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 […]
Arts & Culture
A look at What’s Up in arts and culture in Newport, Rhode Island, and beyond.
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 […]
Posted inNews
Choreographing consent: Meet Rhode Island’s intimacy director
Valerie Remillard is an Intimacy Director. What’s that, you ask. Read on… Just prior to the pandemic, she directed a production of “Almost, Maine” at the Community Players in Pawtucket. The show is actually nine short plays stapled together, exploring love and loss in a mythical Maine town called Almost. “There is intimacy in every […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum to open ‘Play / Pretend’ exhibition in May
The Newport Art Museum will open a new exhibition this spring that examines the role of play and imagination across a lifetime. Play / Pretend opens May 7, 2026, with a free public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition runs through Jan. 31, 2027. “Play is how people first learn to engage with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Contemporary Ballet brings two productions to Barrington this month
Newport Contemporary Ballet is heading to the Keats Theatre this month with two productions: a world premiere contemporary ballet program and a returning family favorite. The company presents Polygon March 13-15 and Are The Crayons Quitting? March 14-15. Polygon features world premiere works by three choreographers — DaYoung Jung, rehearsal director of Oklahoma City Ballet; […]
Posted inHistory
On This Day In History – March 4, 1754: Benjamin Waterhouse, smallpox vaccine pioneer, born in Newport
On this day in history, March 4, 1754, Benjamin Waterhouse, a pioneer of the smallpox vaccine, was born in Newport, Rhode Island. Dr. Waterhouse was a physician, co-founder, and professor at Harvard Medical School. He is well-known for being the first doctor to test the smallpox vaccine in the United States, which he carried out […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical announces two free spring community concerts
Newport Classical will present two free community concerts this spring as part of its Community Concerts Series presented by BankNewport, featuring PROJECT Trio in April and Toomai String Quintet in May. PROJECT Trio will perform Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. at Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn St. The genre-blending trio, praised by Downbeat Magazine […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater celebrates Irish culture all month long with concerts, film and dance
The Jane Pickens Theater is marking the St. Patrick’s Day season with a month of Irish music, film and dance, including live concerts, a family-friendly animated film and a cult-classic horror screening. The festivities kick off Friday, March 13, with a concert by Turas, a traditional Irish band whose name means “journey” in Irish. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hot Tuna, Yasmin Williams & William Tyler among latest Newport Folk Festival additions
Hot Tuna, the legendary blues duo born out of Jefferson Airplane, will make its first-ever appearance at the Newport Folk Festival this summer, organizers announced this week. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady, both Rock and Roll Hall of Famers who have been playing together for more than half a century, are set for […]
Posted inNews
Sail Newport lecture to explore maritime escapes on the Underground Railroad
While most scholarship on the Underground Railroad has focused on overland escape routes, a forthcoming lecture at Sail Newport will shed light on a lesser-known path to freedom: the sea. Historian, author and professor Dr. Timothy D. Walker will present “Sailing to Freedom” on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Sail Newport, 72 Fort […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Puddingstone Music brings Grammy-winning cellist to Jamestown Arts Center in March
Puddingstone Music will present a special off-island musical salon in collaboration with the Jamestown Arts Center on Saturday, March 14, at 4 p.m., featuring Grammy-winning Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko in an afternoon of music and dance. The program, titled “Common Threads: Folk, Bach, and Beyond,” explores how music can sustain connection, courage and hope through […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport String Project to present free concert at Ochre Court
The Newport String Project will present a free community concert at Ochre Court at Salve Regina University on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m., featuring its resident ensemble alongside internationally acclaimed guest musicians. The centerpiece of the program will be Frank Bridge’s String Sextet in E flat Major, a sweeping work first performed in 1912 […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to screen ‘Solo Mio’ with filmmaker Q&A on Feb. 26
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center (The JPT) will host a special screening of Solo Mio, a new romantic comedy starring Kevin James, on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m., featuring a live introduction and post-film Q&A with the film’s directors. The 97-minute film follows a groom left stranded and heartbroken in Rome after […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to host Princess June record release, SNACKTIME 4/20 show this spring
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center has announced two spring concerts: a record release party for Newport-based folk trio Princess June on March 5 and a 4/20 celebration headlined by Philadelphia seven-piece SNACKTIME on April 18. Princess June Princess June — singer-songwriters Myah Strauser, Griffin Keeffe and Telli Quinn — will perform their debut […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical brings Schubert, Baroque music to Recital Hall in March
