Good morning, Worcester.

Firefighters battled a large fire at a scrap metal site on Fremont Street on Aug 28—when a pile of metal caught fire and flames spread to a loader causing a fuel leak—no one was hurt and the blaze was contained within an hour, and the cause remains under investigation.

Snehal A. Srivastava, a 26-year-old man from Shrewsbury accused of fatally shooting a man on Aug.

28 while spray-painting a footbridge, had his 2022 machete attack charges dropped for lack of prosecution on July 15 and is held without bail on new charges of armed assault to murder ahead of a dangerousness hearing on Sept. 12—he faced multiple psychiatric evaluations and release conditions from Bridgewater State Hospital.

On Aug. 29, Auburn police used the Manny Tube — a bright yellow flotation device honoring fallen officer Manny Familia — to rescue a suspect who fled a stopped vehicle and struggled in Stoneville Pond, and he was later treated at a hospital for minor injuries.

The Worcester Public Library launched a bookmark design contest in honor of National Library Card Signup Month for all ages starting Sept.

1 with entries due by Sept. 30. A review committee will pick three finalists per group (kid, tween, teen, adult) on Oct. 10 and public voting will choose winners by Oct. 30 before the designs appear in the winter season from 2025 to 2026.

Representatives from Main Topic Modeling led a runway walking workshop on August 28 at the White Room for models preparing for this year's Queer AF show.

The workshop taught the models key techniques to boost their confidence on the runway — helping them get ready for the upcoming event.

Worcester State University will honor five outstanding alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony on October 3 during Homecoming Weekend—held at the DeFeudis Wellness Center at 6:30 p.m. The honorees include an educational leader, a business owner, the president and CEO of a major human services organization, a retired faculty member, and a decorated U.S. Marine officer recognized for national security expertise.

Results from a Worcester Chamber survey show that half of residents say the city is on track—a drop of 10% from two years ago—and over 80% want City Council to focus on local issues as housing becomes the top concern.

Chamber CEO Tim Murray also criticized a decision to deny a tobacco license to a local nightclub that could lose 18 jobs.

Congressman Jim McGovern warned that the increased National Guard presence at the capital might threaten democracy—he will reintroduce an amendment to force the release of the Epstein files for transparency.

Matt Soper: Easy Season Performance

1-5 p.m. — Janine's Frostee — Free entry — Enjoy the lush harmonies and unique renditions of popular songs from the 80s, 90s, and 00s.

The Pike RokFest 2025

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. — Indian Ranch — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy a day of tribute performances featuring classic rock hits from iconic bands.

Dorothy Concert

7-9 p.m. — Palladium — $51 — Enjoy a last-minute concert experience with Dorothy in Worcester's vibrant music scene.

Kaleo Concert

6:30 p.m. — Tree House Brewing Company — Resale tickets available — Enjoy an evening of live music at the Summer Stage.

Wachusett Brew Yard 0.0 Road Race

2-6 p.m. — Wachusett Brewing Company — Registration fee benefits charity — A fun non-race event supporting Boston Children's Hospital with food, drinks, and music.

Family Day at Free Play Bar & Arcade

11 AM – 5 PM — Freeplay Bar Arcade — $12 admission — Enjoy a day filled with arcade games, skee ball, air hockey, and pinball with the whole family.

Trombone Shorty Live

7-11 p.m. — Tree House Brewing Company — Entry details not specified — Enjoy an electrifying performance from the renowned Trombone Shorty.

Social Friday - Urbano & Bachata Night

7-11 p.m. — 961 Restaurant — Limited tickets available — Enjoy live performances and electrifying music at Worcester's hottest Urbano & Bachata night.

Varials Live Concert

12:30-4:30 p.m. — Palladium — Tickets available — Experience a powerful performance from Varials and dive into their intense sound with live music.

A Taste of Ireland

7:30-9:00 p.m. — The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience world-class Irish music and dance that brings the spirit of Ireland alive on stage.