A common sight at Rhode Island beaches are paddleboarders. The past decade has expanded the paddleboarding scene from a novelty craze to a part of the state’s identity surrounding water activities. Despite the popularity, there have been few opportunities to bring paddlers together in a social and competitive manner. This year, lifeguard veteran Brian Guadagno […]
Ruthie Wood
Ruthie Wood is a recent graduate from Johns Hopkins University and burgeoning writer. As she works on her dreams of becoming a novelist, you can find her writing about Rhode Island living for What'sUpNewp. She has also written articles for Hey Rhody, Providence Monthly, The Bay, and SO Rhode Island magazines.
Posted inArts & Culture
Student documentary filmmakers celebrated at newportFILM’s docUnbound screening
Tuesday, June 10 marked the premiere of two short documentaries made by newportFILM’s newest batch of homegrown filmmakers. Screened at the Firehouse Theater in Newport, “The People’s Policy” and “Talking Ghostly” were the semester-long capstone projects made by students participating in newportFILM’s Documentary Unbound (or “docUnbound,” for short) program. First beginning in February of 2022, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Spring Visitors Weekend at West Place Animal Sanctuary shows off the nonprofit’s old and new friends
West Place Animal Sanctuary is gearing up for their first public visitors weekend of the year: Spring Visitors Weekend. The nonprofit is opening their doors to the public on May 31st and June 1st from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to raise funds for their wards and to showcase their ongoing efforts to provide a […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
One year after diagnosis: Middletown Tree Commission continues to fight beech leaf disease in Albro Woods
One year ago, Middletown’s Tree Commission and Open Space Committee joined forces and created a pilot program to rehabilitate the canopy of Albro Woods from beech leaf disease. The discovery of the disease in the nine-acre forest spelled disaster: beech leaf disease causes beeches – especially the American beech tree – to lose their canopy […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A piece of Ukrainian hope and resilience is screening from newportFILM
“Unprecedented” seems to be the word of the year ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. The word, a neutral adjective that could be used to describe any type of novel event, has mostly been used with a negative connotation over the past five years. Yet despite the vast number of (negative) unprecedented happenings at home and […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Food & Drink
Buzz in fast, drink local beer, waste no food
Approximately what percent of food supply in the United States is wasted each year? Is it A) 5-10%; B) 10-20%; C) 25-30%; or D) 35-40%? This is the type of question that will be asked at Long Live Beerworks on April 9th when the University of Rhode Island’s (URI’s) Cooperative Extension hosts a Zero Waste […]
Posted inBusiness
More space, more coffee, No Vacancy
What started as a coffee-infused dream turned into a small pop-up success for cousins and Tiverton-natives Tom Amaral and Colby Machado. Now, their small business, No Vacancy, is expanding in size and in permanence; no longer at Mission, they’ve moved next door to Mission’s sister shop, Utility, for expanded space and hours. “I got into […]
Posted inNews
Chicken Run: The cruel price of Avian Flu
When egg prices are high, people hold off on making omelets. When the prices of eggs stay high, and in fact continue to rise due to circumstances like bird flu, people start feeling the pressure on their wallets and begin to take home economics into their own hands. They buy chicks. Bird flu, H5N1, or […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hop to It! Roger Williams Park Zoo hosts FrogWatch USA training
Early March contains the first harbingers of the shifting seasons. The temperature starts to fitfully rise, the sun stays out for longer – noticeably, as we spring forward the clocks – and after dusk comes the unmistakable chiming chorus of spring: the peeps of Spring Peeper frogs. Spring Peepers are the first frogs to make […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Say cheese! Mac-N-Cheese Smackdown winners announced
The Newport Marriott was immediately bustling and busy as the doors opened for the seventh annual Mac & Cheese Smackdown during the Newport Winter Festival. Tickets were the key to entry as well as the way to cast a vote for Best Mac & Cheese. Tasters were faced with choosing one out of twelve local […]
Posted inArts & Culture
On a quest to revive Parkgate
The Parkgate Restoration Association (PRA) is asking for the community’s help. The nonprofit, established in 2022, is working to restore the Parkgate Estate, perhaps more commonly known as the Newport Elks Lodge, “to its former Gilded Age Glory,” Caroline Caswell says, treasurer of the association. Since its establishment, the organization has raised over $100,000 and […]
Posted inBusiness
Triple Espresso Order: Grafik Coffee has three plans to expand this spring
