Pulitzer Prize-winning author Liaquat Ahamed will explore the causes and consequences of the Panic of 1873 in a talk at Rosecliff on Monday, June 15, at 6 p.m. Ahamed will discuss his new book, “1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World.” The Panic of 1873 hit the United […]
Arts & Culture
A look at What’s Up in arts and culture in Newport, Rhode Island, and beyond.
Posted inThings To Do
20 Military Memorials, Monuments and Markers you should visit in Newport
These memorials, monuments, and markers throughout Newport, Rhode Island document the trials, tribulations, battles, historical events, and those Newporters lost while at a battle. We hope that this will inspire you to visit an important marker, monument, and memorial that more than likely has been an integral piece of our city and nation’s history. 1 – […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Umbrella Sky returns to Brick Market for fourth season with “Flowers in Bloom” theme
The Umbrella Sky art installation returns to Brick Market Place for a fourth consecutive year, opening May 23 with a new theme transforming the sky into a floating garden. This season’s theme, “Flowers in Bloom,” features colorful umbrellas painted with bold botanical designs. The theme extends throughout the installation, incorporating garden trellises and vibrant hanging […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Historical Society to open Center for Black History on Juneteenth
The Newport Historical Society will open the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History on Juneteenth 2026, marking what the society calls a transformative step toward a more inclusive telling of the city’s history. Developed in partnership with Newport’s Black community, the center will serve as a hub for research, scholarship, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
RENEWport launches Semiquincentennial 250 Archival Project to preserve Newport youth reflections
RENEWport has launched the Semiquincentennial 250 Archival Project, inviting local youth to share their reflections on the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The project, in collaboration with the Newport Historical Society, Newport Public Schools and the East Bay MET School, will preserve students’ reflections and their hopes for the future. Submissions are […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Theatre By The Sea opens 2026 summer season with “Little Shop of Horrors”
Theatre By The Sea will open its 2026 summer season with “Little Shop of Horrors,” running May 28 through June 20 at the historic Wakefield playhouse. The musical, with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, follows hapless floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, who pines for his coworker Audrey while nursing a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
For “The Lion King’s” Rafiki, a role in five languages and counting
Zama Magudulela had to think for a minute before declaring, “I’m the only one.” Magudulela is on tour as Rafiki, the mandrill shaman in “The Lion King,” the Disneymusical opening this week at the Providence Performing Arts Center. “Out of all theRafikis in the world,” she said in a recent interview, “I’m the first one […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater announces Memorial Day weekend lineup headlined by “Saving Private Ryan” screening with WWII Foundation Q&A
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center will mark Memorial Day weekend with a lineup of comedy, live music and classic films, headlined by a special Memorial Day screening of “Saving Private Ryan” in partnership with Rhode Island’s World War II Foundation. The Steven Spielberg film, winner of five Academy Awards including Best Director, will […]
Posted inArts & Culture
This Day in RI History: May 20, 1959 – Susan Cowsill is born
Happy Birthday to Newport’s own Susan Cowsill! The youngest member of the popular family band The Cowsills, who charmed TV audiences in the late 60’s, turns 65 on May 20th. Cowsill was born in Canton, Ohio in 1959, but moved to Newport as a child. She sang and danced on many Top 40 Cowsills hits […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rogers and Middletown students bring “Chicago: Teen Edition” to new Rogers auditorium May 29-30
The joint Rogers and Middletown High School Theater Company will bring “Chicago: Teen Edition” to the stage on May 29 and 30, marking the first musical production in Rogers High School’s new state-of-the-art auditorium. Both performances are at 7 p.m. at Rogers High School, 15 Wickham Road. Tickets are $10 and will be available at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
“Jaws” returns to The JPT for annual summer parties starting May 29
Amity Island is coming back to Washington Square. The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center will once again kick off summer with its annual “Jaws” party on Friday, May 29, before returning the Steven Spielberg classic to the big screen for three more screenings in July. The annual celebration of the 1975 blockbuster, presented in […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Newport Classical Music Festival returns July 2-19 with 30 concerts across 11 venues
The Newport Classical Music Festival will present 30 concerts across 11 venues from July 2 through 19, the organization announced Thursday, marking its 57th year showcasing classical music in some of Newport County’s most iconic settings. Performances will take place at The Breakers, The Elms, Castle Hill Inn, Blithewold Mansion, Rosecliff Mansion, Redwood Library and […]
