Admit it. You’ve always wanted to be the percussionist in an a capella group. How do beatboxers imitate bongo drums, anyway?
This weekend, you can hear some of the best vocal groups in New England when Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston hosts its 21st annual a capella competition. Some 40 groups with names like “Off the Clef,’’ “The Rusty Pipes,’’ and “Tonal Recall’’ will dazzle audiences from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. A panel of judges will pick the winner.
Town Meetings in both Marshfield and Walpole will vote Monday on proposals to ban the manufacturing and sale of recreational marijuana within town borders.
The pot issue is a bit more complicated in Plymouth, where Town Meeting on Saturday will consider two alternative proposals for a zoning change and a new bylaw establishing rules for where and how future retail marijuana shops can operate in town. The selectmen’s proposal would limit the location of the marijuana shops to Plymouth Industrial Park, while the petitioners’ plan would also allow them in commercial districts.
Should the law be changed regarding teens who sext? A forum on the matter will be held Monday, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Franklin High School. State Representative Jeffrey Roy, a Franklin Democrat, has introduced a bill that would change the criminal process of charging teens who sext as felony sex offenders. Instead, the teens would undergo an educational diversion program — and when prosecution is considered necessary, the offense would be considered a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
The 25th Concord Festival of Authors kicks off Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. panel discussion titled “Translating Thoreau’’ at the Walden Woods Project’s Thoreau Institute in Lincoln. Or you can listen to Michael Holley discuss his book “Belichick and Brady: Two Men, the Patriots and How They Revolutionized Football’’ at the Concord Bookshop at 7 p.m. That’s just the start of two weeks of talks, readings, and discussions celebrating the written and spoken word. More than 40 authors are participating in events at multiple venues. For more information, visit concordfestivalofauthors.com.
Children are invited to trick-or-treat among the animals during Stone Zoo’s annual “Boo at the Zoo.’’ The haunted Halloween event, located at 149 Pond St. in Stoneham, takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. You’ll find creepy crafts, ghoulish games, costume contests, face painting, and a haunted maze. Admission to the special event is free with admission: $16.95 for adults, $14.95 for seniors over 62, $11.95 for children 2 to 12. Children under 2 and members are free. Visit www.zoonewengland.org.
Leslie Anderson can be reached at leslie.anderson@globe.com.
