🌿 Rare plants, music, and coffee: Sakonnet Plant Fair 4 pairs rare plants with food and community. Includes the Primula Society national show. Don’t wait—this one sells out.

🚴 Pedal into May: Bike Month Launch joins forces with RIPTA and Drive Less RI for swag, breakfast, prizes, and a ride on Aquidneck Island’s newest greenway - May 2. Or join Cycle Friends the day after for bike safety tips, maintenance help, and a friendly group ride!

🧺 Market mornings return to Hope: Hope Street Farmers Market brings dozens of local farms and producers to the East Side. Music, food trucks, and seasonal bounty every Saturday.

👟 Run the city, coast to coast: Providence Rhode Races offers a full marathon, half marathon, and 5K. It features scenic routes, a Boston Qualifier, and a strong community spirit. The race starts at Bold Point Park.

🌳 Connect through community walks: Jane's Walk Aquidneck Island Festival invites you to explore local neighborhoods on foot. Free events led by residents, rain or shine.

🧺 Farmers Market Fridays: Weekly RI Grown Farmers Market at Goddard Memorial State Park. Early-season favorites include maple syrup, hanging plants, and cut flowers.

🌸 Celebrate Mother's Day with a hike: Mother's Day Hike - Bristol - at Audubon Nature Center. Scenic spring hike with mimosas after. Plan ahead! Registration required.

Li’l Bulletin Board

Want to spread the good word about your business, a project you’re working on, or a hire, to 21,000 friends?

• Browse & Write! at Symposium Books Join LitArts RI and Symposium Books for a write-in on Saturday, May 17 from 2–4 PM on Westminster St in Providence. Cozy up indoors or grab a seat outside to soak in city vibes while getting words down on the page. Sign up via the link in our bio and meet fellow writers in downtown PVD.

• May the 4th Be With You at Moniker Brewery Join us for a dog adoption bash on Sunday, May 4 from 1–3 PM hosted by Rhode Home Rescue and Moniker Brewery. Enjoy great beer, raffle prizes, and meet adorable pups ready to use the Force. The event takes place at Moniker Brewery (432 W. Fountain St., Providence, RI) and you can get adoption pre-approval online for a smooth experience.

• Ultimate Parking Guide to Newport, RI Grab this friendly overview of public parking lots, rates, and seasonal rules for Newport. Learn where to park, how much it costs, and which lots offer RIPTA ride discounts. You can copy and paste the text into your phone and have with you for this whole season!

Food & Drink

🌭 Wieners are back in Cranston: Wein-O-Rama Grand Reopening kicks off the first week of May. Classic hot wieners, fried clams, breakfast specials, and Rhode Island nostalgia.

🍽️ Pull up a chair by the bay: Par & Tackle Restaurant Reopening. Scenic dining returns to Harbor Lights with cocktails, seafood, and stunning bay views. Reopening May 1st! Open 7 days a week.

🍺 New brews, familiar faces: Rhode Island Beer Club at Tower Hill Brewing in South Kingstown. Friday night meetup with no membership required. Starts at 7PM—ends when the taps run dry.

🎭 Togas meet Maibock on tap: MaiBacchus Fest 2025. Italian and German eats, music, Maibock, and Roman revelry. A cross-cultural fundraiser that supports the Linden Tree Project.

🍗 Roasted turkey legs and axe throwing: 22nd Annual Spring Festival at Newport Vineyards. Open-fire brisket, roasted turkey, Oysters & Rosé bar, lawn games, and live music from The Naticks. Join in throwing axes and stomping grapes!

Highs & Lows

Entertainment

🎻 Folk meets cinematic strings: Mark Erelli + His String Quintet brings Americana, rock, and a chamber sound to Great Friends Meeting House. Get Ready for an enchanting night of music in an intimate setting. Beer and wine will be for sale.

🎭 Pride, passion, and protest: You On the Moors Now directed by Morgan Salpietro, at the Barker Playhouse. Jane Eyre and literary sisters refuse to play nice. A surreal, bloody, and smart twist on the classics. Looking ahead to next weekend - tickets are on sale for May 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18!

🎸 Respected alt-country band from Maine: The Mallett Brothers Band @ Ocean Mist - brings a mix of rock, Americana, and folk traditions shaped over a decade of relentless touring and musical growth - May 2nd!

🏄‍♂️ Calling all Skaters, surfers, and cinephiles: Time & Tide Film Festival takes over The United for two days of surf, skate, film, music, and 16mm screenings. Photo exhibits, DJs, and live at the Knick!

🎻 From Vienna to Newport and Little Compton: Newport County Concert Series IV brings us timeless string quartets - Mozart, Schubert, and Philip Glass performed live by Newport String Project. Cozy, elegant, and beautifully done. (Scroll down!)

Arts, Crafts & Culture

🦪 Art, oysters, and sustainability: Ebb and Flow: Art, Sustainability, and Culinary Connections at Newport Art Museum. Enjoy local oysters, a green crab Bloody Caesar, and insights from artist Andrea Spiridonakos and marine experts. $50 ticket includes food, drink, and discussion.

🥐 Shop vintage, and eat empanadas: Bristol Vintage Market returns in South Pasture with handmade art, fresh empanadas, cocktails, kid activities, and live music by Dan Ferrazoli and The Whelks.

🎨 Italian heritage in paint: Local Color – Ciao, Italia at the Artists Cooperative Gallery of Westerly celebrates Italy’s enduring cultural imprint with new work by Aileen Quinn and Janice Hodge. Reception Friday, May 2, with wine and hors d’oeuvres.

🧬 Exploring AI’s role in art: In Conversation: McMillan, Gannis & Pan brings together artists and curators to discuss the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and contemporary art.

🚌 Get on the Fun Bus: Explore Providence Scavenger Hunt by Experience Rhode Island. Ride through Downcity, Little Italy, and the State House while solving clues and competing for prizes. Great for curious families and friends!

Rhody Kiddies

🫖 Tiny teacups for tiny guests: Play Time RI's 4th Annual Disney Princess Tea Party features music, dancing, cupcakes, and character magic. Costumes encouraged. Space limited!!

🎪 Celebrate 75 years of play: BPS 2025 Spring Carnival at Brown Play School in Rumford. Games, live music, food, prizes, and family fun. All proceeds support the school’s mission.

🐞 Get buggy with it: Discovery Tykes offers a 30-minute “Going Buggy” session on May 2 at 10am. Stories, crafts, and songs introduce preschoolers to the world of insects—ages 2–4 with caregiver.

🦙 Visit happy little alpacas: Open Farm Days at Matunuck Alpacas take place on the first Sunday of each month. Gentle and child-friendly, they love baby carrots and “pronking”!

Wicked Li’l Trivia

Rhody Moments

• Cumberland Farms & Leotards? This vintage 80s Cumberland Farms Commercial has it all. You just need to click this. The video speaks for itself. Someone confirmed it’s 1986. Hard to believe ads like this ever existed LOL!

• “My Favorite Things In RI”. Are these on your RI bucket list? This is a wicked fun list of classic things to do and see posted on Reddit. Tons of useful comments and discussion expanding on it. I’m sure there are quite a few things you either haven’t heard about or done yet. You’ll want to scroll on this one.

• This RI octopus likes his legos! These little guys are smart! He’s having so much fun, clearly enjoying his “build time”. Biomes Marine Biology Center in North Kingstown.

See you next week!