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Jamestown Arts Center to host game show–style artist talk May 17
The Jamestown Arts Center will trade the conventional artist talk for buzzers and games when it presents “The ‘Next’ Contestant,” an experimental, game show–style program on Sunday, May 17. The event runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and is described as part panel discussion, part improv. Rather than a moderator leading questions from the audience, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Author Michael Klein to discuss ‘Happiness Ruined Everything’ at Jamestown Arts Center
Local author Michael Klein will discuss his new essay collection, “Happiness Ruined Everything,” during an evening event at the Jamestown Arts Center on Tuesday, May 12. The talk, presented by Newport’s Charter Books in collaboration with the arts center, will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 18 Valley St. RSVPs are encouraged for the pay-what-you-can […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Arts & Cultural Alliance opens nominations for LeRoy White Soul & Conscience Award
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County and the White Family Foundation are accepting nominations for the fourth annual LeRoy White Soul & Conscience Award, a $5,000 prize given each year to a musician whose life or art contributes to and connects the community. Musicians may apply on their own behalf or be nominated […]
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Puddingstone Summer Music Festival returns to Newport for second year
Puddingstone has announced the program for its second annual Summer Music Festival, which will run June 21-27 at the Casino Theatre on Freebody Street. Following last year’s sold-out inaugural festival, which spread performances across the Redwood Library, Rough Point and the Colony House, the 2026 edition consolidates programming at a single venue with five concerts […]
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French naval officer to discuss French Social Model at Portsmouth library May 17
The Alliance Française de Newport will host a talk by Commandant Igor Maury, the French naval officer assigned to the Naval War College in Newport, on Sunday, May 17. The program will run from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Road, in the library’s Michael W. Mello Program […]
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Newport Classical to close Chamber Series with pianist James Zijian Wei and a flute-piano duo
Newport Classical will wrap its 2025-2026 Chamber Series with two concerts at the Newport Classical Recital Hall, beginning with a solo recital by pianist James Zijian Wei on Friday, May 8, and closing with a flute-and-piano program by Amir Hoshang Farsi and Mika Sasaki on Friday, June 5. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the […]
Posted inColumns
Gerry Goldstein: These ‘smiths’ worked the forge of language
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths, Enwrought with gold and silver light… I would spread the cloths under your feet: But I, being poor, have only my dreams: I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. That poem,which so touchingly captures the vulnerability of love, is by […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown Arts Center to host third annual Mark S. Weil lecture on Gauguin’s influence
The Jamestown Arts Center will host the third annual Mark S. Weil Art History Lecture on Sunday, May 3, featuring art historian Elizabeth C. Childs of Washington University in St. Louis. The lecture, titled “Why Gauguin Matters: Artistic Response from Matisse to Global Contemporary Art,” will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at the arts […]
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Tom Petty tribute band The Breakers to play Newport’s JPT in October
The Breakers, a tribute band devoted to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will perform at the JPT Film & Event Center in Newport on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. The show, presented by Spectacle Live, will be held at the historic Washington Square venue, formerly the Jane Pickens Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Contemporary Ballet to premiere ‘The Tempest’ in Providence next month
Newport Contemporary Ballet will stage the world premiere of choreographer Joshua L. Peugh’s adaptation of “The Tempest” at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence on May 14, 15 and 16. All three performances begin at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $48. Peugh’s ballet adapts Shakespeare’s late comedy, which centers on the exiled magician Prospero, […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
NIMFest returns to Newport’s King Park Gazebo with free Sunday concerts in July and August
The Newport Independent Music Festival is back for another summer of free waterfront concerts, with eight Sunday afternoon shows on tap at the King Park Gazebo in July and August. Better known as NIMFest, the series will run from 3 to 6 p.m. each Sunday, weather permitting, at the gazebo at 125 Wellington Ave. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Joanne Shaw Taylor to play Newport’s JPT Film & Event Center in July
