Rhode Island events calendar

Rhode Island Tours, Statewide

Various venues. Whether you want to explore Rhode Island by air, by bicycle, by foot, by road, by rail, or by water, there's a tour for you. Check out our Tours page for a comprehensive list of possibilities. For house and historic site tours, see our list of links to Museums and Historic Houses. Irregularly scheduled or one-off tours are listed below in our Events Calendar.

Their Manners Pleasing, and Their Education Complete: Newport Samplers 1728-1835, Newport

10:00am–3:00pm. Seventh Day Baptist Meeting House, 82 Touro Street. Exhibit featuring eighteenth and early nineteenth century samplers from the Newport Historical Society's textiles collection, reflecting the evolution of Newport needlework over the course of a century. Admission by donation; open weekdays, closed major holidays. Call (401) 846-0813, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Winter Guided Walk on Neutaconkanut Hill, Providence

Begins at 10:00am. Neutaconkanut Hill Recreation Center parking lot, 675 Plainfield Street. Walk the forest trails of the hill created in the 1930s by the WPA, many re-created by the Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy. Home of deer, wild turkey, fox, hawks and a multitude of small animals. Winter emphasizes the spectacular views of the City. Come check out the newly re-graded ski run and sledding slopes! Call (401) 946-6594, email rcfitz2@cox.net, or visit the Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy website for more information.

85th Annual Winter Lecture Series: Out to Pasture: Colonial to Present Day Dairy Farming in Rhode Island, Newport

Begins at 2:00pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Historian Rick Greenwood shares an historical analysis of resourceful farmers adapting to technological and cultural changes. Reception follows. Museum members, $10; non-members, $15. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Colonial Reenactor Tours, Smithfield

12:00pm–3:00pm. Smith-Appleby House Museum, 220 Stillwater Road. Volunteer historians in Colonial costume will conduct tours where visitors can learn about the 316-year history and architecture of the home, the Smith-Appleby family and eighteenth century living in Rhode Island; watch demonstrations; examine period furnishings, clothing and household items; and sample hearth-baked goods. $5 donation requested. Call (401) 231-7363, or visit the Smith-Applebee House Museum website for more information.

Roger Williams Park Restoration Public Meeting, Providence

7:00pm–9:00pm. Roger Williams Park Casino, Elmwood Avenue. Roger Williams Park is Providence's largest and most important area of public open space. The City of Providence and the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program will present their plan to clean up the ponds and improve the park, and welcome your thoughts, comments and suggestions. Email lesley@nbep.org for more information.

4th Annual I Heart Providence: Your BIG Idea, Providence

6:00pm–8:00pm. Providence City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street. What would you do to make Providence better? Bring your ideas, your friends, your lovers and yourself and share them all in a big orgy of constructive boosterism! In celebration of Valentine's Day there'll be complimentary hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, live music, and more! Email mike@connectprovidence.org, or visit the I Heart Providence Facebook page for more information.

Panel Discussion: The Newport Historic Urban Plan Project, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Elms, 367 Bellevue Avenue. One of the most historically intact cities in North America, Newport is an unusually complete document of the history of city development in America. Join us for a colorful presentation and discussion of Newport's urban development. Free; reservations requested. Call (401) 847-1000 x154, or visit the The Preservation Society of Newport County website for more information.

Lifelines and Vessels: An Introductory Workshop on Gorham Silver Manufacturing and Mashapaug Pond, Providence

10:00am–1:00pm. New Urban Arts, 705 Westminster Street. Informational workshop designed for members of the general public who are looking to get involved with the 2012 Urban Pond Procession, grounding new participants in UPP background information and educational materials related to both the environment and Mashapaug Pond's industrial history. Free. Email Holly at hewald@me.com for more information.

Woonsocket Mardi Gras, Woonsocket

5:30pm–11:00pm. Fr. Marot CYO Center, 53 Federal Street and St. Ann's Art and Cultural Center, 84 Cumberland Street. Annual cultural celebration featuring spirited zydeco, Louisiana buffet, and King Jace contest. $25 in advance, $30 at door. Call (401) 769-9072, or visit the Northern Rhode Island Council on the Arts website for more information.