Grafik Coffee used to be a Subway, and before that, an ice cream shop. The building on East Main Road that has seen the rise and fall of other businesses has become the prime location for a hip coffee joint in Portsmouth. After just over one year of being in business, the community support Grafik […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The results are in for the 25th annual Rhode Island BioBlitz
The RI Natural History Survey presented its initial findings on the twenty-fifth annual Rhode Island BioBlitz at Middletown Town Hall on Thursday night. This BioBlitz, which took place on June 7-8, 2024, surveyed the biodiversity at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, making the Middletown sanctum one of two repeat locations a BioBlitz has been held (the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Sparkle! returns to Blithewold for the holiday season
It’s beginning to look alot like Christmas at Blithewold Manor in Bristol. Garlands, wreaths, and decorated Christmas trees inside the manor house speak to the anticipation and magic of Santa Claus, and all throughout the grounds, thousands of lights and lit decorations shine along the pathways and cascade from tree branches. In the pitch black […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Not your Christmas goose: Citizen scientists prepare for the 125th Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Aquidneck Island and across North America
It’s 5:15 on a snowy December morning. It’s dark, and very cold, but you can hear the soft hoo-hoo-ing of owls. Then, you see it glide across the starry sky and perch in a tree in front of you: the snow-dusted silhouette of a screech owl. It sounds like a scene only Hallmark holiday magic […]
Posted inNews
Sparkling boats and a fishing Santa Claus: The 2024 Newport Illuminated Boat Parade draws a merry crowd
The waterfront was packed Friday evening with what seemed like thousands of holiday merrymakers squeezing onto docks and wharves, on roofs and balconies, and into bars and restaurants that overlook the harbor to get a decent vantage point of the 2024 Newport Illuminated Boat Parade. The parade started at 6 p.m., and for the merrymakers […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Santa Sets Sail: The annual Newport Illuminated Boat Parade casts off November 29
It’s nearly the ten-day countdown to the event that marks the official Christmas season on Aquidneck Island: the Newport Illuminated Boat Parade. Organizers from Discover Newport, Sail Newport, the Newport Yacht Club, the Newport City Council, and volunteers are preparing to celebrate the holidays and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the annual parade on November 29, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: Varieties of winter squash from Goodwin Brothers Farm prompts a simple meal to recognize Native American Heritage Month
Despite the unseasonably warm weather this November, the typical growing season in Rhode Island is drawing to a close. Many produce-selling farm stands hibernate for the winter, just as their Christmas tree farm counterparts prepare for the upcoming holidays. This does not mean, however, that it is impossible to buy fresh and local produce. It […]
Posted inBusiness
What’s in Season: Pluck late-season apples and quinces off the trees at Rocky Brook Orchard
As October slowly draws to a close, so too does apple picking season – for most orchards. One farm reigns supreme in season longevity, Rocky Brook Orchard in Middletown, and the secret has to do with species. Greg and Katy Ostheimer, owners of Rocky Brook Orchard, bought the Middletown property about twenty-five years ago, in […]
Posted inFood & Drink, News, Things To Do
Photo Gallery: Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival returns for 33rd year
The 33rd Annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival is in full swing this weekend on Bowen’s Wharf in Newport. Visitors are flocking to the historic wharf to enjoy the “Harvest of the Sea” under beautiful sunny skies. Running Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the festival offers a mouthwatering array of fresh, local […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Sakonnet River Bridge lights up red for Dyslexia Awareness Month
The Sakonnet River Bridge is one of the three main bridges Aquidneck Islanders use to travel off-island. Located in Portsmouth, this bridge connects the island to Tiverton, and it has a special bonus feature distinct from the other two bridges: color-changing lights. The colors of the lights mean something different each time they are lit. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: Cucumber Hill Farm’s sugar pumpkins are no trick and all treat this Halloween
Aquidneck Islanders know how to have a good time in October, celebrating autumn and Halloween. The Norman Bird Sanctuary hosts their Harvest Fair, Escobar’s Farm corn maze opens for the season, and Quonset View Farm pivots from their PYO summertime strawberries to PYO jack-o’-lanterns in their extensive pumpkin patch. These fall festivities are iconic for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Ghosts launches historic tours that uncover the skeletons in the city’s streets
October is the spooky month. Vampires, ghouls, demons, and ghosts are icons of Halloween, horror, and stories to tell in the dark. For those who get a thrill out of the supernatural, October is the pinnacle time to look for the creepy, the spooky, and the inexplicable in real life; this month is ghost hunting […]