Blues-rock guitarist and vocalist Joanne Shaw Taylor will take the stage at The JPT Film & Event Center this summer, Spectacle Live announced Monday. “An Evening With Joanne Shaw Taylor” is set for Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Washington Square venue. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 1, at 10 a.m. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Quononoquott Garden Club’s annual plant sale returns to Jamestown May 9
One of Jamestown’s most beloved springtime traditions returns next month, as the Quononoquott Garden Club hosts its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9. The sale will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fort Getty Pavilion on Fort Getty Road and will be held rain or shine, according to the club. Shoppers can […]
Posted inColumns
A Newport heiress’s gift to nature endures at Norman Bird Sanctuary
The Ocean State is rich with natural treasures, and many would agree that Aquidneck Island is one of its crown jewels. Among its brightest gems is the teardrop-shaped Norman Bird Sanctuary, which has welcomed residents and visitors of all ages for nearly a century. A Modern-Day Natural Gem Formed Over Millennia According to the organization’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater adds encore ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ premiere party after first night sells out
After tickets to its original premiere party sold out in record time, the Jane Pickens Theater: Film & Event Center has added an encore community celebration for “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” giving Newport audiences another chance to see one of the year’s most anticipated sequels. The Friday, May 1 event is designed as a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Historical Society to host Revolutionary-era concert at Colony House
Newport’s yearlong commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence continues next week with a live concert of music from the Revolutionary era at one of the city’s most historic buildings. The Newport Historical Society will host music historians David and Ginger Hildebrand on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. at The Colony House, the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Theatre By The Sea swaps out ‘On Your Feet!’ for world premiere Carole King-James Taylor tribute
Theatre By The Sea will host the world premiere of a new Carole King and James Taylor tribute concert this summer, replacing the previously announced production of “On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan” on its 2026 season. Owner Bill Hanney announced the change Tuesday, calling it an opportunity he could not […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Movement meets medicine: ‘Dance for All People’ documentary to screen at Newport Art Museum
A 12-minute documentary that captures the inside story of an intergenerational dance program uniting Rhode Island seniors, Brown University undergraduates and future physicians will screen next month at the Newport Art Museum, giving audiences a close-up look at how movement is being woven into medical education. “Dance for All People — A Movement and Medicine […]
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Puddingstone Music launches ‘Jazz at The Redwood’ series with Paul Cornish concert May 27
Puddingstone Music is expanding its salon series with a new jazz-focused partnership at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, launching with a May 27 concert featuring Blue Note Records pianist Paul Cornish. Dubbed “Jazz at The Redwood,” the series will present both up-and-coming and internationally known jazz artists in the library’s intimate Harrison Room. The collaboration […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Jazz Festival to unveil 2026 lineup Tuesday, tickets on sale same day
The Newport Jazz Festival will unveil its 2026 lineup on Tuesday, April 21, with tickets going on sale the same afternoon for what will be the first festival under newly appointed Artistic Director Nate Smith. The festival returns to Fort Adams State Park on July 31, Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, marking its 72nd year […]
Posted inArts & Culture
“The Gilded Age” returns to Newport for season 4 filming
HBO’s “The Gilded Age” is returning to Newport to film its fourth season, the Rhode Island Film & TV Office announced Thursday. The Emmy-winning drama, created by Lord Julian Fellowes of “Downton Abbey” fame, is set in 1880s New York City and Newport. Season four will feature returning stars Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, […]
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Fort Adams offers free guided tours for kids during April school vacation week
Families looking for something to do during April school vacation week have a free option at one of Newport’s most storied landmarks. The Fort Adams Trust is offering free guided tours for children under 17 at Fort Adams from April 18-26, the trust announced Thursday. The promotion applies exclusively to guided tours, and children must […]
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Newport Art Museum hosts artist panel tied to ‘Springboard’ exhibition April 16