85th Annual Winter Lecture Series: What's New is Old: 100 Years of Food Fads and Mainstream Trends, Newport

Begins at 2:00pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Join Culinary Arts Museum Director Richard Gutman for a look at food in Newport since the time of the founding of the NAM. Reception follows. Museum members, $10; non-members, $15. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Murder at the Museum, Newport

5:30pm–7:00pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Take part in "The Butler Did It!," an entertaining and interactive murder mystery set in late 1800s Newport. Staged by the Marley Bridges Theatre Company. Members: $15/adult, $8/17 and under; non-members: $20/adult, $13/17 and under; reservations recommended. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Lincoln's Birthday Open House, Lincoln

11:00am–5:00pm. Eleazar Arnold House, 487 Great Road. Tour the Arnold House in honor of President Lincoln's birthday! The town of Lincoln, formerly part of Smithfield, was incorporated in 1871 and named in honor of the sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln. Visit the house, tour the museum, and enjoy some birthday cake. Free. Call 401-728-9696, or visit the Historic New England website for more information.

Lecture: Civil War Sanitary Commission, Woonsocket

1:30pm–2:30pm. Museum of Work and Culture, Market Square. Paul Bourget presents. Free. Call (401) 769-9675, or visit the Rhode Island Historical Society website for more information.

Lecture: Built from Stone: The Westerly Granite Story, Peace Dale, South Kingstown

Begins at 2:00pm. Peace Dale Library, 1057 Kingstown Road. Linda Smith Chaffee, John B. Coduri, and Ellen L. Madison, Ph.D. will present based on their 2011 book. Free. Call (401) 789-1555 x110, email jwilson@skpl.org, or visit the Peace Dale Library website for more information.

Value of the Book, Providence

2:00pm–3:30pm. Providence Public Library, 150 Empire Street. Using an Antiques Road Show-format with books brought by audience members, Ray Rickman will provide information and insights about what types of books have the highest retail value and will offer complimentary estimates of the books' values. Guests can bring up to three books. Free. Call (401) 455-8000, or visit the Providence Public Library website for more information.

Colonial Reenactor Tours, Smithfield

12:00pm–3:00pm. Smith-Appleby House Museum, 220 Stillwater Road. Volunteer historians in Colonial costume will conduct tours where visitors can learn about the 316-year history and architecture of the home, the Smith-Appleby family and eighteenth century living in Rhode Island; watch demonstrations; examine period furnishings, clothing and household items; and sample hearth-baked goods. $5 donation requested. Call (401) 231-7363, or visit the Smith-Applebee House Museum website for more information.

Discover Colonial Newport History Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Hear stories of revolution and ruin, struggles for religious liberty, and remarkable entrepreneurship among Newport's diverse people on a seventy-five-minute walking tour through Colonial Newport. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Lantern Tour of Colonial Newport, Newport

Begins at 4:30pm. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Feel transported through time to the heyday of this thriving colonial metropolis on a seventy-five-minute lantern-lit stroll through Newport's Historic Hill. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Discussion: To Serve Before The Mast: Recovering The Lost Legacy of Rhode Island's Black Seaman, Providence

5:00pm–7:00pm. Providence Athenaeum, 251 Benefit Street. While little documented in scholarship, African-American sailors, free and enslaved, crewed riverboats, whaling ships, and many of the merchant vessels that embarked from the 1774 port cities of Bristol, Newport, and Providence. Novelist LaShonda Barnett analyzes the contributions and experiences of African-American and Cape Verdean seamen and whalemen and the shape of racial thinking in late eighteenth-century Rhode Island's maritime culture. Visit the Providence Athenaeum website for more information.

24th Annual Newport Winter Festival, Newport County

Various venues. Newport comes alive with sparkle and excitement, featuring over 160 individual events over ten days of food, festivities, music, and fun for all ages. Call (401) 847-7666, email events@newportevents.com, or visit the Newport Winter Festival website for more information.