Newport Classical will present two concerts this month as part of its 2025-2026 Chamber Series, featuring internationally acclaimed baritone Benjamin Appl and Baroque ensemble Ars Poetica at the Newport Classical Recital Hall. Appl, accompanied by pianist James Baillieu, will perform Franz Schubert’s Die Winterreise on Friday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. The song cycle — […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Salve Regina University to Host Free Panel Discussion on America’s Founding Ahead of Nation’s 250th Anniversary
Salve Regina University will host a free public panel discussion exploring the history of America’s founding and the enduring relevance of its founding ideals on Tuesday, March 3, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the O’Hare Academic Building on Shepard Avenue in Newport. The event, titled “America 250,” comes as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Brandi Carlile, CMAT among latest additions to 2026 Newport Folk Festival lineup
Brandi Carlile is heading back to Fort Adams. The multi-Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is among the latest acts announced for the 2026 Newport Folk Festival, where she will perform songs from her critically acclaimed eighth studio album, “Returning to Myself.” Carlile is set to appear on Sunday, July 26. “We are beyond excited to announce that Brandi […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to honor Diane Keaton and Robert Redford in new film series
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center is paying tribute to two of cinema’s most enduring icons with a pair of curated film series celebrating Diane Keaton and the late Robert Redford. The two installments of the theater’s JPT Collection series will run from late February through May, screening some of the most celebrated films […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical launches first-ever poster competition for 2026 summer music festival
Newport Classical is calling on artists, designers and creatives to submit original artwork for a chance to design the official poster for its 2026 summer music festival. The organization announced its first-annual poster competition this week, inviting submissions that could become a defining image of the festival season. The winning design will be displayed around […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Love Story’ is revealing just how much Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s style has endured
By TRACEE M. HERBAUGH Associated Press Grainy paparazzi shots on social media show her hailing a cab in a black slip dress. Walking the streets of New York in an oversize coat. Wearing that signature red lipstick. Nearly three decades after her death at age 33, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is back in the spotlight as […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Westerly’s Jen Christina is living her best life in ‘Six’
Westerly’s Jen Christina spent three years on tour with the traveling company of “Annie.” “I was very happy being home in Rhode Island,” she said in our recent phone interview. “I was finally settled in after being on the road for three years, settling into my groove.” But after six months being home, she got […]
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
Marc Roberge of O.A.R. coming to The JPT in April
Marc Roberge, frontman of multi-platinum alt-rock band O.A.R., will bring his solo tour to The JPT Film & Event Center on Wednesday, April 29. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Presented by Spectacle Live, the evening promises a more intimate experience than a typical O.A.R. concert. Roberge’s solo shows feature stripped-back renditions of O.A.R. fan favorites, a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Folk Festival adds Lauryn Hill, Lizzy McAlpine, Gillian Welch to growing 2026 lineup
The 2026 Newport Folk Festival lineup is taking shape, with organizers steadily unveiling artists over the past two weeks in the event’s signature rolling announcement style. One of the biggest names yet came Tuesday, when five-time Grammy winner Ms. Lauryn Hill was confirmed for the festival’s opening day. “We are honored to announce that Ms. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Preservation Society to host panel on legacy of landmark 1974 sculpture exhibition
The Preservation Society of Newport County will host a panel discussion March 6 at Rosecliff exploring the legacy of “Monumenta,” the pioneering 1974 outdoor exhibition of modern sculpture, and its influence on contemporary art. “An Inside Look at the ‘Full Circle’ Exhibition” is inspired by the exhibition currently on view in the Rosecliff galleries. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Maquette of George T. Downing statue to be unveiled at Newport Art Museum
Rhode Island Slave History Medallions will unveil a maquette of a planned 8-foot bronze statue of George T. Downing at an Oyster Fest reception Feb. 28 at the Newport Art Museum. The event, held in recognition of Black History Month, runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and supports RISHM’s $250,000 campaign to complete the fabrication […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra to present ‘Tradition vs. Innovation’ concert March 8
The Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra will explore the tension between classical tradition and musical innovation when it takes the stage for its winter concert on Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m. at East Providence High School. Guest conductor Zeke Fetrow will lead the orchestra through a program spanning more than a century of orchestral […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Little Feat to headline 29th annual IYRS Summer Gala in Newport
