The temperature finally climbed to 50 degrees, the sun came out of the grey skies, and right on time, daffodils began popping up all over the city. Good thing, too – it’s our fifth annual Newport Daffodil Days Festival! Activities and special Daffy Days are listed below. Tell your family. Tell your guests. Tell our visitors. Daffy Days are Here!
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TOUR GUIDES TIP OF THE WEEK
Hospitality, that thing we do best and do most often, is for some of us more than a job. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a part of everything we do. It’s a way of looking at the world and wanting to welcome it. It requires flexibility, perseverance, wisdom, and patience. And much more. But mostly it requires caring about others. Tour guides and greeters help welcome everyone to Newport. Best of all, their hospitality and caring help transform our community’s relationship with the whole world.
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NEW LISTINGS AND EVENTS: For more information to prepare you to be the best tour guide & greeter ever, read and learn about the following updated listings and previews of the busy season ahead for residents and visitors alike.
TOURISM JOBS – PREPARE FOR SUCCESS
The next Job Fair is April 27th. Get ready. The job market is hotter this year than last. Many jobs are still open, including tour guides, greeters, harbor cruise staff, ticket sellers, bus drivers, and support staff. Get your resume polished and find the perfect match for your interests and skills; Spend the upcoming season working in the City-by-the-Sea!
JOB OPENINGS
- JOB FAIR. Preservation Society of Newport County (PSNC). Friday, April 27; 3-6 pm. Part-time and Seasonal positions available. Admission Associates, Associate Tour Guides, Food Service Associates, Housekeepers, Sales Associates, Security Guards, Warehouse Associates. Job Fair will be held at PSNC offices, 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport. More info: 401/846-1000, x138.
- Newport Daffodil Days Festival: Volunteers still needed for a variety of activities and events. Get Daffy and join the fun. Check in at www.facebook.com/Newportdaffydays/.
- Sightsailing of Newport seeks Outdoor Sales & Reservations Specialist and Land Ambassadors. www.sightsailing.com
- The Preservation Society of Newport County has several job openings, full and part-time, including Associate Tour Guides and support staff. Go to their Job Fair on Friday, April 27 or check with them directly online (newportmansions.org) for current information about job openings for the upcoming season.
REMEMBER: Most of the city’s largest tour and cruise businesses accept job applications year-round.
SPEAKERS & SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEK
Check out the wide selection of lectures, exhibits, talks, classes, and workshops to add to your knowledge and increase your understanding of the people and history of greater Newport.
TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 – NEWPORT DAFFODIL DAYS FESTIVAL
Invite your guests and visitors to the 5th Annual Newport Daffodil Days Festival that is the highlight of Newport’s Spring season. Visitors and residents will thrill to the 866,500 daffodils blooming all over the city. A multitude of events (Visit: www.newportdaffydays.com for the full schedule and times) and fun activities will celebrate all things daffodil and raise money to buy and plant more daffodils – the goal is ONE MILLION DAFFODILS! So, Get Daffy and join the fun. Tell all your guests and visitors, too! Check for updates & weather at www.facebook.com/Newportdaffydays/.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20 – ROGUES & SCOUNDRELS WALKING TOUR
Every tour guide should experience one or more of the great walking tours organized by the Newport Historical Society. This tour of some of the city’s more colorful residents leaves at 10:30 am from the Museum of Newport History, 127 Thames Street (Newport). Info and reservations at newporthistorytours.org
FRIDAY, APRIL 20 – SUNDAY, APRIL 29 – NEWPORT ARBORETUM WEEK 2018
This annual event features lighting up and showcasing the trees throughout Newport. There will be Illuminated Trolley Tours on April 20thdeparting from the Elks Lodge (141 Pelham Street, Newport) at 8 pm and 9 pm. Cost is $15. RSVP and order tickets. More Info at newportarboretumweek.org
FRIDAY, APRIL 20 – DRIVING MISS DAFFODIL – CLASSIC CAR PARADE – 2-3 PM
Newport’s original parade of classic cars departs from Easton’s Beach, moves along Ocean Drive, and winds up at the fabulous Audrain Automotive Museum 222 Bellevue Avenue, Newport) where the cars will be on display. FREE!