Murder at the Museum, Newport

5:30pm–7:00pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Take part in "The Butler Did It!," an entertaining and interactive murder mystery set in late 1800s Newport. Staged by the Marley Bridges Theatre Company. Members: $15/adult, $8/17 and under; non-members: $20/adult, $13/17 and under; reservations recommended. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Colonial Reenactor Tours, Smithfield

1:00pm–4:00pm. Smith-Appleby House Museum, 220 Stillwater Road. Volunteer historians in Colonial costume will conduct tours where visitors can learn about the 316-year history and architecture of the home, the Smith-Appleby family and eighteenth century living in Rhode Island; watch demonstrations; examine period furnishings, clothing and household items; and sample hearth-baked goods. $5 donation requested. Call (401) 231-7363, or visit the Smith-Applebee House Museum website for more information.

WSBE Antiques Discovery and Appraisal Show, Warwick

9:00am–4:00pm. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 801 Greenwich Avenue. Have you ever wondered what that "attic heirloom" of yours might be worth? Well, bring it to one of our accredited appraisers for a written appraisal. And if your object really is a treasure, our film crew will be there to capture that moment of discovery. Your story may even become part of our upcoming television special! Visit the Rhode Island PBS website for more information.

Newport's Revival Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Discover the social history and architecture of Newport after its Golden Colonial Era and before the Gilded Age. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

20th Annual Cajun and Zydeco Mardi Gras Ball, Cranston

5:00pm–11:59pm. Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Place. New England's only authentic Louisiana Mardi Gras celebration features five Cajun and Zydeco bands, Cajun and Creole food, and non-stop dancing. Costume optional with prizes for best dressed. Call (401) 783-3926, or visit the Lagniappe Productions website for more information.

Maple Sugaring Weekend, Bristol

10:00am–4:00pm. Coggeshall Farm Museum, Coggeshall Farm Road. Learn about Bristol's long and complex relationship with sugar while we produce our own sugar from maple trees at the museum. See how northern New Englanders rendered a saleable commodity out of the woods while we tap trees with handmade spiles, sugar-off over open fire, and refine Maple Sugar using late eighteenth century techniques. Admission varies. Call (401) 253-9062, or visit the Coggeshall Farm Museum website for more information.

Prudence Island Tour and Seal Watch, Bristol

9:45am–4:30pm. Bristol Ferry Landing, Thames Street. Have you always wanted to explore Prudence Island? Do you want a chance to witness seals at one of the best haul-out spots in Narragansett Bay? Then this experience is for you! Members: $15/adult, $8/child; Non-members: $20/adult, $10/child; $10 ferry ticket not included. Bring a lunch. Pre-registration is required. Course number: 574333-08. Call (401) 949-5454 x3041, email programs@asri.org, or visit the Audubon Society of Rhode Island website for more information.

Colonial Site Tour: Public and Private Life, Newport

Begins at 11:30am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Tour the 1739 Colony House, built to house Rhode Island government meetings, and the c1697 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, Newport's oldest house museum. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Souls and Stones Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Explore the Common Burying Ground, view the remarkable gravestones that make this cemetary a work of art and learn about select colonial-era and nineteenth century residents who helped shape Newport history. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Lecture: William J. Brown and Nineteenth Century Rhode Island, Bristol

Begins at 2:00pm. Linden Place, 500 Hope Street. Historian Ray Rickman will talk about the autobiography of Brown, an African-American civic leader whose family came to America on a slave ship owned by Moses and John Brown. Free; reservations suggested. Call (401) 253-0390, email info@lindenplace.org, or visit the Linden Place website for more information.

Cornerstone Auction Gallery Monthly Antiques Auction, West Warwick

Begins at 2:00pm. The Ivy Garden, 272 Cowesett Avenue. Cornerstone Auction Gallery is the longest continuously run auction company in Rhode Island, with over fifty years experience. Preview at 2pm; box lots at 5pm; main auction at 6pm. Call (401) 439-0294, email cornerstoneauctiongallery@gmail.com, or visit the Cornerstone Auction Gallery website for more information.