Little Feat, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based band known for blending rock, funk, folk, jazz and New Orleans swamp boogie, will headline the 29th annual IYRS Summer Gala on Saturday, July 11. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the IYRS School of Technology & Trades campus, 449 Thames St. The performance will be part of […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Michele Gallagher: America’s love affair with coffee dates back to Colonial times
A friend recently gifted me Robert Mastin’s newly published book, Liberty Call: When Newport Was Home to the Atlantic Fleet. As an enthusiastic student of local history — and someone raised in a military family — I read every word. Much has been written about Newport’s Colonial and Gilded Age eras. Far less has been […]
Posted inNews
38th Annual Newport Winter Festival returns February 13-22 with new WienerFest competition
The 38th Annual Newport Winter Festival returns February 13–22, bringing ten days of live entertainment, culinary competitions, and family-friendly events to venues across the City by the Sea. Billed as “New England’s Largest Winter Festival,” the annual celebration kicks off Friday, February 13, with a performance by Bennie & The Jets, an Elton John tribute […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Nate Smith named new artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival
Nate Smith, the drummer, producer and bandleader who won two Grammy Awards earlier this month, has been appointed the new artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, the Newport Festivals Foundation announced Wednesday. Smith will serve a three-year term beginning with this year’s festival, set for July 31 through Aug. 2 at Fort Adams State […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Middletown library to host talk on Black history of Aquidneck Island ahead of new center’s opening
A new center dedicated to Black history on Aquidneck Island will open on Juneteenth, and Middletown residents can get a preview later this month. Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society, will give a presentation titled “Recovering and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ragged Island Brewing Co. to host third annual music festival in Portsmouth this June
Ragged Island Brewing Co. will bring live music back to the meadows this summer with its third annual Ragged Island Music Festival, presented by Northeast Alternatives, on Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14. The two-day, family-friendly festival at the Portsmouth brewery and farm at 54 Bristol Ferry Rd. will feature a full stage with professional sound […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Public Library director to be featured guest at Arts Around the Fire
Ann Amaral, the new director of the Newport Public Library, will be the featured guest at the next Arts Around the Fire, a monthly networking event hosted by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County. The event will take place Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Gilded Age Orchestra to ‘Celebrate America 250’ with concert at Rosecliff
A 30-piece professional orchestra will fill Rosecliff’s legendary ballroom with patriotic music later this month as part of a program marking America’s 250th anniversary. The Gilded Age Orchestra of Newport will present “Celebrate America 250” on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bellevue Avenue mansion. The concert, hosted by the Preservation […]
Posted inInstagram
Grace Kelly bringing “Joy Party” tour to The JPT in August
Saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly will bring her 20th anniversary tour to the JPT Film & Event Center on Friday, Aug. 13, at 8 p.m. Presented by Spectacle Live, “Grace Kelly: It’s Grace’s Joy Party” is a high-energy performance blending jazz, pop, funk, R&B and dance. Known for her captivating vocals and vibrant saxophone playing, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Historical Society to debut “Occupied!” exhibition exploring Revolutionary War occupations
The Newport Historical Society will open a new exhibition next week exploring the three military occupations of Newport during the Revolutionary War. “Occupied! Newport and the Fight for Independence” debuts Thursday, Feb. 19, in the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center. The exhibition, which is part of the society’s ongoing programming to commemorate the 250th anniversary […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Puddingstone returns to Belmont Chapel with “From Salon to Tango” performance
Puddingstone Music will return to Belmont Chapel next month with a program that spans centuries of musical tradition, from the refined elegance of 18th century salons to the fiery passion of the modern tango. Harpist Amanda Romano Foreman and flutist Clint Foreman will perform “From Salon to Tango” on Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum launches the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society
The Newport Art Museum has launched the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society, a new fund designed to support dynamic and ambitious exhibition programming at the Bellevue Avenue institution. The initiative, first previewed at the opening of the Members’ Show Exhibition, will be shared with the broader museum community at the upcoming Julie Keyes Gallery Pop Up […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hayley Williams & Friends announced as first act in 2026 Newport Folk Festival lineup
The Newport Folk Festival unveiled the first act in its rolling 2026 lineup Thursday, announcing that Hayley Williams & Friends will perform on the opening day of the three-day event. Williams, the Paramore frontwoman, is set to take the stage Friday, July 24, at Fort Adams State Park, where the iconic festival will celebrate its […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Panel of R.I. preservation leaders to discuss ‘America 250 and Beyond’ at Rosecliff
