14 Things We Can’t Wait to Do This Spring and Early Summer

APRIL

1. Appreciate a troubled legend in a new light.

Vincent Van Gogh is still one of today’s most celebrated painters, both for his famous paintings of starry nights and sunflowers and for his tragic personal history. He was also remarkable at painting people, and from March 30 through September 7, the Museum of Fine Arts is hosting “Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits,” a collection of roughly 20 works representing his neighbors in the French city of Arles. The Roulins consisted of a postman, his wife, and their three children, and this exhibition not only displays the Dutch and Japanese art that influenced Van Gogh’s style but also letters from postman Roulin that reveal the depth of their friendship with this solitary master. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, mfa.org.

Mary J. Blige. / Photo by Will Sterling

2. Dance all night to a pair of almighty divas.

TD Garden will be bursting with glitz and glamor and seriously bumpin’ beats, thanks to two superstars taking the stage within a week of each other. Dance-pop doyenne Kylie Minogue arrives first on April 9, bringing along her decades of hits that you can’t get out of your head. Then, on April 14, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige, will celebrate her recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by getting the arena singing along to the likes of “Family Affair.” 100 Legends Way, Boston, tdgarden.com.

3. Open new doors.

Christian Marclay has been finding new ways to play with sound and images for decades, both as a turntablist and a master of video collage. In 2011, he made international waves by winning top honors at the Venice Biennale with his monumental film The Clock, which edited together film clips of timepieces that matched each minute of a 24-hour day on a wall-size screen. From April 17 through September 1 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, you can see Marclay’s newest video installation, Doors, which features hundreds of film clips of actors exiting and entering doors, leading the viewers into a dazzling and disorienting labyrinth where you keep transitioning into new spaces as you follow along. 25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston, icaboston.org.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. / Photo by Paul Kolnik

4. Welcome back an iconic dance troupe.

Founded in 1958, New York’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has been an artistic force in America since the early days of the civil rights era, and today, it remains one of the most innovative and eclectic dance companies in the country. Ailey’s terpsichoreans will take the stage from April 24 to 27 at the Boch Center Wang Theatre, where the slate of dances changes each night, from brand-new works to company classics, set to music ranging from Duke Ellington and Mahler to gospel, soul, and Fela Kuti’s afrobeat. 270 Tremont St., Boston, bochcenter.org.

Noah’s Flood. / Photo by A Priori Photography

MAY

5. Enjoy an opera of Biblical proportions.

Back in 1953, a massive North Sea flood ravaged Aldeburgh, the coastal English town that was home to famed composer Benjamin Britten. Inspired by this event, Britten wrote an opera called Noah’s Flood, based on a 15th-century play retelling the saga of the ark-building patriarch in the Bible and his family. The work was always meant to be performed by hundreds of children and adults, and on May 3 the Boston Lyric Opera will stage a performance of this unique work at Symphony Hall in collaboration with such organizations as the Boston Children’s Chorus, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston String Academy, and the handbell-wielding Back Bay Ringers. blo.org.

6. Hang out with two incredibly funny BFFs.

Back in the early aughts, Tina Fey and Burlington native Amy Poehler were the masters of satirical news and sketch comedy on Saturday Night Live, and have since gone on to even greater fame as writers, producers, and stars on their own sitcoms, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation. Throughout all the years and triumphs, their friendship has remained strong, and now they’re hitting the road together, sharing stories and jokes on their Restless Leg tour, which comes to the Wang Theatre on May 17 and 18. bochcenter.org.

Bewitched from “Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams” at the Peabody Essex Museum. / Photo courtesy of Jung Yeondoo Studio

7. Get a glimpse into how strangers live and dream.

Every person you see on the street is more than a passing face—they’re someone with a life at home and lifelong aspirations in their mind. Exploring these intimate realms is the aim of the exhibition “Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams” at the Peabody Essex Museum from May 17 through January 25, 2026. By shooting portraits of families in their similar-looking living rooms, the Korean photographer shows the depersonalization of Seoul citizens in a landscape of nonstop tower blocks. He also creates diptychs of people at their everyday workplaces juxtaposed with their dream jobs—for example, a young woman sweeping an ice cream shop is shown next to her dressed in valiant Arctic gear leading her own team of sled dogs. Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square, 161 Essex St., Salem, pem.org.

