Go, See, Do

Friday, October 9

Fall Book Sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks; all titles $2 or less. Enter on Kentucky St. side of the library. See lplks.org/book-sales/ for pricing and category lists.

KU Astronomy: New Tombaugh Observatory Groundbreaking, noon, outside Slawson Hall, 1420 Naismith Drive. See physics.ku.edu/observatory-groundbreaking for map and other details.

Cinema a Go Go: “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” (1958) and “War of the Colossal Beast” (1958), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. Tickets at the door; see kansaspublicradio.org for details.

Free State Story Slam: “Unsolved Mystery,” 7 p.m. live music and social time; 7:30 p.m. slam, 10th and Mass Studios, 1000 Massachusetts St., Suite D. Ages 18+ recommended; $10 suggested donation.

Lawrence Ballet Theatre Presents: Transcendent: Excerpts from Giselle and Other Works, 7 p.m., Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. In-person and livestream tickets at lawrenceartscenter.org. Additional performance on Saturday.

KU Theatre & Dance: “Songs for a New World,” 7 p.m., Crafton-Preyer Theatre, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive. Tickets at box office or at kutheatre.com.

Bales Organ Recital Hall 30th Anniversary Faculty Recital Series: James Higdon, organ, 7:30 p.m., 1600 Stewart Drive. Free admission.

“Don’t Stop Me Now: A Celebration of Rock Musicals,” a benefit for Theatre Lawrence, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Lawrence, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive. Ticket information at theatrelawrence.com.

Star Wars Trivia Night, 7:30-9 p.m., Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St. Registration required; see lplks.org.

Saturday, October 10

Lawrence Farmers Market, 7:30-11:30 a.m., 824 New Hampshire St. 65+ vendors of locally grown food and farm products.

Silent Book Club, 10 a.m. social time, 10:30 a.m. silent reading, Tous les Jours, 525 Wakarusa Drive. Bring whatever book you’re reading. No assigned reading; attendees gather to enjoy their various books in quiet camaraderie.

Meet Midco Prairie, 10-11:30 a.m., 210 E. Seventh St. Ecologist Courtney Masterson will lead the group in observing and learning about the new prairie in town. Registration required; see lplks.org.

Lawrence Bicycle Club: Tour de Chicken Creek Gravel Ride plus Bike/Gear sale, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Lone Star Community Building, 665 East 665 Road.

Fall Book Sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks; all titles $2 or less. Enter on Kentucky St. side of the library. See lplks.org/book-sales/ for pricing and category lists.

JET Fall Harvest Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., JET Farm Store, 26617 Tonganoxie Road, Leavenworth. Tours, animals, games, live music, hay rides, pumpkins and more. Free admission. Continues Sunday.

2026 Ad Astra Kansas Foundation Galaxy Forum: “Generations of Space Innovators,” 1-4 p.m., Slawson Hall, 1420 Naismith Drive, University of Kansas campus. Presentations 1-2:30 p.m., portable planetarium viewing 2:30-4 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Art Cart: Transforming Language, 1-4 p.m., Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Mississippi St. Free creative drop-in event for all ages.

Kaw Valley Field Day, 2-9 p.m., Shirk’s Farm, 1359 N. 1900 Road. Local food, music, educational workshops, family-friendly activities and more. Details at soskawvalley.org/kaw-valley-field-day.

Big First Congressional District Candidate Forum, 2:30 p.m., Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.

KU School of Music Faculty Recital Series: Jung-Won Shin, piano trio, 5 p.m., Swarthout Recital Hall, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive.

Lawrence Ballet Theatre Presents: Transcendent: Excerpts from Giselle and Other Works, 7 p.m., Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. In-person and livestream ticket information at lawrenceartscenter.org.

KU Theatre & Dance: “Songs for a New World,” 7 p.m., Crafton-Preyer Theatre, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive. Tickets at box office or at kutheatre.com.

History, Mystery, and Murder at Oak Hill Cemetery, 7:30 p.m., 1605 Oak Hill Ave. Tickets must be purchased in advance at watkinsmuseum.org.

Sunday, October 11

Lawrence Bicycle Club: 57th Annual Octoginta Bike Ride plus Bike & Gear Sale/Expo, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Broken Arrow Park, 2800 Louisiana St.

Restoring Our Landscapes Community Group, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Meeting Room A, Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Daniel Lassman leads the discussion on restoration ecology, native plants and ecosystem resources. Open to the public.

Fall Book Sale, noon-4 p.m., Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks; all titles $2 or less. Enter on Kentucky St. side of the library. See lplks.org/book-sales/ for pricing and category lists.

Lawrence Barn Dance Association: Barn Dance and Country Potluck contra dance with The Lost Keys and caller Lisa Harris-Frydman. 1 p.m. potluck (bring a covered dish to share), 2 p.m. beginners lesson, 2:30 p.m. dance begins. Vinland Fairgrounds, 1736 N. 700 Road, Baldwin City. See lawrencebarndance.org for admission fees and more info.

JET Fall Harvest Festival, 1-5 p.m., JET Farm Store, 26617 Tonganoxie Road, Leavenworth. Tours, animals, games, live music, hay rides, pumpkins and more. Free admission.

