012 Summer Games. Free with admission

Figment Boston - Rose F. Kennedy Greenway, Boston
Sat 7/28 - Sun 7/29

Figment - a celebration of participatory art and culture - tries again to bring to the Rose Kennedy Greenway large-scale collaborative artwork, plus family-friendly, interactive exhibits, performances, and other activities that reflect creativity, artist interaction and community participation. (Rescheduled from June.) FREE

Regattabar Kids’ Series: Sol y Canto - Charles Hotel, Cambridge
Sun 7/29

Kids and parents alike can enjoy the summertime series with performances by top artists. Today’s performance features Sol y Canto with its bilingual and interactive musical fiesta that features toe-tapping plena, son, calypso, reggae and more! In advance $12; At the door $15

Run & Ride at Cambridgeside - CambridgeSide Galleria, Cambridge
Sun 7/29

Kids ride and run during the third annual du-athalon at the Cambridge Side Galleria. Plus, prizes, t-shirts, giveaways, games and more. FREE

Human Web Project - Boston Children’s Museum, Boston
Sun 7/29

A community-centered interactive art project for all ages. Using skeins of colorful yarn, participants work together with the artist Faith Johnson to create a giant human web. Participants weave like spiders the multi colored yarn throughout the space, connecting anything and everything together into one big rainbow colored web. Free with admission

Newburyport’s Yankee Homecoming: Old Fashioned Sunday - Newburyport
Sun 7/29 - Sun 8/5

Newburyport’s “Yankee Homecoming” is a week long celebration featuring nightly concerts and street performers, road race, fireworks show and a parade down Historic High Street. The festival kicks off today with Old Fashioned Sunday, which combines many fun activities that harken back to a bygone era: a pancake breakfast, pet show, antique car display, boat rides, games, and concerts.