The Newport Art Museum will host the second installment of its two-part InConversation panel series on April 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Ilgenfritz Gallery, bringing together four artists from its current Members’ Juried Exhibition Springboard for a wide-ranging moderated discussion. Voices of Springboard will be led by Julie Keyes, the show’s juror and founder of Keyes Art, a global art […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport NewWorks announces lineup for second annual musical theater festival
The Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival has announced its 2026 lineup, bringing three original musicals to Newport this summer as the two-year-old festival continues to build the city’s reputation as a destination for new theatrical work. Co-founders and co-artistic directors Peilin Chou and Jeanne Hagerty announced Tuesday that this year’s festival, set for Aug. 2-16, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island marks America’s 250th with veterans flights, liberty trees, WaterFire and more
As the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July 4, Secretary of State Gregg Amore and the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission are inviting the public to take part in a year’s worth of events celebrating the state’s unique role in the American Revolution. The calendar […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Island Rhodes Music Festival to debut at Centreville Bank Stadium in August
A new music festival is coming to Rhode Island this summer, with Centreville Bank Stadium set to host the inaugural Island Rhodes Music Festival on Aug. 15-16. The two-day event will be the first-ever concert festival at the Pawtucket waterfront venue, which sits on the banks of the Seekonk River. Headliners include Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport String Quartet to perform Bach, Glass and Schumann at Rough Point and Little Compton
The Newport String Project will present the fourth installment of its Newport County Concert Series on Saturday, May 2, at Rough Point in Newport and Sunday, May 3, at United Congregational Church in Little Compton. Both performances feature the project’s resident ensemble, the Newport String Quartet — violinists Ealaín McMullin and Kenneth Trotter, violist Florrie […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown a cappella ensemble Accidental Sisters makes its Newport debut at Channing Memorial Church on May 10
Accidental Sisters, a women’s world music a cappella ensemble based in Jamestown, will make its Newport debut at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10 at Channing Memorial Church, 135 Pelham St. The concert, titled “About Time,” runs through 5:30 p.m. and is free by donation. Founded in September 2009 and directed by Julie Beth Andrews, the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island’s indie bookstore passport program returns, sending readers on a statewide literary road trip
Three Rhode Island independent bookstores are relaunching a statewide program that challenges readers to visit every indie bookshop in the state — and rewards those who pull it off. The Rhode Island Independent Bookstore Passport Adventure, first launched in 2019, returns April 18 and runs through April 26. Passports are free and will be distributed […]
Posted inArts & Culture
newportFILM to screen ‘Lowland Kids’ at Rogers High School’s new auditorium on April 16, with proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund
newportFILM will present a special screening of “Lowland Kids” on Thursday, April 16, at Rogers High School Auditorium, 15 Wickham Road — marking the organization’s first screening in the school’s newly built auditorium. Presented in partnership with the Rogers High School PTO and the Newport Public Education Foundation, the event will benefit the Rogers High […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Carol Montgomery built ‘Funny Women of a Certain Age’ to give older female comics a stage — and the laughs haven’t stopped since
Carol Montgomery was sitting in a podcast with three older female comics. “I honestly don’t remember” their names, she said recently. “I’m 68 years old. I can barely remember my own name.” She does remember it was very funny. “It was done in the basement of someone’s house. She had food. We were eating and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Kimberly Akimbo’ star Ann Morrison on playing a teenager at 70: ‘I’m just an actor who’s having fun’
When I spoke with Ann Morrison, who’s starring in “Kimberly Akimbo” that’s coming to the Providence Performing Arts Center on May 5, she was celebrating her 70th birthday. “I feel like a 16-year-old,” she said, “but my 70-year-old body is lagging. I remember when my dad was 88, he sat down in his chair and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Cynthia Nixon to discuss ‘The Gilded Age’ and her career at An Evening with Cynthia Nixon at The Breakers on April 26
Cynthia Nixon, the Emmy, Tony and Grammy award-winning actor known for her roles in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and “Sex and the City,” will appear in conversation at The Breakers on Sunday, April 26, in an event hosted by the Preservation Society of Newport County. The evening will feature Nixon discussing her portrayal of Ada […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Salve Regina University dance program to present ‘Currents’ at the Casino Theatre April 16-18