KU Theatre & Dance: “Songs for a New World,” 2 p.m., Crafton-Preyer Theatre, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive. Tickets at box office or at kutheatre.com.

Science Sundays at the Field Station: Aquatic Insects, 2 p.m., KU Field Station, Armitage Education Center, 350 Wild Horse Road. Space limited; RSVP to wendyholman@ku.edu.

Repair Studio, 2-4 p.m., Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vermont St. Bring broken items, meet with fix-it mentors to troubleshoot repairs.

Skill Share: Paper-Free Sewing: Using a Projector to Cut Sewing Patterns, 4-5 p.m., Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St.

Concerts at the Campanile, 5-6 p.m., Memorial Drive and surrounding area, KU campus. Free weekly carillon concert. Best sound is at least 200 feet from the tower.

Monday, October 12

Oleksandra Wallo: The Ukrainian Quest for Dignity, noon-1:30 p.m., Hall Center for the Humanities, 900 Sunnyside Ave.

Sarah Krakoff: The Upside Down Mountain: A Legal, Political, and Personal History of Grand Canyon National Park, 5-6 p.m., Big 12 Room, Kansas Union, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd. Free event.

Artists Negma Coy and Noé Roquel, virtual poetry reading in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 5:30-7 p.m. Online; see spencerart.ku.edu/exhibitions-and-events/events for more information.

Music and Mental Health film screening: “Orchestrating Change,” doors 6:30 p.m., film 7 p.m., panel discussion 8:30 p.m., Lied Center Pavilion, 1600 Stewart Drive. See lied.ku.edu for more information and RSVP link.

In-Store Poetry Event: Zoe Tuck in conversation with Jeanne Vaccaro, 6:30 p.m., Raven Book Store, 809 Massachusetts St. See ravenbookstore.com for details.

Sunflower Baroque, 7:30 p.m., Swarthout Recital Hall, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive.

Tuesday, October 13

Life Skills Support Group with Independence Inc., 11 a.m.-noon, Meeting Room B, Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Open to anyone in Douglas, Franklin, or Jefferson counties with a disability. No registration required; see lplks.org for more information.

The Power of Art: Making Opportunities for Indigenous Artists, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Mississippi St.

Reading and reflection book event: “Shokhí: A Kanza Relative, a Monument, and Rematriation,” 6-8 p.m., Haskell Auditorium, 155 E. Indian Ave. Journey of the Sacred Red Rock, In’zhúje’waxóbe, through essays, art and more.

Civics 101: From Homophiles to Liberators: Queer Activism in the 1960s, 6-7:30 p.m., Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St.

Wednesday, October 14

Gallery Activity: National Fossil Day, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., KU Natural History Museum, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd. Free, all ages. Pick up gallery guide at visitor services desk.

Walking Soccer, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Sports Pavilion, 100 Rock Chalk Lane. Low-impact version of soccer for adults age 50+. No registration required.

Discussion: Previewing the Midterm Elections, 4-5 p.m., Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive. Journalists Kirk Bado and Jacob Rubashkin in conversation with Dole Fellow Dr. Colleen Shogan. Hybrid event; see doleinstitute.org for details and livestream link.

Tenants to Homeowners: Free Homebuyers’ Workshop, 5-8 p.m., Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St. Registration required at tenants-to-homeowners.org/homebuyer-workshop/.

Trans Studies at the Commons: Author Aurora Mattia, 7:30 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St.

KU Wind Symphony, 7:30 p.m., Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. See lied.ku.edu for ticket information and free livestream link.

Nerd Nite, doors 7 p.m., event 7:30-9:30 p.m., Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire St. See lawrence.nerdnite.com or social media for details.

Thursday, October 15

Genealogy & Local History: Research Resources, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Meeting Room C, Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. Registration required; see lplks.org.

Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market, 4-6 p.m., 1832 Massachusetts St.

Walk the Loop, 5:30 p.m., start at Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park (on 15th St), 900 E 15th St. Group walking 1.5 miles from the trailhead and then returning, for a total of 3 miles. Participants may walk any distance they choose. Free and open to the public; no registration required.

Visiting Author M. L. Rio, 6:30 p.m., Raven Book Store, 809 Massachusetts St. See ravenbookstore.com for details.

Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence: “In Toon: Lights On! 2026,” 7 p.m., Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. Free and open to the public; see lied.ku.edu for details.

Watkins Museum and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War present: Dennis Domer, “Andrew Jackson and Mary Carroll Griffin: A Pioneer Partnership, 1867-1907,” 7 p.m., Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St. Free event, in-person and livestreamed; see watkinsmuseum.org for more information.

Dole Forum: The AI Boom and the Future of Energy, 7-8:30 p.m., Dole Institute for Politics, 2350 Petefish Road. Hybrid event; see doleinstitute.org for details and livestream link.

KU School of Music Faculty and Visiting Artist Series: Forrest Pierce, composition: “Walk Deep,” 7:30 p.m., Swarthout Recital Hall, Murphy Hall, 1530 Naismith Drive.

Film screening: “We Are Fugazi from Washington, D.C.,” 7:30 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for tickets.