Rogues and Scoundrels Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. See where scoundrels lived, where pirates profited and where criminals were punished. Find out why this colony was sometimes known as "Rogues Island." $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Discover Colonial Newport History Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Hear stories of revolution and ruin, struggles for religious liberty, and remarkable entrepreneurship among Newport's diverse people on a seventy-five-minute walking tour through Colonial Newport. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Kids in the Kitchen, Bristol

12:00pm–3:00pm. Coggeshall Farm Museum, Coggeshall Farm Road. Kids and their families learn how to cook farm raised produce over the fire at the hearth of the eighteenth century Tenant Farmhouse. We'll start by selecting produce preserved for winter storage, investigate old recipes in an eighteenth century cookbook, and then prepare a dish the way it was done 200 years ago! Admission varies; reservations required. Call (401) 253-9062 email info@coggeshallfarm.org, or visit the Coggeshall Farm Museum website for more information.

Newport's Revival Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Discover the social history and architecture of Newport after its Golden Colonial Era and before the Gilded Age. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Murder at the Museum, Newport

Begins at 5:30pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Take part in "The Butler Did It!," an entertaining and interactive murder mystery set in late 1800s Newport. Staged by the Marley Bridges Theatre Company. Members: $15/adult, $8/17 and under; non-members: $20/adult, $13/17 and under; reservations recommended. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Breakfast in the Barnyard, Bristol

9:00am–10:30am. Coggeshall Farm Museum, Poppasquash Road. Rise and shine with the fowl and swine! Participants help the museum's costumed interpreters with the morning chores while learning about farm animals in eighteenth century Rhode Island, then sit down to a breakfast of 1790s Johnnycakes. Stay throughout the day for additional hands-on eighteenth century farm work. Be prompt and be prepared to get dirty. Admission $3-$8; children 5 and under, free. Call (401) 245-0750, or visit the Coggeshall Farm Museum website for more information.

Road to Independence Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Riots and rebellion, enemies and allies! Hear stories from the years surrounding the American Revolution in Newport. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Library Workshop, Newport

1:00pm–2:00pm. Newport Historical Society headquarters, 82 Touro Street. Winter is the perfect time of year to research the Newport history questions that have been on your mind. Learn how to research the history of your house, family, neighborhood, or a period of Newport's history from the expert staff at the Newport Historical Society. General admission, $10; NHS members, free; reservations requested. Call (401) 846-0813, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Lantern Tour of Colonial Newport, Newport

Begins at 4:30pm. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Feel transported through time to the heyday of this thriving colonial metropolis on a seventy-five-minute lantern-lit stroll through Newport's Historic Hill. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Working Waterfront Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. Whitehorne Museum, 416 Thames Street. Walk in the footsteps of the women and men-sailors, merchants, immigrants-who once lived and worked in the Lower Thames neighborhood on a seventy-five-minute tour that engages the senses. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Colonial Site Tour: Public and Private Life, Newport

Begins at 11:30am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Tour the 1739 Colony House, built to house Rhode Island government meetings, and the c1697 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, Newport's oldest house museum. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Historic Foodways and Hearth Cooking Workshop, Bristol

3:00pm–8:00pm. Coggeshall Farm Museum, Poppasquash Road. Working from the first American cookbook, Amelia Simmons' American Cookery (1796), guests will prepare several receipts at the hearth using produce raised on the farm before sitting down to enjoy dinner by candlelight. Limited to eight participants; intended for ages 16 and up; reservations required. Members, $50; non-members $60. Call (401) 253-9062, email info@coggeshallfarm.org, or visit the Coggeshall Farm Museum website for more information.

Colonial Reenactor Tours, Smithfield

1:00pm–4:00pm. Smith-Appleby House Museum, 220 Stillwater Road. Volunteer historians in Colonial costume will conduct tours where visitors can learn about the 316-year history and architecture of the home, the Smith-Appleby family and eighteenth century living in Rhode Island; watch demonstrations; examine period furnishings, clothing and household items; and sample hearth-baked goods. $5 donation requested. Call (401) 231-7363, or visit the Smith-Applebee House Museum website for more information.

Murder at the Museum, Newport

Begins at 5:30pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Take part in "The Butler Did It!," an entertaining and interactive murder mystery set in late 1800s Newport. Staged by the Marley Bridges Theatre Company. Members: $15/adult, $8/17 and under; non-members: $20/adult, $13/17 and under; reservations recommended. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Rogues and Scoundrels Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. See where scoundrels lived, where pirates profited and where criminals were punished. Find out why this colony was sometimes known as "Rogues Island." $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

85th Annual Winter Lecture Series: Lights, Camera, Action, Rhode Island! Newport, Newport

Begins at 2:00pm. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue. Steve Feinberg of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office will speak on the romance of making films in the culturally and visually rich Ocean State. Reception follows. Museum members, $10; non-members, $15. Call (401) 848-8200, or visit the Newport Art Museum website for more information.