Posted inNews
From Then to Now: Celebrating 50 years of the Norman Bird Sanctuary’s Harvest Fair
2024 is a big year for the Norman Bird Sanctuary (NBS). This year marks the 75th anniversary of the sanctuary’s founding, and it also marks fifty years since Norman Bird Sanctuary’s first Harvest Fair. Hosting a large fair is no walk in the garden – especially considering the Harvest Fair has become a staple for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Fungus Among Us: An underground Rhode Island society unites the mycologically curious
For many, “mushroom” holds no value beyond the plate. Mushrooms are an additive on pizzas, an umami star of some Asian dishes like ramen, egg rolls, and stir-fries, cooked into omelets, and considered a triumphant delicacy of haut cuisine when finely grated over pasta. Others might hear “mushroom” and think of home ownership worries, like […]
Posted inBusiness
Newport Vineyards celebrates apples and autumn with their inaugural Cider Fest
Newport Vineyards is brewing up something new: their inaugural Cider Festival that will take place Sunday, September 29, from 12-5 p.m. While of course “cider” is in the festival name, the celebration is open to all – drinking age or younger – who love fall. Live music will play all day from Straight Outta Rehab, […]
Posted inBusiness
What’s in Season: Red and green okra are in abundance at Anna D’s Backyard Farmer’s Market
Tucked behind Anna D’s Café – a staple in town for nearly twenty years – is Portsmouth’s very own farmer’s market. Of course, the town has roadside farm stands, some PYO’s, and CSA programs, but this is truly a collaborative effort between multiple farmers, producers, and makers who all come together and share a space […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Revive the Roots presents the fourth annual Rootstock festival in Smithfield
Revive the Roots, a nonprofit organization based in Smithfield, is dedicated to cultivating spaces where people and the environment thrive through sustainable practices, community building, and education. The organization stewards Mowry Commons, a unique 23-acre landscape that offers walking trails, sustainable agriculture fields, permaculture and pollinator gardens, and spaces to wash, store, and process the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Giant bamboo birds nest at Blithewold for one year
Rhode Island birders have already started recognizing the signs for the fall migration season. Some species who summered in the state are taking wing to the south, while other species are passing through on their journey from the borealis forests in Canada. Six birds, however, have made the trip from Massachusetts to over-winter and spend […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: White acorn squash makes its debut at Tockwotton Farm
September 22 is the first day of autumn this year, and already the days are cooler and nights require layers to ward off the chill. The shift in season also marks the transition from summer fruits and vegetables to autumnal bounties. It is about time to say goodbye to tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons, and welcome […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Chanler at Cliff Walk celebrates Rhode Island cuisine with its second annual Harvest Dinner
The Chanler at Cliff Walk is Newport’s only mansion-turned-hotel to perch on the Cliff Walk, overlooking the bluffs, the Atlantic Ocean, and Aquidneck Island’s extensive coastline. The hotel is home to the restaurant Cara, a Forbes Five-Star fine dining experience. With its history, unique setting, and a team of world-class chefs, The Chanler is the […]
Posted inNews
Fall Visitors Day at West Place Animal Sanctuary showcases new friends and old success stories
An emu, two donkeys, and three cows are out in a pasture together. That may sound like the start of a dad joke, but at West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, it’s simply reality. Near the barn, in other pastures, across the grounds, and in separate enclosures, there are also three peacocks, four guinea fowl, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The historic Newport Navy sex scandal of 1919 resurfaces in an immersive musical documentary experience
Newport, February 1919, Chief Machinist’s Mate Ervin Arnold is transferred to Naval Station Newport. Arnold has severe arthritis, and he almost immediately checks into the hospital for medical attention. There, he overhears snippets of a thriving underground subculture within the Navy: drinking, partying, drugs, cross-dressing, and queer sex. Enraged, Arnold “takes it upon himself to […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: In August, find eggplant, peppers, ground cherries, and donut peaches at the Jamestown Farmer’s Market
August 4-10 marked the 25th annual National Farmers Market Week. Marked by a proclamation by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) each year, National Farmers Market Week celebrates the role of local farms and farmers markets in the United States food system. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) acknowledged the celebratory […]
Posted inBusiness
Stories From The Garden: How the Maher Garden Center is reblooming into success