Public Enemy. / Photo by Sanjay Suchak

8. Hit up our biggest music festival.

Looking to start summer on the right note? You’ll want to snag tickets to the Boston Calling Music Festival, held once again on Memorial Day weekend (May 23 to 25) at the Harvard Athletic Complex. The first day brings country star Luke Combs, rock icon Sheryl Crow, and soul goddesses TLC to the Allston fields. On Saturday, you’ll take in emo royalty Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne, as well as groovy alt-­rockers Cage the Elephant and groovy classic rockers the Black Crowes. The last night runs the gamut from jam-band giants Dave Matthews Band to indie giants Vampire Weekend to hip-hop giants Public Enemy. bostoncalling.com.

Randy Rainbow. / Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

JUNE

9. Laugh along with a Rainbow.

LGBTQ+ comedian Randy Rainbow’s rise began with his viral videos taking songs from well-known musicals and twisting the lyrics to take satirical bites out of politicians. Since then, he’s created studio albums and appeared on TV, making people laugh at his trenchantly bold political humor. Just in time for Pride month, he’ll be providing some much-needed comic relief in this chaotic news cycle when he comes to the Wilbur on June 1. thewilbur.com.

10. Be ensconced in natural art.

Founded in 1950, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is one of the most unique art experiences in Greater Boston, with more than 60 massive artworks by world-renowned artists spread around its 30 acres of gardens and woods. From June 5 through October 24, 2026, the institution’s lawns will welcome new arrivals by six female artists: ­Kapwani Kiwanga, Joiri Minaya, Zohra Opoku, Kathy Ruttenberg, and Boston’s own Venetia Dale and Evelyn Rydz. Called “Nature Sanctuary,” this al fresco exhibition explores complex ideas of climate change, land use, the politics of refuge, and how materials change through time and weather. 51 Sandy Pond Rd, Lincoln, Mass., decordova.org.

11. Wake up to the dawn of classical music.

Whether staging performances of Medieval, Renaissance, or Baroque pieces, the Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) is North America’s premier celebration of the periods when classical music as we know it was being born. From June 8 to 15, the BEMF will host everything from Reinhard Keiser’s 1705 opera Octavia at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre to concerts at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall and elsewhere, featuring cornetts, sackbuts, lutes, harpsichords, theorbos, and even the organ at First Lutheran Church of Boston. bemf.org.

12. Relive the Battle of Bunker Hill (in Gloucester).

A pyrrhic victory, the British won this melee but had the highest casualty count of any battle in the Revolution. thanks to a special partnership among historical societies and institutions called Revolution 250, Charlestown will host the Bunker Hill Parade (June 15), historical exhibitions, and fife-and-drum corps. After a commemoration ceremony (June 17), the Bunker Hill Monument will be lit up while the U.S. Army Band and Chorus perform across the river at the Hatch Shell. Because of space constraints, a reenactment of the battle will take place the following week in Gloucester’s Stage Fort Park (June 21 and 22). revolution250.org.

Hozier. / Photo by Julia Johnson.

13. Take yourself to (baseball) church.

As spring fades into summer, Boston plays host to Hozier, who takes the stage at Fenway Park, where massive anthems like “Take Me to Church” and the Billboard Hot 100 number one hit “Too Sweet” will ring out through the grandstands and bleachers. mlb.com;

Khruangbin / Photo by David Black

14. Experience the vibiest of vibe bands at a former racetrack.

Three days later, on June 27, the Texas trio Khruangbin will light up the Stage at Suffolk Downs with a mix of indie rock, languid grooves, and filigreed guitars that have captured listeners the world over. stageatsuffolkdowns.com.