SATURDAY, APRIL 21 – DISCOVER COLONIAL NEWPORT WALKING TOUR
Every tour guide should experience one or more of the great walking tours organized by the Newport Historical Society. This tour offers stories of entrepreneurship, African American heritage, and religious diversity during Newport’s colonial period. This tour leaves at 10:30 am from the Museum of Newport History, 127 Thames Street (Newport). Info and reservations at newporthistorytours.org
SATURDAY, APRIL 21 – TOUR OF BALLARD PARK – 11 AM-NOON
There is no better time and place to enjoy the 18,000 daffodils planted at Ballard Park! Take a guided hike through the several trails of this wonderful park. This walking tour is part of the Newport Daffodil Days Festival. Free! Rain Date: Monday, April 23. Info: www.NewportDaffyDays.com
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 – HISTORY OF NEWPORT FURNITURE MAKING
This is the first of a 3-part series of lectures on the history of Newport furniture making by furniture expert Jeffrey Greene. Lectures, co-sponsored by the Whitehorne House Museum and Newport Art Museum, begin at 2 pm at the Newport Art Museum (76 Bellevue Avenue, Newport). Call 401/848-8200 for more information. To purchase tickets, click here! http://bit.ly/2yJXzIO.
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 – GOLDEN TO GILDED WALKING TOUR
Take time to experience one or more of the great walking tours organized by the Newport Historical Society. This tour takes you from Newport’s colonial Golden Age to Gilded Age summer colony. Join this tour to discover the transformation of the city and its people. This tour leaves at 10:30 am from the Museum of Newport History, 127 Thames Street (Newport). Info and reservations at newporthistorytours.org
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 – GARDEN PARTY – BELLEVUE HOUSE – 3:30 – 5:30 PM
The wrap-up event of this year’s Newport Daffodil Days Festival. Take a stroll through the daffodil-adorned gardens at Bellevue House (304 Bellevue Avenue, Newport). Enjoy live music and the RI Ballet Theatre performing “Dances Among the Daffodils.” More info: www.NewportDaffyDays.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 27 – JOB FAIR – PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY
Friday, April 27; 3-6 pm. Part-time and Seasonal positions available. Admission Associates, Associate Tour Guides, Food Service Associates, Housekeepers, Sales Associates, Security Guards, Warehouse Associates. Job Fair will be held at PSNC offices, 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport. More info: 401/846-1000, x138.
COMING IN MAY
TUESDAY, MAY 8 – SUNDAY, MAY 20 – VOLVO OCEAN RACE NEWPORT
Tell your guests and visitors to get ready for the arrival of the Volvo Ocean race fleet, arriving in Newport this month on one leg of their round-the-world sailing race. The opening of the Race Village at Fort Adams is Tuesday, May 8th at 4 pm. Get updated information at www.volvooceanracenewport.com
MAY 19 & 20 – BOWEN’S WHARF NEWPORT WATERFRONT OYSTER FESTIVAL
11 am – 5 pm. Enjoy a festive weekend eating oysters. Rhode Island is home to more than 45 oyster farms. The flavors are distinctive to each farm. The festival will offer 13 kinds of oyster all in one festive atmosphere! Growers will be shucking alongside a select group of local restaurants under festival tents. Tickets are available online at http://www.bowenswharf.com/newport-oyster-festival
COMING SUMMER EVENTS: JUNE, JULY & AUGUST
Share these dates and events with your guests and visitors. Sell and promote our future activities and invite everyone to return here again and again.
THE NEWPORT FLOWER SHOW — COTTAGES SMART & SMALL – JUNE 22-24
Martha Stewart will be a featured guest and speaker at this year’s show. The annual flower show adds the current trend of tiny homes and combines them both as livable spaces, functional & beautiful, and the prettiest plants and flowers ever. Rosecliff. Information & tickets: NewportFlowerShow.org
NEWPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL – JULY 4-22, 2018
This annual music festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary this summer. A number of special guests and new experiences for the audiences will be included in the festival’s summer season. Performance sites include The Breakers and the Newport Art Museum. More information, schedules, and tickets are available at newportmusic.org. Box Office: 401/849-0700.
BLACK SHIPS FESTIVAL – JULY 12-15
The Black Ships Festival celebrates the friendship between Newport and their sister city Shimoda, Japan. It offers a variety of events emphasizing both Japanese art and culture. More Info: http://www.blackshipsfestival.com/
NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL – JULY 27-29
This is the big folk festival of the summer. A number of other events surround this 3-day weekend. Location: Fort Adams, Newport, RI.
THE NEWPORT SHOW ∙ JULY 28-29, 2018
The annual Newport Antiques Show has a new name this year, The Newport Show. This luxury show will, as it has since 2007, feature antique furniture, fine art, jewelry, and unique vintage items from more than 40 dealers. Watch for more details about this show in the coming months. The Newport Show will again be held at the St. George’s School Ice Rink, 375 Purgatory Road, Middletown, RI, and will run July 28 and 29, 2018. Updates at www.TheNewportShow.com. Proceeds benefit the Newport Historical Society and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County.
NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL – AUGUST 3-5, 2018
This is the big festival everyone asks about. May already be sold out, but keep the dates in mind for those who ask. Location: Fort Adams, Newport, RI. Tickets and more information: http://www.newportjazz.org/
A WEEKEND OF COACHING – AUGUST 16-19, 2018
Every three years, aficionados of horse-drawn 19th-century road coaches gather in Newport for a big summer Weekend of Coaching. This year marks the third year since the last event. During the weekend of August 16-19, 2018 the Preservation Society of Newport County will host the biggest Weekend of Coaching ever. The weekend will feature driving exhibitions, viewing of the historic coaches as they drive around the streets of Newport, and tickets to a formal dinner dance at the Breakers on Saturday, August 18th. The weekend is led by Honorary Chair Linda Lindh with co-chairs Kenneth Lindh and Beverly Little. Ted Eayrs is the Chair of Coaching. Event updates and ticket information is available at www.newportmansions.org/events/a-weekend-of-coaching
DRIVING EXHIBITION – SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 – 10:30 AM – THE ELMS
This free event, part of the Weekend of Coaching, will take place on the grounds of The Elms (367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport). It will feature many of the coaches and their drivers who are part of the weekend celebration of this unique and historic sporting tradition. More Information: NewportMansions.org
PREVIEW OF AUTUMN IN NEWPORT
NEWPORT SECRET GARDEN TOURS – SEPTEMBER 7-9
Here’s one of Newport’s great events to share with your guests to encourage them to return here after the busy summer season. The September Newport Secret Garden Tours will offer ten incredible private gardens for the public to visit and enjoy. This self-guided tour program will raise funds for the Art Education programs in the island’s public schools. Tickets may be purchased in advance online at www.secretgardens.org for a discounted rate of $20.
NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW – SEPTEMBER 13-16
The Newport International Boat Show encompasses thirteen acres of Newport’s downtown waterfront. Exhibitors from near and far offer a full range of new powerboats and sailboats, plus a medley of marine products, services and accessories to enhance the nautical lifestyle. Special events, seminars, and in-water boating courses for the whole family are offered on all show days. Not to be missed is the exciting Newport For New Products program – showcasing boats and boating products making their first-ever debut in the United States. Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf, Newport. More information: http://newportboatshow.com/
NEWPORT MANSIONS WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL – SEPTEMBER 20-23
This festival features a world-class variety of tastings, seminars, and events over a four-day weekend. Held at The Elms, Rosecliff and Marble House. Tickets & more information: http://www.newportmansions.org/events/wine-and-food-festival/tickets-events
BOWEN’S WHARF SEAFOOD FESTIVAL – OCTOBER 13-14
11 am – 5 pm. Free event. Honoring the harvest of the sea, this Festival offers fresh local seafood, continuous live music, and family fun. Bowen’s Wharf, Newport. More Information: http://www.bowenswharf.com/events
EXHIBITS & TOURS NOT TO BE MISSED
SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL
Go visit the newest exhibit at the Galleries at Rosecliff, Bohemian Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement & Oscar Wilde’s Newport. Preservation Society Curator Ashley Householder has gathered a breathtaking collection of furniture, ceramics, wallpaper, clothing, accessories, and ephemera about the aesthetic movement (1870-1890) and the era’s major promoter, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900). The colors, patterns, and shapes of this “art for art’s sake” movement and the influence of Irish writer, playwright, and impresario Wilde will whisk you away to another time. Go and see this unique and truly wonderful exhibit. Open daily through November 4th. 9am until 5pm. Additional information available at: newportmansions.org
VISIT ROUGH POINT IN 2018 – NRF’s 50th ANNIVERSARY
The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. This year its exhibitions at historic Rough Point mansion, as posted on its website (newportrestoration.org), will be: “‘To Preserve and Restore’: Newport Restoration Foundation at 50,” and “A Hand in Design: Exquisite Drawings of Jewelry and Architecture for Doris Duke.” This is a collaboration between NRF and David Webb New York, jewelry designer to Duke and many other prominent figures from 1948 to the present. Rough Point will be open for tours through November 11th. Don’t miss this amazing home.
BENEATH THE BREAKERS TOUR
The Breakers tour, “Beneath the Breakers,” begins hourly on the half hour from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm and is one hour in length. Info: newportmansions.org
SERVANT LIFE TOUR AT THE ELMS
At The Elms, their world-famous guided “Servant Life Tour” is offered hourly on the half hour from 10:30 am – 4:30 pm. The tour is one hour. Info: newportmansions.org
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KENNETH PROUDFOOT is a documentary film producer, international & Newport tour guide, and author of The Official 2018 Newport Tour Guides & Greeters Handbook (Shoreline Press (RI), 2017).