Six of Rhode Island’s top preservation and history leaders will gather at Rosecliff on Thursday, Feb. 12, to explore how the nation’s semiquincentennial will shape commemorative activities, inclusive storytelling and preservation efforts across the Ocean State. “America 250 and Beyond: Perspectives from Preservation Leaders,” hosted by The Preservation Society of Newport County, will run from […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Save The Bay announces date for 50th annual swim across Narragansett Bay
Save The Bay will host its 50th annual swim on Saturday, Aug. 8, challenging hundreds of athletes to cross 2 miles of open water from Newport to Jamestown. The flagship fundraiser will begin at the Naval War College in Newport and finish in Potter Cove in Jamestown. Registration opens Monday, March 2. “Since 1977, The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Standing at the CUSP of Newport’s Art Scene: Curtis Speer, CUSP Gallery, and the Newport Artists Collective
For 2026, on the advice of a wise mentor, I’m expanding the scope of my WUN Voices column from exclusively spotlighting women-led organizations’ “Voices” to include the Voices of all Rhode Islanders doing ground-breaking work that is making an outsized impact in the smallest state.” Enter Curtis Speer I recall sitting at a Greater Newport […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Tiverton Public Library selected to host Declaration of Independence replica
Tiverton Public Library has been selected as one of only six locations nationwide to host a replica of the Declaration of Independence, officials announced Thursday. The library will display a replica of the 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence from Feb. 19 through July 7 as part of the “Creative Freedom” […]
Posted inArts & Culture
newportFILM to host special screening of ‘The Bend in the River’ with director Robb Moss
newportFILM and the Jamestown Arts Center will host a special screening of “The Bend in the River” on Thursday, Feb. 5, featuring a post-film conversation with director Robb Moss. The documentary chronicles five close friends over nearly 50 years. Beginning in 1978, Moss documents his friends’ outdoor, rent-free life during a rafting trip through the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Aquidneck Island Land Trust announces student art and writing contest winners
The Aquidneck Island Land Trust has announced 29 student winners in its 2025 Art & Writing Contest, an annual competition that promotes the importance and value of conserving open spaces. Students at Aquidneck Island schools and those who reside on the island were invited to enter artwork or written work depicting their favorite local vista. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Verona Quartet to make Newport Classical debut on Feb. 20
The Verona Quartet will perform at the Newport Classical Recital Hall on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the organization’s 2025-2026 Chamber Series. The concert marks the ensemble’s Newport Classical debut. The program will trace a stylistic arc beginning with Scarlatti’s Baroque sonata and Augusta Read Thomas’s “Clara’s Ascent,” followed by Janáček’s Kreutzer […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Van Beuren Charitable Foundation awards grant to Newport Children’s Theatre for costume expansion
Newport Children’s Theatre has received a grant from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation to purchase professional theatrical costumes and expand its inventory of period and specialty pieces. The grant will allow the nonprofit youth theater organization to stage productions featuring up to five costume changes per performer, according to a news release from the organization. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown Arts Center exhibition celebrates early childhood creativity through play
Jamestown Arts Center will dedicate its winter galleries to an exhibition exploring how young children learn and create through play. “Picturing Play: Playful Learning in Early Childhood” runs Jan. 31 through March 28 at the arts center, located at 18 Valley Street. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Rhode Island Art Education Association, features […]
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House of Waves brings ‘Situations’ to The JPT for a one-night Newport screening
This Friday night, Newport audiences are invited to gather for a special one-night screening of Situations, presented by House of Waves at the iconic Jane Pickens Theatre. The film marks the feature directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Greg Vrotsos, who also co-wrote and stars in the project. Doors open at 6:00 PM, with the film beginning […]
Posted inColumns
Caught off guard: Involuntary discharge and why it belongs in your aging plan
Recently, I was working with The Edward King House Senior Center, The Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) and Age-Friendly Rhode Island to bring an invitation-only screening of the film Involuntary and a panel discussion to Newport. While this screening has been postponed, one thing became clear to me: many people don’t know what […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Salve Regina dance program to present ‘Soul Traffic’ at the Casino Theatre
Salve Regina University’s dance program will present “Soul Traffic” at the Casino Theatre Feb. 5-7. Directed by Lindsay Guarino, chair of Salve’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, the performance explores how the soul finds its way through chaos toward connection, revealing the inner intersections where emotion, memory and identity collide. The program features guest […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater announces three spring concerts, opens Oscar-nominated ‘Hamnet’ this weekend