Lecture and Book Signing: A History of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island: Keepers of the Bay, Bristol

1:00pm–2:00pm. Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street. Join author Robert Geake as he chronicles the inscribed rocks of Narragansett Bay, as well as of some of those sites that have faded from the pages of white history, but are still places of meaning for the Narragansett Tribe. Members, $6; non-members, $8. Registration required. Call (401) 949-5454 x3041, email programs@asri.org, or visit the Audubon Society of Rhode Island website for more information.

Green Zones: Rhode Islanders Gardens in War Time, Woonsocket

1:30pm–2:30pm. Museum of Work and Culture, Market Square. Sarah Zurier presents. Free. Call (401) 769-9675, or visit the Rhode Island Historical Society website for more information.

Wildlife at Canonchet Farm, Narragansett

Begins at 1:00pm. South County Museum, Strathmore Street. Expect some skulls and pelts with the presentation by wildlife biologist Mike Lapisky, former chief of the Division of Fish and Wildlife of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, and a member of the Friends of Canonchet Farm. Call (401) 783-5400, or visit the South County Museum website for more information.

2012 Rhode island Music Hall of Fame Induction and Concert, Pawtucket

Begins at 7:00pm. The Met, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street. RIMHOF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating, honoring, and preserving the legacy of Rhode Island musicians, educators and industry professionals who have made significant contributions to both the national and Rhode Island music scene. Call (401) 724-2200, or visit the The Met website for more information.

Souls and Stones Walking Tour, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. The Museum and Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Explore the Common Burying Ground, view the remarkable gravestones that make this cemetary a work of art and learn about select colonial-era and nineteenth century residents who helped shape Newport history. $12 per person; $10 with Newport Winter Festival button. Call (401) 841-8770, or visit the Newport Historical Society website for more information.

Newport Irish Heritage Month, Newport

Various venues. Celebrate all that is Irish during this exciting month-long event featuring Celtic storytelling, Irish step-dancing, interesting lectures, afternoon teas, an Irish coffee contest, Jameson Irish whiskey tastings and a festive St. Patrick's Day parade. Call (800) 976-5122, or visit gonewport.com for more information.

11th Annual Kinsale Ireland Festival of Fine Food, Newport

Citywide. Visiting chefs from Newport's sister city, Kinsale, will partner with top chefs from Newport to offer traditional and contemporary Irish cuisine on special menus throughout Newport. A highlight of the weekend will be the traditional Irish Brunch on Sunday featuring a hearty Irish spread and entertainment including Irish step dancers and Celtic story tellers. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, jbailey@GoNewport.com, or visit GoNewport.com for more information.

56th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. Parade begins at City Hall, 43 Broadway, and continues through Washington Square to Thames Street and ends at Augustine's Church. Find your best green attire, keep your eyes open for leprechauns, and join in the revelry to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Newport! Rain, snow, or shine. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, email JBailey@GoNewport.com, or visit Newport St. Patricks Day Parade website for more information.

Friends of the Library Book Sale, Warwick

6-9pm, Friday; 9am-5pm, Saturday; 1-4pm, Sunday. Warwick Public Library, 600 Sandy Lane. Call (401) 739-5400 x126, or visit the Warwick Public Library website for more information.

Newport Restaurant Week Spring, Newport County

Various venues. A three-course meal from some of the finest area restaurants without breaking the bank! From a steaming cup of chowder overlooking the harbor to fine dining in romantic restaurants, Newport County restaurants offer an array of creative menus. $16 for a three-course lunch and $30 for a three-course dinner. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, email JBailey@GoNewport.com, or visit Newport Restaurant Week website for more information.

