Highs & Lows

We got GREAT feedback on this! It’s a keeper! Over 250 votes and suggestions! If all goes well, I’ll have weather added, a legend on how to quick calculate the tide where you are (dirt simple), links to full resources, and few other things! That’s the type of feedback we LOVE.

Great job, everyone! It is, in fact, a pain to look up tides on the janky websites that are so hard to read. Hopefully, this becomes your weekly go-to for planning tidal walks, quahogging, and boating fun.

Outdoor & Nature

🌍 Global stories on climate: Learning Series: The Climate Future Film Festival at Barrington Public Library, Barrington. Experience diverse perspectives on climate change through a curated selection of short films. Engage in a post-screening conversation.

🐦 Bird, then brew: Birds and Brews – Exeter with Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Coastal birdwatching van tour in Portsmouth, Newport, and Middletown. End the day with a local brewery visit. Bring lunch, layers, and binoculars.

🌱 Get your hands dirty at the Native Pot-Up Volunteer Event at Rogers High School, Newport. Help plant native trees destined for Miantonomi Park. Bring gloves, water, and layers—the greenhouse can get warm!​

🌸 Grow your garden knowledge: Spring Garden Expo at Tiverton Public Library, Tiverton. Explore gardening resources, get free seeds, have your soil tested by URI Master Gardeners, and enjoy family-friendly activities. Prepare a soil sample for free testing; instructions are available on the library's website.

🌧️ Conserve water effortlessly: Barrington Take-and-Make a Rain Barrel Workshop in Barrington. Secure your barrel online for $55; collect it on April 5th. Be prepared to sand; guidance is available. Check web site for alternate pick-ups.

🌆 Explore Providence on foot: Walk the PVD Crosstown Trail: A 13-Mile Urban Hike hosted by the Providence Preservation Society. Hike from Neutaconkanut Hill through city parks to Fields Point. Choose between a 7.5-mile morning segment or the full 13-miles. Pack water and lunch, and wear suitable footwear. $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rhode Island's oldest community theater, The Community Players, currently celebrating their 103rd season, is proud to present Merrily We Roll Along from April 4 – April 13, 2025. Produced at Jenks Auditorium located on Division Street in Pawtucket, across from McCoy Stadium.

Food & Drink

🦪 Hooked is back, Newport: Hooked Returns: Newport’s Seafood Gem is reopening April 2, with unbeatable oysters, fresh pasta, and seaside charm. Locals know—it’s not just dinner, it’s Newport in a glass and on a plate.

🎷 Sip and soul with the quintet: Brian James Quintet at Working Man Distillers in Pawtucket, soul jazz, handcrafted cocktails, and cozy vibes. The show starts at 6 PM —don’t miss your chance to catch them live.

🍺 Sip for a cause: That’s So Fetch Beer Release and Fundraiser at Smug Brewing, Pawtucket. Try a collaborative Belgian Wit and enjoy fare from ABCD Brothers Kitchen. Support Animal Rescue Rhode Island with every sip!

🧀 Craft cheese from scratch: Cheesemaking Workshop at MOZZ, Newport. Two-hour class led by award-winning cheesemaker Luca Mignogna. Transform fresh local milk into Primo Sale, a traditional farmer's cheese. Discuss the history and theory of cheesemaking, then practice hands-on techniques. If you can’t get in this Sunday, reserve for the next - limited to 12!

🍜 Mings opens its doors: Grand Opening of Ming’s at 1864 Broad Street, Cranston. After 8 years as a food truck favorite, Ming’s launches its first restaurant. Same bold flavors, brand-new vibe—plus the truck rolls on! Can’t wait to try it!

Charitable Rhody

🐦 Nest-level support needed: Join the flock at Congress of the Birds, a 501(c)(3) federally licensed rehabilitation and education center dedicated to the care and rehab of all species of wild birds. Discover exactly how to help baby birds you find, no guessing required. Donations welcome—chirp in and save a feathered friend.

🩵 Support a family in need: Goldfish Swim School Donation Drive is helping one of their own rebuild after a house fire—a total loss. Needed: children’s clothes and toys, plus adult medium clothing. Drop-off available anytime they’re open.

Entertainment

🎼 Discover Mozart's masterpieces: Mozart's Magical Mystery Tour at the Carter Center in East Providence. Join Judith Lynn Stillman and RIPO musicians for an afternoon of chamber music, visual art, and the spoken word.

🍀 Celebrate 30 years of Riverdance: Riverdance 30 at PPAC in Providence, RI. A reimagined celebration of the global sensation that blends Irish and international dance. New choreography, costumes, and dazzling visuals—all brought to life by a new generation of dancers.