The roots Residents of Aquidneck Island may be familiar with the Maher Garden Center from their hand-made wreaths and Christmas trees. But the roots of the center run much deeper than the Christmas season. “The Maher Center itself started 76 years ago as a resource for parents with special needs kids,” Lynn Maher, the executive […]
Posted inColumns
What’s in Season: Sweet corn and tomatoes from Fales Farm are classic end-of-summer staples
Crunchy, juicy, sweet, and acidic, corn and tomatoes are must-haves for a stocked summer pantry. Barbeque might come to mind first with this combination – thick slices of tomatoes stacked on a juicy burger, corn on the cob on the side. Corn cobs might be used in Cajun-style seafood boils, or, for those who have […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Aquidneck Land Trust to host a wild bee walk and talk at Spruce Acres on August 3
The Aquidneck Land Trust is hosting a walk and talk event at Spruce Acres Farm all about wild, native bees and other pollinators. The walk, which takes place on Saturday, August 3 at 10 a.m., will be led by Casey Johnson, a research associate at the University of Rhode Island Bee Lab. George Christie from […]
Posted inNews
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, visits Newport and The Great Elephant Migration
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, made a trip to Rhode Island, in part to promote her latest novel A Most Intriguing Lady at the Ocean House in Watch Hill. The duchess made Newport a stop on her itinerary Thursday, July 25, to visit The Great Elephant Migration that has taken over parts of the Cliff […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical closes out summer Music Festival series with pianist Lara Downes at The Breakers
Classical pianist Lara Downes returned to Newport to conclude the 55th Newport Classical Music Festival. The closing night concert took place at The Breakers on Sunday, July 21. Attendees who came for the finale of Newport Classical’s summer music series were treated to the glitz and glamor of Gilded Age architecture, expansive ocean views, and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: Sweet and juicy blueberries are ready to eat at Almy-Thurston Farm in Portsmouth
Summer berries are iconic. Seen on commercials, social media posts, and countless other media forms, berries scream “summertime” with their vibrant colors and their fun, careless, pop-able eating style. They fit perfectly with coastal summer “vibes” and “aesthetics,” with buckets of berries being sauntered through fields and glass containers of fruit being placed on picnic […]
Posted inColumns
What’s in Season: From bulbs to herbs to salad greens, Long Lane Farm in Warren offers a full summer bounty at their local farm stand
Traveling to farmer’s markets is an excellent way to support small, local farms while getting fresh, in-season produce. The bigger the farmer’s market, the larger the variety of fruits and vegetables available. But traveling to markets is not always feasible for everyone. Other ways to achieve the same results are signing up for CSA programs […]
Posted inBusiness
Two new restaurants and dining opportunities debut in Newport County, bringing a taste of European affairs to Rhode Island
Newport County in the summer is dazzling and luxurious – sailing, harbor cruises, beaches, shopping at boutiques, and al fresco dining are all on the itinerary. This summer, county residents have two new dining opportunities to enjoy, one in the heart of downtown Jamestown, the other perched over the iconic Cliff Walk. Locals can experience […]
Posted inBusiness
What’s in Season: Strawberries are ripe for picking at Quonset View Farm
The signs are up on East Main Road and scattered throughout Portsmouth: U Pick Strawberries. They seem to appear magically overnight, and for children in the public schools, it is the first sign that the school year is drawing to a close. In this way, you can literally taste summer. Leading traffic from sign to […]
Posted inBusiness
New small business, Newport Sailing Lessons, opens this summer
Aquidneck Islanders and Newport summer visitors alike will be delighted to discover new sailing opportunities out of Newport Harbor. Kate Richardson, a native Rhode Islander and U.S. Navy veteran, is now the proud small business owner of Newport Sailing Lessons. She runs the lessons out of her 1978 Pearson 30 sailboat, Hope, in Newport Harbor. […]
Posted inNews
Conanicut Island Sailing Foundation offers community sailing opportunities in Jamestown
New this summer, Conanicut Island Sailing Foundation (CISF) is offering community boating lessons and bay adventures geared towards adults. The foundation is traditionally involved in youth programming out of Fort Getty; STEM classes, coastal camps, youth sailing, and after-school programs all make up their robust offerings for Jamestown’s kids and teens. “There’s a really strong […]
Posted inNews
Newport’s Spring Park celebrates its grand opening
Newport’s new Spring Park celebrated its grand opening on June 1 with a gathering of Newport and Rhode Island officials, as well as committees and project managers that were involved with the site’s conception, design, and protection. The park is situated at the corner of Touro and Spring Street, in front of the Loeb Visitors […]