Nine Men's Misery Walk and Talk, Cumberland

12:00pm–2:00pm. Cumberland Public Library, 1464 Diamond Hill Road. Nine Men's Misery, located on the monastery grounds, dates back to King Philip's War (1676) and is believed to be the oldest veteran's memorial in the United States. Join John McNiff, archeologist and National Park Ranger, who will talk about its history and be our guide for this adventure. Limit: 30, reservations recommended. All ages welcome. Call 333-2552 x2, or email reference@cumberlandlibrary.org, or visit the Cumberland Public Library website for more information.

Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch, Newport

Begins at 10:00am. Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue. The Preservation Society of Newport County invites you to bring the children to meet the Easter Bunny and gather eggs on the oceanside lawn, then sit down for a scrumptious Easter brunch. Reservations required. Tickets available to members February 1; to the general public, March 9. Call (401) 847-1000 x140, or visit the Newport Mansions website for more information.

A Garden of Quilts, North Kingstown

Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday 10am-4pm. North Kingstown High School, 150 Fairway Drive. View hundreds of member quilts, plus classes, lectures, basket raffles, fabulous pineapple raffle quilt, many vendors, special exhibit, children's activities, Hoffman fashion show, small quilt auction and more! Proceeds from the show support the non-profit mission of the NBQA. Admission $8. Call (860) 455-0794, email nbqamail@gmail.com, or visit the Narragansett Bay Quilters' Association website for more information.

Rhode Island Independence Day, Statewide

'The fourth day of May... is established, in this state, as a day for celebration of Rhode Island independence, being a just tribute to the memory of the members of our general assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776... passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies.'

Gaspee Days Arts and Crafts Festival, Pawtuxet, Warwick

10:00am–5:00pm. Pawtuxet Park, Narragansett Parkway. The annual festival hosts 150-200 craft exhibitors, and attracts 50,000 guests! It also features a professional food court, free family music and entertainment! Free admission. All proceeds benefit the Gaspee Days Parade. Call (401) 781-1772, or visit the Gaspee Days Committee website for more information.

31st Annual Great Chowder Cook-Off, Newport

12:00pm–6:00pm. Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf. The world's original and longest running chowder competition determines bragging rights to the world's "chowda" champion title among dozens of restaurants, divided into Clam, Seafood, and Creative chowder categories. Call (401) 846-1600, or visit the Newport Waterfront Festivals website for more information.

Newport Bermuda Race 2012, Newport

Castle Hill, 590 Ocean Drive. The Newport Bermuda Race is a 635 nautical-mile ocean race, most of it out of sight of land, usually lasting three to six days. It crosses a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean known for challenging weather, especially in the Gulf Stream, where there are strong currents. View the start from Rhode Island shores. Call (401) 845-9110, email info@gonewport.com, or visit the Bermuda Race website for more information.

Gaspee Days Colonial Encampment, Pawtuxet, Warwick

6pm Friday to 4pm Sunday. Pawtuxet Park, Narragansett Parkway. Our encampment gives visitors a feel for colonial military life as dozens of militia camp out for the weekend in authentic Revolutionary style. Hosted by the Pawtuxet Rangers, RIM. Free. Call (401) 781-1772, or visit the Gaspee Days Committee website for more information.

47th Annual Gaspee Days Parade, Pawtuxet, Cranston

10:00am–1:00pm. Narragansett Parkway, Warwick, to Broad Street in Cranston through Pawtuxet Village. The annual parade commemorates the Rhode Island colonists who burned the British schooner HMS Gaspee, in the first overt act leading to the American Revolutionary War! The parade features colonial fife and drum corps, Civil War era units, modern day drum and bugle corps, and much more! Free. Call (401) 781-1772, or visit the Gaspee Days Committee website for more information.

Gaspee Days Sunday in the Park and the Burning of the Gaspee, Pawtuxet, Warwick

12:30pm–5:00pm. Pawtuxet Park, Narragansett Parkway. Bring your family and a picnic feast and enjoy live music (12:30-3pm) and the burning of the HMS Gaspee (4pm). Call (401) 781-1772, or visit the Gaspee Days Committee website for more information.

Preservation Society Annual Meeting, Newport

Begins at 6:00pm. Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue. Enjoy a snapshot of the past year and the year to come! Meeting will include the election of trustees, reports from the Chairman, Executive Director and Treasurer, and presentation of the annual Laurel Awards. A light reception with wine and cheese will follow. Call (401) 847-1000, or visit the Newport Mansions website for more information.

