Our Friday best: International Day of Music, the Mavericks, 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and Magical Maids

International Day of Music

A daylong, free, multi-stage music fest is back at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. It's not a full 24 hours like happened for eight years in the '00s, but this summer's event will feature 20 acts over 12 hours on four stages inside and outside the symphony hall. The diverse lineup includes Salsa Del Soul, VocalEssence Singers of This Age, soul siren Lady Midnight, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, KPop Cover Crew, Duniya Drum and Dance, a screening of the 2013 movie "Music for Mandela," Jennifer Grimm singing the music of Judy Garland, the Minnesota Orchestra outdoors and much more. (Noon-midnight Sat., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., free, minnesotaorchestra.org)

JON BREAM

Dances at the Lake Festival

Get a taste of flamenco, ballet and modern and contemporary dance from Africa and Asia at the Rose Garden near Lake Harriet. Dancers of all ages will give two days of free performances at the idyllic gardens against a backdrop of fountains and flowers. Modeled after a similar festival at Duluth's LakeWalk, the Minneapolis festival was founded by the Christopher Watson Dance Company. The company still performs, even as Ray Terrill Dance Group has taken over organizing the event. Other performers include Kinetic Evolutions, led by Sarah LaRose-Holland, Freshwater Dance Collective, Jennifer Mack's Open Door Project and Tiyumba African Drum and Dance Company. (7 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Rose Garden, Lyndale Park Gardens, 4124 Roseway Road, Mpls., free, dancesatthelakefestival.com)

SHEILA REGAN

The Mavericks

J.B.

Lutsong Music Festival

One of the most scenic getaways in Minnesota is hosting some of the best acoustic, folk, roots and neo-twang musicians from Minnesota and beyond for one weekend along the North Shore under the guidance of St. Paul guitar guru Molly Maher. Friday's lineup includes the Big Wu's Chris Castino backed by bluegrass band Chicken Wire Empire, plus Turn Turn Turn, Bump Blomberg and the promising-sounding Caribou Campfire Guitar Pull. Saturday features Erik Koskinen, Sarah Morris, Mary Bue, Dusty Heart, Fire Good and more. (4 p.m. Fri., 1 p.m. Sat., Lutsen Ski Resort, $45-$80, lutsongmusicfestival.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Lumieres Francaises

CHRIS HEWITT

Lowertown Blues Festival

The ninth annual event isn't being held in St. Paul's Lowertown but rather in the Midway area. As always, there's a tasty lineup, headlined by fiery blues force Shemekia Copeland, who addressed racial issues on 2020's "Uncivil War" and will drop "Done Come Too Far" in August. Also appearing are rising blues slinger Selwyn Birchwood and longtime Twin Cities bands Lamont Cranston and Crow. (2:30 p.m. Dual Citizen Brewing, 725 Raymond Av., St. Paul, free, $100 for VIP pit, lowertownbluesfestival.com)

J.B.

'Jesus Christ Superstar'

C.H.

DakhaBrakha

Since the war in Ukraine, this vital Ukrainian folk quartet has become increasingly popular in the United States. Wearing strikingly tall, furry folkloric headgear, these musicians deliver a distinctive sound they call "ethno-chaos." The instrumentation is an enthralling blend of cello, accordion, percussion, electric piano and didgeridoo, with otherworldly vocals and polyphonic harmonies. Leader Marko Halanevych will offer commentary and perspective on the situation in Ukraine, advocating for peace and solidarity, as he did in an April performance at the Dakota. (8 p.m. Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $65-$75, also livestreamed for $20, dakotacooks.com)

J.B.

'Lawrence of Arabia'

C.H.

'The History of Religion'

Carlyle Brown is the writer and star of a play that asks very big questions such as: What makes life worth living? Inspired by the African tradition of storytelling, Brown gets an assist from the music of Victor Zupanc, Deevo and Tony Raymond in what's described as "a journey from mystery to revelation and back again." (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Center for Performing Arts, 3754 Pleasant Av. S., Mpls., 612-339-4944 or illusiontheater.org)

C.H.

The Thalea String Quartet

ROB HUBBARD

Magical Mermaids

The mystical aquatic women of the sea will make an appearance at Sea Life Minnesota this summer. Watch and be amazed as the graceful swimmers navigate the waters of Rainbow Reef, swimming among tropical fish. Guests can meet the mermaids up close and in person and take photographs.(9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Thursdays & Fridays, Sundays & Mondays. Ends Aug. 5. $23.99-$31.99. Sea Life Minnesota, Mall of America, Bloomington. 952-883-0202. visitsealife.com.)

MELISSA WALKER

Longfellow Historic Coliseum Building Art Wrap

ALICIA ELER

'Where the Crawdads Sing'

If you enjoyed the novel, it may be worth checking out how it's visualized in the too-faithful movie. Delia Owens' lovely writing about the flora and fauna of marshy North Carolina doesn't work so well on screen, where lead character Kya keeps describing the dragonflies and currents even though we can see them for ourselves. Daisy Edgar-Jones is fine as self-sufficient Kya but there's too much plot for a two-hour movie and the insistence that her happy ending has to include some dude is disappointing. (In area theaters.)