Five Things: Toy Theatre Festival, Funny Stories Told Live

1) Great Small Works Toy Theater Festival
East Somerville's Puppet Palooza continues today with "toy theatre" productions from Barbara Steinitz and Björn Kollin and from Mexico-based Facto Teatro. Performances begin at 6:30 p.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway. Read some more about the productions here and here.

2) Funny Stories with Massmouth
Massmouth is hosting a series of storytelling events called "Crack-Up." They take place Tuesdays, starting today, until Aug. 6. The events will begin with three featured storytellers, followed by five stories told by people in the audience. "Crack-Up" is at the Davis Square Theatre, starting at 9 p.m. You can get tickets here.

3) Teddy Bear Picnic at the Growing Center
From the listing: "Bring a picnic and your teddy bears (or other cuddly toys) and join with local families and friends of all ages for the Teddy Bear Picnic." It's at 5:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave.

4) Hydrant Flushing
Every year the city flushes out fire hydrants to maintain the system. A number of streets were scheduled to see hydrant flushing this week. Though residents may see discolored water, the water is safe to drink. It might stain your clothes, though, so wait until water runs clear to do the laundry. More here.

5) Weather
Cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high around 79.