America's Cup World Series, Newport

Fort Adams State Park, off Harrison Avenue. Newport is the final stop in the inaugural America's Cup World Series, which will feature both fleet and match racing. See the world's top sailors compete in the state-of-the-art AC45 wing-sailed catamarans, the first time the high-tech boats will be raced on the east coast of the U.S. Call (401) 845-9110, email info@americascup.com, or visit the America's Cup website for more information.

Ocean State Tall Ships Festival, Newport

Perrotti Park, Newport Waterfront. Newport will be an Official Host Port for the Tall Ships Challenge series on the Atlantic Coast. 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, a defining event in the national history of the United States and Canada, and Rhode Island's citizens are excited to commemorate this important bicentennial. Call (401) 847-6787, email edonovan@oceanstatetallships.com, or visit the Ocean State Tall Ships Festival website for more information.

Green Animals Children's Party, Portsmouth

4:00pm–8:00pm. Green Animals Topiary Garden, 380 Cory's Lane. Children and adults alike will enjoy magic, clowns, refreshments, balloons, jugglers, pony rides, kiddie rides, circus acts, and lots more fun on the grounds of this legendary topiary garden overlooking Narragansett Bay. Tickets sold at the door only. Rain or shine. Call (401) 847-1000, or visit the Newport Mansions website for more information.

53rd Annual Newport Folk Festival, Newport

10:00am–7:00pm. Fort Adams State Park, Ocean Drive. Celebrate more than five decades of folk music in Newport with the best and brightest of the folk pantheon. Call (401) 848-5055, email newporttickets@gmail.com, or visit the Newport Folk Festival website for more information.

Newport Jazz Festival, Newport

10:00am–7:00pm. Fort Adams State Park, Ocean Drive. Enjoy the very latest tunes from some of the giants of jazz! Call (401) 848-5055, email jazz@newportjazzfest.net, or visit the Newport Jazz Festival website for more information.

FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival, Providence and Newport

Various venues. Cited as one of the "Best International and Short Film Festivals in the United States," the Rhode Island International Film Festival is also the largest film festival in New England. Features film screenings, forums, a lifetime achievement award ceremony, and special events. Call (401) 861-4445, or visit the Rhode Island International Film Festival website for more information.

7th Annual Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival, Newport

Rosecliff and Marble House, Bellevue Avenue. Restaurant wine dinners, seminars, auctions, a grand tasting and much more bring together food and wine experts and connoisseurs from around the world. Call (401) 846-1600, or visit the Newport Mansions website for more information.

57th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. Parade begins at City Hall, 43 Broadway, and continues through Washington Square to Thames Street and ends at Augustine's Church. Find your best green attire, keep your eyes open for leprechauns, and join in the revelry to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Newport! Rain, snow, or shine. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, email JBailey@GoNewport.com, or visit Newport St. Patricks Day Parade website for more information.

Rhode Island Independence Day, Statewide

'The fourth day of May... is established, in this state, as a day for celebration of Rhode Island independence, being a just tribute to the memory of the members of our general assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776... passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies.'

58th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. Parade begins at City Hall, 43 Broadway, and continues through Washington Square to Thames Street and ends at Augustine's Church. Find your best green attire, keep your eyes open for leprechauns, and join in the revelry to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Newport! Rain, snow, or shine. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, email JBailey@GoNewport.com, or visit Newport St. Patricks Day Parade website for more information.

Rhode Island Independence Day, Statewide

'The fourth day of May... is established, in this state, as a day for celebration of Rhode Island independence, being a just tribute to the memory of the members of our general assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776... passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies.'

59th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Newport

Begins at 11:00am. Parade begins at City Hall, 43 Broadway, and continues through Washington Square to Thames Street and ends at Augustine's Church. Find your best green attire, keep your eyes open for leprechauns, and join in the revelry to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Newport! Rain, snow, or shine. Call (401) 845-9123 or (800) 976-5122, email JBailey@GoNewport.com, or visit Newport St. Patricks Day Parade website for more information.