The dance program at Salve Regina University will bring its spring concert, “Currents,” to the Casino Theatre, 9 Freebody St., for three performances April 16-18. The program is described as a journey through the forces and undercurrents that shape human experience, with faculty and student choreographers exploring themes of resistance, personal freedom and collective empowerment […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Sings to present annual Song Fest on May 2 in Portsmouth
Newport Sings will present its annual Song Fest on Saturday, May 2, at 4 p.m. at Portsmouth Middle School, 125 Jepson Lane. The concert will feature four ensembles. The Newport County Youth Chorus, made up of students in grades one through six, will perform songs about nature from their session “Songs of the Earth.” The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rolling Stones tribute band Classic Stones Live coming to The JPT on June 26
Classic Stones Live, a Rolling Stones tribute act, will perform at The JPT Film & Event Center in Newport on Friday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. The eight-piece band is led by Keith Call, who portrays Mick Jagger, alongside Bernie Bollendorf as Keith Richards. The show recreates the Rolling Stones’ catalog in original tunings, with attention […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Vague on specifics, NPAC executive confident of raising millions to reopen opulent former opera house
In multiple exchanges of emails, we posed several questions to Melissa Caldwell Quinn, managing director of the Newport Performing Arts Center. This is another in our ongoing series on the opera house restoration project that is now approaching 25 years. WUN: Is this still a viable project? If not, what happens now? If it is, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The JPT brings cult classics, Paul Thomas Anderson films and a live rock night to Newport this April
The Jane Pickens Theater is bringing a lineup of cult classics and acclaimed films to its Washington Square screen this month, highlighted by a special one-night-only event pairing live rock music with one of cinema’s most beloved mockumentaries. On April 16, the JPT will screen “This Is Spinal Tap,” Rob Reiner’s classic satire of rock […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Judy Collins adds second Newport show to farewell tour, performing June 13 and 14 at the JPT
Judy Collins will perform two nights at the JPT Film & Event Center in Newport on June 13 and 14 as part of her “Sweet Judy Blue Eyes” Farewell Tour, with a second show added due to demand. Both performances begin at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 10, at 10 a.m. at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Restoration Foundation’s new executive director to headline final Arts Around the Fire event of the season
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County will wrap up its Arts Around the Fire series for the season on Wednesday, April 15, with a conversation featuring Hilary Fagan, the new executive director of the Newport Restoration Foundation. The free event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd. West, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County accepting applications for $2,000 Tinney Family Arts Scholarship
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County is accepting applications for the Tinney Family Arts Scholarship Award, a $2,000 scholarship given each May to a Newport County high school senior who has demonstrated artistic talent and plans to continue studying the arts. The scholarship is open to seniors attending any high school in Newport […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘The Outsiders’ national tour brings Broadway to Providence with a 20-year-old newcomer in the lead
Nolan White is on the road in the national tour of “The Outsiders,” in the lead role of Ponyboy Curtis. “I’m 20 in real life,” he said in our recent phone call, “playing a 14-year-old. I guess I look pretty young.” For those who never read the novel or saw the 1983 movie, “The Outsiders” […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Inside ‘The Gilded Age’ tours return to Newport Mansions this spring
Fans of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” will have a chance this summer to step inside the Newport Mansions that serve as backdrops for the Emmy-winning period drama. The Preservation Society of Newport County is offering its Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour on Tuesdays and Fridays only, from May 12 through Aug. 28. The guide-led experience […]
Posted inArts & Culture
PPAC reveals its 2026/2027 season — and all six Broadway shows are new
On Tuesday morning, the management team at the Providence Performing Arts Center unveiled its 2026/2027 season in the theater’s grand lobby. Alan Chille, PPAC’s new president and CEO, first announced the Broadway season, sponsored by The Taco and The White Family Foundation. Chille was excited that all six of these shows are new: Operation Mincemeat […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The High Kings bring Rocky Road Tour to The JPT in July
Ireland’s leading folk group, The High Kings, are coming to Newport this summer as part of their Rocky Road Tour 2026. Spectacle Live will present the concert at The JPT Film & Event Center on Thursday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 3, at 10 a.m. and are available at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Michele Gallagher: A spotlight on modern-day women who are unearthing Revolutionary history