Posted inNews
Friends of Newport Skatepark celebrate groundbreaking ceremony for new Newport outdoor skatepark
It’s now official: construction has started on the Newport Public Skatepark at John Chaffee Boulevard. The Friends of Newport Skatepark (FONS) held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 31 at the active construction site. FONS and Newport officials gathered around to celebrate the beginning steps of building Rhode Island’s first modern skatepark. Credit: Ryan Slivinski / […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island Slave History Medallions honors Juneteenth with programming and inaugural Black history walking tours in Newport
Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM) is hosting a free, family-friendly celebration of Juneteenth, the nation’s second independence day that marks the emancipation of all trafficked and enslaved people of African descent. Juneteenth is celebrated June 19 each year, but the RISHM event will be held Saturday, June 15 from 11 am to 4 pm […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Historical Society unveils first-of-its-kind exhibit on the experiences of Black Newporters
After four long years of research and review, the Newport Historical Society (NHS) presents the exhibit “A Name, A Voice, A Life: The Black Newporters of the 17th-19th Centuries” on May 29 at 6 pm. The exhibit, located in the Historical Society, is free and open to the public through November 2024, but registration is […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What’s in Season: Memorial Day at Fishermen’s Memorial Farmer’s Market offers bee-utiful bounty
Memorial Day weekend is here, and for many, the long weekend is the first opportunity to kick-off the summer block party season. Outdoor cooking, cornhole, drinks, and friends are all on the menu for a fabulous time. For quick bites that appeal to all ages and tastes, something sweet and versatile should make an appearance […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Food & Drink
What’s in season? A May Hope Street farmers market has fresh cheese and Asian flairs
With the onset of warmth and sunshine, many New Englanders are taking the opportunity to fire up that grill. Nothing says summer like outdoor eating and barbeques, and if you miss the Newport Burger Bender that took place in February, now is the perfect opportunity to consider having a household burger bonanza. In the meantime, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
It’s Time to “Shellebrate”: The 8th annual Quahog Week returns to Rhode Island May 11-18
It’s every native Rhode Islander’s dream: bowls of creamy, chunky clam chowder, linguini and fresh littlenecks, deep-fried and crunchy clam cakes, chorizo and clams, and mounds of “New England Thanksgiving:” chopped clams mixed with bread, spices, roasted, and served in a large quahog shell, otherwise known as a “stuffie.” It’s a Rhode Island delicacy, iconic, […]
Posted inNews
Groundbreaking ceremony for new NOAA homeport and research facilities at the Newport Naval Station hosts RI and federal government officials
The Newport Naval Station is now the proud host of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Operations Center – Atlantic (MOC-A). Today marks the beginning of NOAA’s move from Norfolk, Virginia to Rhode Island as Naval officers, Rhode Island and federal government officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for NOAA’s new hub for research […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s in season: At the end of April, Farm Fresh RI’s Providence farmers market showcases a plethora of vendors and the last of the overwintered root vegetables
It’s nearly May, which means that many year-round farmers markets are preparing to move outdoors while many others are gearing up for their opening weekend. April 27 was the finale of Farm Fresh RI’s indoor Providence winter farmers market. Farm Fresh boasts that their facility hosts the largest indoor farmers market in New England with […]
Posted inNews
Fighting threats to our forest: Middletown’s Tree Commission and Open Space Committee work together to rehabilitate Albro Woods
Albro Woods, a beloved forest and trail system in Middletown, is vulnerable, sick, and needs help. It has become the next victim of beech leaf disease. Beech leaf disease is a relatively new disease affecting trees in North America. It was first discovered on the continent in 2012 in Ohio, and it has since spread […]
Posted inNews
Dune Restoration: Save the Bay revitalizes dunes at Easton’s Beach and across the Ocean State
There’s a reason the state is known as the Ocean State. Rhode Island’s total shoreline is 400 miles long, an impressive amount of coast for the smallest state in the country. But the large amount of coastal area means many parts of the state are susceptible to environmental issues like flooding, coastal water contamination, and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Growing for good: Aquidneck Community Table hosts a spring cleanup educational and advocacy event in support of sustainable local foods and food justice