✴️ STAFF PICK ✴️ 🎸 An evening with a legend: Al Di Meola at United Theatre in Westerly on April 6. Don't miss this opportunity to witness the virtuosity of a musician whose career spans over five decades.

🎤 Two artists, one honest night: Will Dailey + Mary McAvoy on April 4, at The Parlour in Providence. A thoughtful evening of songwriting, soul, and sound—Dailey brings layered Americana with a personal edge; McAvoy offers laid-back pop with roots in soul and blues.

🎶 Experience soulful storytelling: Kala Farnham in the Tap Room at The Knickerbocker in Westerly. Armed with a voice and an ‘entourage of instruments’, she reimagines folk with a touch of classical and theater.

ADVERTISEMENT

Arts, Crafts & Culture

🏵️ Bloom is back: Bloom Flower & Home Market at WaterFire Arts Center, Providence. The city's premier flower and home market returns for its fourth year, featuring over 85 vendors of indoor/outdoor plants, art, pottery, and more! Hurry, tickets sell out fast!

🌼 13th annual Daffodil Days in Newport: Daffodil Days Opening Ceremonies at the Historic Clarke Cooke House on Bannister’s Wharf. A musket salute by the Artillery Company, treats, activities, and ‘daffy music’ to kick off the season. Make sure you stick around for the paw-rade of costumed pups at 12:30! Check event calendar for details.

👜 Experience 18th-century leathercraft: Saturdays in the 1700s: Leatherworking Trades Demonstration at the John Brown House Museum in Providence. Join artisan Roy Najecki as he showcases the creation of leather goods essential to colonial soldiers. The event is free for members; $10 for non-members, including museum access.

🌿 Art inspired by nature: Exhibition and Solo show, Wayfinding, at Chazan Gallery at Wheeler in Providence. Featuring Lisa Perez's work inviting viewers to reconnect with the natural world through tactile, hand-shaped paper and shifting perspectives reminiscent of landscapes.

🥚 Decorate eggs with a twist: Poke-It Easter Eggs Workshop at New England Massage & Healing Arts, Warwick. Join us for an evening of creativity as we explore the Poke-It method of egg decoration. Perfect for all skill levels!

Rhody Kiddies

🦖 The dinos are back: Return of the Dinosaurs at Roger Williams Park Zoo - Opens April 6. Nearly 60 animatronic and interactive dinos, including 25 brand-new beasts this year. Separate ticket required—but totally worth it!

🐰 Find eggs, snap pics, and eat: Easter Egg Hunt – Coventry Parks & Rec - Kids hunt for eggs while parents grab food truck bites. Free Easter Bunny photos!

🧸 Run, jump, climb, repeat: Go Play Indoor Playground in East Greenwich is 12,000 sq ft of pure kid energy—soft play for toddlers, social zones for preschoolers, obstacle courses for big kids. Coffee and bites from Drip for the grownups. Reservations required for weekends! See website for details.

🥚 Spring scramble incoming: Easter Egg Hunt – Westerly at Wilcox Park. Separate hunts for ages 1–2, 3–5, and 6–8. Expect candy galore and Easter Bunny cameos. Rain date: Sunday, April 6.

Rhody Moments

• 🏬 Missing Benny’s, send help: Get me back to God’s country echoes with the Ocean State's longing for Benny’s. I’m not over it. Damn onions! Where else could you buy a tire, a TV, and a teddy bear in the same aisle? The comments are amazing.

•  ✴️ STAFF PICK ✴️ 🚴 Umm, that ain’t no bike: New Bike Lane, New Problems in Rhode Island. Dude films an interesting shortcut somebody found that materialized out of nowhere. Must have been wondering at his luck, right up until…language warning! It took me several watches to catch what was going on LOL.

• 🏠 See the mall at the mall? Go see Secret Mall Apartment. True story we all know of artists secretly taking up residence in Providence Place. Documentary now showing—AT THE MALL IT HAPPENED AT. Only in Rhode Island folks, only in Rhode Island.

• ☕ Let's start a coffee war: Great Coffee? Debate on Reddit—fiercely opinionated locals having it out over the best coffee spots in RI. Chances are high your favorite, or close to it, is in the top 5. West and East Bay, the best of the best. The most upvoted coffee shop comment? Not surprised…

That’s it for this issue of The Rhody Weekender. See you next week!

Your TRW Team:
Douglas Bonneville, Publisher
Mary Bonneville, Editor