“Behind the Lines: Unsung Women of the American Revolution” was a full-weekend lecture series held in mid-March in Portsmouth, hosted by the Brigade of the American Revolution and sponsored by the Debra Najecki Endowment at Portsmouth Friends Church. The conference brought together dozens of authors and historians to highlight the crucial, often overlooked roles women […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The JPT launches ‘Films of Future Past’ sci-fi series this spring
The Jane Pickens Theater is stepping into the future by looking back at it. The historic Newport cinema will launch Films of Future Past, a curated science fiction series spotlighting prescient cult classics that once depicted speculative worlds but now feel unsettlingly familiar. The seven-film series kicks off Thursday, April 2, with a 4K restoration […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to screen silent film classics with live musical accompaniment this spring
Two landmark films of the silent era will return to the big screen this spring at the Jane Pickens Theater, accompanied by live musical performances from noted silent-film musician and historian Jeff Rapsis. The special screenings — part of a series designed to recreate the early moviegoing experience — will take place April 1 and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Charter Books to host Columbia Journalism School professor Nicholas Lemann for book talk in Newport
Charter Books and the Loeb Visitors Center will host an evening with author and Columbia Journalism School professor Nicholas Lemann on Tuesday, April 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. at 50 Spring St. in Newport. Lemann will discuss his latest book, “Returning: A Search for Home across Three Centuries,” which was published March 24. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Providence Culinary Collective returns March 26-29 with expanded lineup
The Providence Culinary Collective will return for its second year March 26-29, featuring an expanded lineup of chefs, wine experiences and culinary events at locations throughout the city. Building on last year’s inaugural festival, which featured more than a dozen sold-out events, the 2026 edition adds new programming including an elevated wine tasting experience, award-winning […]
Posted inArts & Culture
This Day in RI History: March 25, 1903, musician Frankie Carle born in Providence
Francis Nunzio Carlone (Frankie Carle) was born in Providence on March 25, 1903. A keyboardist in the big band era, Carle was fronting his own band by 1935, when he became known as the “Wizard of the Keyboard.” His most well-known composition was “Sunrise Serenade,” which rose to #1 on the charts in 1938 selling […]
Posted inArts & Culture
newportFILM and Salve Regina release study on teen social media habits, launch media literacy initiative at Thompson Middle School
newportFILM and Salve Regina University have released the results of a pilot study on teen social media use and media literacy, conducted with 55 eighth-grade students at Thompson Middle School last fall — and are now seeking to expand the program that grew out of it. The study, conducted in fall 2025 by 20 Salve students as part […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical Music Festival announces 30 concerts across 11 venues for its 57th season
Newport Classical’s 57th summer music festival will bring 30 concerts to 11 venues across Newport from July 2-19, 2026, the organization announced Tuesday. Tickets go on sale to the general public on April 8 at 10 a.m. at newportclassical.org/music-festival. The festival opens July 2 at The Breakers with Delirium Musicum, a self-conducted chamber orchestra described […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown Arts Center opens solo exhibition by François Poisson this spring
A decade’s worth of art rooted in political unease, national identity and the act of bearing witness comes to Conanicut Island this spring when Jamestown Arts Center opens In the Zeitgeist, a solo exhibition by Worcester-born, Maine-based artist François Poisson. The show runs April 10 through June 13 and features work Poisson created over the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
This Day in RI History: March 23, 1948, Musician David Olney born in Providence
David Olney was born in Providence on March 23, 1948. In the 1970s and 1980’s he was a member of several bands including Simpson and the X-Rays, a band that once appeared on PBS TV’s “Austin City Limits.” A Nashville institution since the 1980s, Olney was best known as an “Americana pioneer” writing songs for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical to present world premiere of new violin work inspired by Washington’s letter to Newport Hebrew Congregation
Newport Classical will present the world premiere of a new violin work inspired by one of Newport’s most celebrated historical documents when violinist Yevgeny Kutik and pianist Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner take the stage Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn St. The program features the premiere of Scattered Light, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Pride announces full lineup of June 2026 events