On April 25, 2024, the Aquidneck Community Table (ACT) is hosting a spring garden cleanup event as a part of Aquidneck Island Earth Week. The event will occur on Aquidneck Land Trust property off of Elizabeth Lane in Middletown. The ACT leases a part of the property (as does Garman Farm) and uses it to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Micro, but mighty: Aquidneck Land Trust hosts a pollinator habitat workshop at Spruce Acres Farm for Aquidneck Island Earth Week 2024
In honor of Aquidneck Island Earth Week, Aquidneck Land Trust is hosting a pollinator habitat workshop at Spruce Acres Farm, a 22.67-acre former tree farm which is on the border of Middletown and Portsmouth. The workshop, which requires registration online but is free and open to the public, takes place on Sunday, April 21, 2024, […]
Posted inColumns
What’s in Season: A mid-April Mount Hope Farm farmers market brings in a fresh catch of seafood
Even though the sun is starting to peek out from behind April rainclouds, the untrustworthy weather mixed with the breeze off the bay makes being outside on the bare edges of blustery and chilly. That’s why, despite it being mid-April, the Mount Hope Farmers Market spent its last “winter” weekend indoors in the barn. On […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Root for the Home Team: Brown University’s Quadball team heads to the national U.S. Quadball Cup 2024
Brown University has a quadball team, and they’re good. The team is division two, ranked 17 out of 39 colleges competing in the national tournament, the U.S. Quadball Cup. They are placed above colleges like Middlebury, Tufts, Purdue, and Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute (RPI), and are just below Boston University’s team. To put that into perspective, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
That’s Amore: Providence Pizza Week returns April 14-20
The Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau proudly presents the third annual Providence Pizza Week, taking place from April 14-20, 2024. The week of pizzas showcases the most scrumptious and creative pizza pies that pizza joints, restaurants, and even food trucks from across the state can dream up. The celebration of one of the most […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Happiness comes in the form of tulips
“April showers bring May flowers,” or so the saying goes. But Rhode Islanders don’t need to wait until May to enjoy colorful, sweet-scented blooms, for April is the time of the tulips. Wicked Tulips Flower Farm dedicates itself to the celebration of this flower. With two locations in Rhode Island (Exeter and Johnston) and one […]
Posted inColumns
What’s in Season: A late March Aquidneck Growers Market in Newport brings joy with fresh sunchokes
Until April 27, when the fickle warmth of spring decides to stay for good, the Aquidneck Growers Market stays cozy in the winter months inside Stoneacre Garden in Newport. Inside, vendors and farmers nestle together to create a winding path of tantalizingly fresh food and goods. At this particular market, mushrooms, lavender sachets, breads, and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Follow your taste buds from Newport restaurant Giusto to Piedmont, Italy
Chef Kevin O’Donnell has made a name for himself in the Newport restaurant scene. His hit, upscale Italian restaurant Giusto opened in 2020 with much success, and three years later he opened Mother Pizzeria in Newport with his team from Giusto. His menus have brought a taste of Italy to this coastal Rhode Island town, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The siren song of Rhode Island birding
As the climate becomes milder, the first signs of spring appear: longer days, green shoots and budding flowers, and, most importantly for some Rhode Islanders, chirping birdsong. The trills and warbles are not only avian conversation starters for other birds – “My territory!” or “Mate please?” for example – but are also a siren song […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Town of Bristol v. The Great White Whale: The 2024 Bristol BookFest takes on American classic “Moby Dick”
Bristol BookFest returns April 5-6 for its fourth year of enriching the East Bay community with classic literature. This year, the festival celebrates the great American novel “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville. “Moby Dick,” like any of the classics, has become synonymous with “required reading;” most people know it to be long, difficult, all about […]
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Casting Off to The Homeport: Crew, family, & friends of the USS Yosemite return to Newport April 24 – 27
The Naval War College and the Naval Station in Newport attract young military service members for training, education, and career advancement. The Navy base has also seen a lot of crucial military history, and this April, history is returning. From April 24-27, the USS Yosemite Association, a society dedicated to the Navy ship and its […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s in season? How to use fresh ingredients from a mid-march Tiverton Farmer’s Market to make a meal
The term “farmer’s market” seems synonymous with summer: bountiful fresh fruit, leafy greens, and tomatoes begging to be made into gazpacho. That vision of a farmer’s market is limited to just summer-y produce, when in fact there are plenty of fruits and vegetables available and in season throughout the year! The Tiverton Farmer’s Market is […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Salve Regina University presents their 2024 French Film Festival
