Three Things To Do This Weekend In Wellesley

Labor Day weekend is a tricky one for local events, with  Hurricane Earl and holiday closings converging to limit choices, but Wellesley Patch has still managed to collect a few options:

Check out a local artist: The Wellesley Free Library is open until 6 p.m. today, giving those who begin their weekend early a few hours to check out the art of Wellesley resident David Copplestone. The artist has filled the exhibit space outside and inside the Wakelin Room with a small selection of the nearly 400 paintings he's created since 1975. If you miss it Friday, the art will be up the rest of the month.

Host a Hurricane party: Hurricane Earl is losing energy, downgraded as of Friday morning to a class two hurricane, with winds at 105 mph according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but that's still a considerable amount of wind and rain, with gusts up to 28 mph in Wellesley. Officials have been urging caution this week as Earl progressed north along the east coast toward the Bay State. Once you've made the necessary preparations, play it safe, avoid traveling in the storm, and stay indoors with a movie, some games, snacks and a few good friends.

Play soccer for a good cause: By Saturday, the storm should have passed through the area, leaving the balance of the weekend to those fortunate enough to not have to clean up after the wind and rain. The 24-hour Barefoot Soccer Tournament, originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Friday at Hunnewell Field, was delayed courtesy of Earl and will begin 4 p.m. Saturday instead. Chris Tierney, defender for the New England Revolution, will still help kick off the event as planned, as will Boston Breakers' Leslie Osborne.

The tournament invites the public to sign up (with a $25 minimum donation) for an hour or two between Saturday and Sunday to raise funds for Grassroots Soccer, a New England nonprofit that uses soccer to facilitate its educational mission of teaching AIDS prevention to African youth. It's organized by Wellesley High School soccer player Owen Diana.

There's an update on the event's website: "If you're registered for the event, please still come.  It's best if you come to play 24 hours after your originally scheduled time slot or slots. If you can't make it then, but can play at another time, please do so. If you're going to change your time slot or slots, its best if you could let us know by emailing us at 24hoursofsoccer@gmail.com."