“Five Things You Need to Know Today” is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance.

1. Mostly sunny: Today will be mostly sunny with a calm wind in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. High: 85, Low: 64.

2. Puppet show: Dan Grady’s Marvelous Marionettes Medley will be at the Needham Free Public Library today at 3 p.m. Children of all ages will enjoy Grady’s fast-paced string puppet production choreographed to lively music. This free program is part of the Summer 2012 Dream Big, READ! Program sponsored by the Friends of the Needham Public Library. Also today, children ages 5 and up are invited to come play board games at the library beginning at 4:30 p.m.

3. Aly in action: Needham’s Olympian will be back in action today. Watch gymnast Aly Raisman compete for gold in the women’s individual balance beam and floor exercise finals today beginning at 11:47 a.m. (balance beam) and 1:23 p.m. (floor) Eastern Time. Watch the events live on NBCOlympics.com (for cable and satellite subscribers) or catch the recap during NBC's primetime broadcast at 8 p.m.

4. Musical theater: Longwood Opera’s Summer Concert Series will continue tonight with “An Evening of Gilbert and Sullivan” beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for seniors, students and children ages 10 and under. Learn more at longwoodopera.org or call 781-455-0960 for information.

5. Picnic on the Charles: The Friends of Hemlock Gorge Reservation will host their annual Summer Concert and Picnic tonight from 6 p.m. to dusk at the park, located at 1 Hamilton Place in Needham. Bring a picnic and a chair or blanket and enjoy dinner along the Charles River to the tunes of a local band performing classic rock and originals. Copies of Ken Newcomb’s book about the history of Newton Upper Falls, “The Makers of the Mold,” will be available for $18 per copy. For more information and a map, go to www.hemlockgorge.org.