On March 17, Salve Regina University presents their 2024 French Film Festival at the Bazarsky Lecture Hall. For just over two weeks (the festival runs until April 2), the university will showcase six films, from classic cinema to contemporary masterpieces, and all of which showcase a wide range of genre and different francophone auteurs. The […]
Posted inBusiness
Triple scoop success: Clementine’s Homemade Ice Cream opening in Portsmouth, their third location
Spring is just around the corner, and as warmer weather approaches, local ice cream joints are awakening from their winter slumber. Warren and Jess Sternberg, the owners of Clementine’s Homemade Ice Cream, have spent the winter months working hard to grow their small business. This spring, Aquidneck Islanders will be treated to a shop expansion […]
Posted inArts & Culture
RISD Illustration Stars returns to the Providence Athenaeum
March is National Reading Month, where the (somewhat cheesy) slogan “March into reading” decorates classrooms and is celebrated in libraries across the nation. National Reading Month encourages readers of all ages to crack open a book, although there is a large societal focus on teaching and motivating children to read. In Rhode Island, the Providence […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A new oil painting exhibition brings Buddhist philosophy to a Newport hotel
Newport is filled with fine art galleries and art shops, but tourists and natives alike may be missing an intimate gallery space nestled in the heart of Hammetts Hotel, right on the corner of America’s Cup Avenue and Thames Street. The Sarah Langley Gallery is on the hotel’s first floor, just to the left of […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Newport’s Puddingstone events are a triumphant celebration of the arts
Story by Ruthie Wood, photos by Jack Casey Newport has a secret society dedicated to celebrating the arts. Or at least, that’s how it feels considering how few people discuss the elite monthly artistic showings that occur in various locations around Aquidneck Island, despite the fact there was quite a gathering at the presentation at […]
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Ink Fish Books hosts author Elizabeth Gonzalez James for book club discussions and hard conversations
Author Elizabeth Gonzalez James’ new book, The Bullet Swallower, has been making a splash in literary circles from an interview with NPR to positive reception from Kirkus Reviews and the L.A. Times to being chosen as Boston.com’s Book Club Read for February. Amidst it all, the indie bookstore in Warren, RI, Ink Fish Books, has […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Super Smash Burger
It’s time to celebrate the most quintessential American food, the hamburger, with the 7th Annual Newport Burger Bender. Forget the classic patty-lettuce-tomato-ketchup combo, because for ten consecutive days, 52 restaurants local to Newport and Bristol Counties are duking it out over ingredients, flavor profiles, and creativity in order to be crowned with the coveted title: […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
February’s special events at the Jane Pickens Theatre
February break is just around the corner. If you are a parent, student, teacher, or just someone who needs a self-care day, the Jane Pickens Theater is hosting a lineup of specialty screenings – but there’s a twist. It’s not just special showings of old films or new off-the-wall indie films but also unique deals […]
Posted inArts & Culture
It’s Academy Award Season at the Jane Pickens Theater
It’s awards season, which means the time is drawing closer for when all eyes turn to Hollywood to see who receives that coveted golden man – the Oscar, formally known as the Academy Award. This year, the 96th Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honor the best films […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Teatime in Rhode Island: A guide to afternoon tea services and special tea events across the state
Music is not the only cultural “British invasion” that has taken the country by storm. For the past few years, there has been a revival in the adoration of period pieces set in the UK – from Downton Abbey and Bridgerton to Outlander – and with it has come renewed interest in the beloved mid-day […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
Aquidneck Island Romancing: 30 ways to treat your partner for Valentine’s Day, all uniquely from Newport County
In the mood for love? Romance is made easy with these offerings of activities, gifts, and dinners. Mix and match your way to a perfect date night, week, or month as you shower your loved ones with love, appreciation, and admiration. Remember to plan ahead and make reservations, check dates, and shipping times (if applicable) […]
Posted inNews
Charter Books to welcome Author Laird Hunt February 6 at 6PM
Story by Ruthie Wood Newport’s indie bookstore, Charter Books, is celebrating the release of Float Up, Sing Down, the new collection of short stories from Laird Hunt, in an evening with the author on February 6 at 6PM. Set in the same rural Indiana town as his 2021 novel Zorrie (a National Book Award Finalist), […]