Newport Pride has announced its lineup of events for Pride Month 2026, kicking off June 2 and culminating in a full weekend of festivities later in the month. The month begins with the annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on Tuesday, June 2. The event starts with a sidewalk parade from Equality Park — home of […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Salve Regina professor to explore legacy of Ireland’s Blasket Islands at Newport Irish History lecture
The Museum of Newport Irish History will present the fifth and final talk of its 24th Annual Lecture Series on Monday, March 23, at 6 p.m. at the Wyndham Newport Hotel, 400 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, and via Zoom. Dr. Sean O’Callaghan, an associate professor at Salve Regina University, a native of Ireland and an Irish […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Preservation Society of Newport County announces plan to sell, transfer parts of its collection
The Preservation Society of Newport County announced Wednesday a deaccession initiative aimed at strengthening its permanent collection by removing items that no longer align with the organization’s interpretive mission. The initiative covers the organization’s wide-ranging permanent collection, which includes paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics, silver, textiles, tapestries, photographs and period dress housed across its 11 historic […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Arts Around the Fire to welcome new Newport Classical executive director March 18
The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County will welcome Oliver Inteeworn, the newly appointed executive director of Newport Classical, as its featured guest at the next Arts Around the Fire networking event on Wednesday, March 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd. West. Inteeworn comes to Newport Classical from […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Judy Collins to bring farewell tour to Jane Pickens Theater in June
Folk legend Judy Collins will bring her farewell tour to the Jane Pickens Theater on Sunday, June 14, with showtime set for 7 p.m., Spectacle Live announced Monday. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 20, at 10 a.m. at janepickens.com or by calling 1-800-657-8774. The Newport show is part of Collins’ “Sweet Judy Blue Eyes” […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport’s Opera House has been under renovation for 25 years. It’s still not open.
When first conceived, organizers were exuberant about the possibilities a reopened historic opera house on Newport’s Washington Square would bring to the community. The Newport Performing Arts Center project received more than $4.2 million, second largest of nine grants from a 2014 Creative and Cultural Economy Bond. Randy Rosenbaum, then executive director of the Rhode […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to screen three noir classics in 4K, paired with pinot noir tastings this spring
The Jane Pickens Theater is inviting film lovers to step into the shadows this spring with a series of three landmark noir and neo-noir films screening in 4K restorations, each paired with a curated pinot noir tasting in the lobby before showtime. The series kicks off March 24 with the 50th anniversary screening of Martin […]
Posted inArts & Culture
This Day in RI History: March 16, 1976 Blu Cantrell born in Providence
R&B/Soul singer-songwriter and Providence native Blu Cantrell was born Tiffany Cobb on March 16, 1976. Her mother, Susi Franco, a former “Mrs. Rhode Island,” was an actress and jazz artist. From Wikipedia: Cantrell rose to fame in 2001, with the release of her debut single, “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)”, which peaked at number two […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Historical Society offers limited-edition flags to mark America’s 250th anniversary
The Newport Historical Society is inviting residents and property owners to show their civic pride ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday with the purchase of a limited-edition “witness flag” — a handcrafted pennant honoring the city’s outsized role in the American Revolution. The flags, locally made by Maritime Tribes of Fall River, bear the semiquincentennial […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport’s 70th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade set for Saturday
The 70th annual Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 11 a.m. Saturday from Newport City Hall, 43 Broadway, with staging beginning at 9 a.m. The route will travel down Broadway into Washington Square, south onto Thames Street, onto America’s Cup Avenue and back onto Thames Street, ending on Carroll Avenue at St. Augustine’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Movies and TV shows casting in Rhode Island
The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities’ Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Sail Newport to host J/Boats president Jeff Johnstone for lecture on company’s 50-year history
Sail Newport will host Jeff Johnstone, president of Newport-based J/Boats, Inc., for a lecture tracing the company’s five decades of sailboat design on Thursday, April 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Fort Adams State Park. The event, part of Sail Newport’s Challenger Lecture Series presented by Hinckley Yachts, comes as J/Boats approaches its 50th anniversary. Johnstone […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
This Day in RI History: March 13, 1799 -Oliver Shaw born in Newport
