Spring into, um, spring with Madonna parties, sci-fi cons and more weekend events

(Tulips in the Public Garden, via Instagram)

Happy first day of spring! That’s according to my official Labrador Retriever-themed wall calendar, not some rodent from Pennsylvania, of all places. Get out there and celebrate the slow but delightful realization that the sun, in addition to providing light, also functions as a source of heat.

* “Game of Thrones”? More like “Game of OWNS” because it owns SO HARD. Author George R.R. Martin is a past guest at Harvard’s Vericon sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction convention: Three days of author panels, book signings, and film screenings, plus tons of 30-year-old dudes who wish geek culture was this hip when they were in high school. 3.21 to 3.23. Various times. $10-20

* Oberon dance night Videodrome Discotheque celebrates its 100th installment with a Madonna Party! tribute to the pop queen of the ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, and it’s looking like probably not the ‘10s but hey, anything can happen. I think Madonna is officially underrated at this point. Remember she was in “A League of Their Own”? More like “A League of Their OWNS” because it owns SO HARD. 3.21. 10p. $10

* The 11th annual Rock the Village Music & Style Show brings the best of Allston Village Rock City’s musicians and designers to Brighton Music Hall, which before you get snarky is actually located in Allston (it’s on Brighton Ave.) 3.21. 8p. $10

* The MFA celebrates the Persian New Year with music and dance performances, gallery activities, food, film, art, and more. I love that we have our New Year’s in January, then we get to keep celebrating with Chinese, Persian and other cultures all year. How great are time zones, right? 3.22. 10a. FREE

* Avant-garde voice and saxamophone duo KOEK debut a new program of experimental music, with one significant twist: The audience is required to remain blindfolded throughout the performance. I know, you’re thinking “How will I know if there are bugs in my food?” And the answer is, they’re not serving food, it’s a concert not a restaurant. 3.22. 8p. $10 

* Here’s how Hatch! An Arts Advocacy Event works: Somerville artists and the public will transform paper mâché eggs into vibrant works of art, to be delivered to Governor Patrick and state legislators with messages urging them to make arts a priority in budget negotiations. Get it? If politicians take care of their eggs — fund arts programs — then the “eggs” will “hatch” and grow into “art chickens” that we get to “eat” with buffalo sauce, or something, I got hungry and lost track of the metaphor. 3.23. 3p. FREE

* Boston-born app RunKeeper set the ambitious goal of tracking 118 million miles between March 1 and April 21, the date of the 118th Boston Marathon. Meet up with other runners at Park Street to contribute a few miles towards the goal at the #118forBoston Sunday Runday, which doubles as Sunday Funday if you’re one of those people for whom exercise is fun, otherwise Sunday Funday means getting brunch at the bar, staying for eight beers, taking a nap and waking up just in time for “The Walking Dead.” 3.23. 10a. FREE 

* Pics in the Park, a series of free photography workshops organized by the Boston Parks Department, offers its final class Sunday in the Public Garden. 3.23. 11a. FREE

Have a great weekend!

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