Oliver Shaw was one of the first important American classical composers. Due to a childhood accident and later a case of yellow fever, he was totally blind when he composed many of his most notable works. His works included many references to local places including “Taunton,” “Bristol” and “Trip to Pawtucket.” Shaw also composed numerous […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Mansions’ ‘Sessions’ music video series features local duo Laden Valley at The Elms
The Newport Mansions’ new music video series “Sessions” continues this month with a live performance from Newport-based roots-folk duo Laden Valley, recorded at The Elms mansion. The video is available now on the Newport Mansions YouTube channel at youtube.com/@newport.mansions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkSk8NXxR9c Laden Valley — Evan St. Martin and Dave Sarazen — draw on the sonic palette […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Puddingstone Music kicks off spring concert series at Rough Point on April 15
Puddingstone Music returns to Rough Point mansion for an intimate concert on Wednesday, April 15, at 7 p.m., opening its spring series with “This Love Between Us,” a program of song and chamber music inspired by composer Reena Esmail’s meditation on shared humanity. The evening features soprano Katharine Dain, Grammy Award-winning violist Caitlin Lynch and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Forum Lodge to celebrate Irish and Italian heritage with Gaelic & Garlic dinner March 18
Forum Lodge #391, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, will host its annual Gaelic and Garlic Celebration of Irish and Italian Heritage on Wednesday, March 18, at Vasco da Gama Hall, 15 Fenner Ave. Held in memory of Ralph J. Gizzi, the evening features corned beef and potatoes, pasta and sausage, Irish and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport OUT brings Spring Break Drag Brunch to Stoneacre Brasserie on March 22
Newport OUT is bringing its Spring Break Drag Brunch to Stoneacre Brasserie on Sunday, March 22, with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. and the show beginning at 11 a.m. The event will be hosted by Provincetown’s “Neon Queen,” Mackenzie, with performances by Ladda Nurv, Lucy Diamonds and Kennedy Plaza. Tickets are $58 per person and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Norman Bird Sanctuary kicks off spring with lineup of hikes, lectures, and family events
The Norman Bird Sanctuary is welcoming spring with a series of events designed to connect the community with the natural world, from geology hikes and stargazing to wildlife encounters and family open houses. The season kicks off Thursday, March 19, with a Golden Hour Geology Hike from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., exploring the ancient rock […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Gamm Theatre brings Shakespeare directly to students with new outreach program
Joey Del Santo is Director of Education & Community Programs at the Gamm Theatre in Warwick, and he’s excited about the theater’s newest program. Del Santo hopes that Gamm on the Go will be an “easier and more accessible way to engage students.” Until recently, if any school program wanted to see a show at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Charter Books to host NYT bestselling author Julian Sancton for book talk March 29
Charter Books and the Newport Historical Society will host New York Times bestselling author Julian Sancton for a discussion of his newly released book, “Neptune’s Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire,” on Sunday, March 29, from 5 to 6 p.m. The event at Charter Books, 8 Broadway, is free and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day parade marks 70th anniversary Saturday
Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates its 70th anniversary Saturday, March 14, with thousands expected to line the streets of downtown for the annual tradition. The parade steps off promptly at 11 a.m. in front of City Hall, rain, snow or shine, winding through Washington Square, down America’s Cup Avenue and Thames Street before finishing […]
Posted inArts & Culture
This Day in RI History: March 9 – Jeffrey Osborne is born
Born in Providence, Jeffrey Osborne is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and musician who hails from a legendary RI musical family. Osborne began his career in 1970 as lead vocalist for L.T.D., a popular R&B band founded in the early 1970’s. He later began a solo career, where he was nominated for several Grammy Awards. Osborne […]
Posted inHistory
This Day in RI History: March 7, 1707 – Stephen Hopkins born in Providence
March 7, 1707, was the birthday of Stephen Hopkins, perhaps the most famous Rhode Islander from the colonial period. One of the most accomplished politicians in the state’s history, Hopkin’s resume was impressive. It included four terms as Governor of the Rhode Island colony, President of the Scituate Town Council, Chief Justice of the Rhode […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Wicked’ at PPAC is spellbinding, start to finish
When I interviewed Jessie Davidson last month, I asked her if the two “Wicked” movies helped or hindered the stage version of the show, in which she’s playing Elphaba. “The movie brought ‘Wicked’ to so many.” She said she meets young people at the stage door after performances who say seeing “Wicked” live was their […]