The Jane Pickens Theater is kicking off a busy stretch of programming with the opening of the eight-time Oscar-nominated film “Hamnet” today and the announcement of three live concerts coming to the historic venue this spring. The theater’s latest concert lineup features Newport-based folk trio Princess June on March 5, traditional Irish ensemble Turas with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
DeBlois Gallery to host 2026 Aquidneck Island high school art show in memory of Rosemary Day
DeBlois Gallery will present the 2026 Annual Aquidneck Island High School Art Show in Memory of Rosemary Day from Feb. 12-22, celebrating the artistic talents of local high school students. The show opens with a gala reception on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 4-7 p.m., with awards presented at 5:30 p.m. The exhibition will remain on […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island may ditch Mr. Potato Head license plates after Hasbro’s move to Boston
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — It’s been no small potatoes that Rhode Islanders have been able to choose the image of Mr. Potato Head as a specialty license plate for decades. Yet with Hasbro’s decision to move its headquarters from the smallest state in the U.S. to Boston, two lawmakers say it’s time to hash […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Theatre Review: ‘Suffs’ is a standing ovation-worthy triumph at PPAC
It’s hard to believe, but women didn’t have the right to vote in American elections until 1920. And it took a movement of determined women to win that right. That’s the focus for “Suffs,” now on stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Suffs is short for suffragists, the women leading the movement to win […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Folk Festival tickets go on sale Feb. 4
Mark your calendars, folk fans. Tickets for the 2026 Newport Folk Festival will go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 1 p.m. EST, the Newport Festivals Foundation announced. The three-day festival returns to Fort Adams State Park from July 24-26, bringing music lovers back to the scenic waterfront venue overlooking Newport Harbor. All tickets will […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Silent cinema returns to The JPT with live musical accompaniment
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center will host two classic silent films with live musical scores this winter, offering audiences a chance to experience cinema as it was nearly a century ago. Accompanist Jeff Rapsis will perform live improvised synth-piano scores for both screenings: Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The British Invasion Years concert coming to The JPT in April
A tribute concert celebrating the iconic music of the 1960s British Invasion era is headed to Newport this spring. Spectacle Live will present “The British Invasion Years — A ’60s Musical Revolution” on Sunday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at the JPT Film & Event Center. Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Marty Supreme’ wraps up this week at The JPT as ‘Hamnet,’ special events line the calendar
The JPT Film + Event Center has a packed schedule over the coming weeks, with the final showings of the critically acclaimed “Marty Supreme,” the opening of Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao’s latest film and a lineup of special events. Now playing: ‘Marty Supreme’ “Marty Supreme,” directed by Josh Safdie, stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Review: ‘Clue’ delivers exactly what we need right now
You know Clue. You played Clue in your youth – the murder mystery board game. You may have seen the movie from 1985, starring Madeline Kahn and Christopher Lloyd, among others. And now, you can see “Clue,” live on stage at PPAC. I must admit, I went in with reservations, What could this 75-minute, intermission-free […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport String Quartet brings music from around the world to Jamestown and Newport
The Newport String Project will present the third weekend of its Newport County Concert Series on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m. at Jamestown Arts Center and Sunday, Feb. 8, at 3 p.m. at Trinity Church’s Honyman Hall in Newport. The concerts will feature the project’s resident ensemble, the Newport String Quartet — Ealaín McMullin […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Breakers to offer free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The Preservation Society of Newport County will offer free admission to The Breakers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Gilded Age mansion, a National Historic Landmark built from 1893 to 1895 as the summer home of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family, will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, with […]
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
Michael Rose returns to judge Spring Bull Gallery’s 35th annual Fakes and Forgeries exhibition
Spring Bull Gallery will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its popular Fakes and Forgeries exhibition with an opening reception Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bellevue Avenue gallery. Art curator and writer Michael Rose will serve as this year’s judge, marking his third time selecting winners for the long-running show. Rose previously judged […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown Arts Center to host immersive projection art experience at JAC Frost winter bash
The Jamestown Arts Center will host its second annual JAC Frost celebration on Saturday, Jan. 24, featuring an immersive projection art installation by Providence-based digital artist Julio Berroa. The event, running from 7 to 10 p.m., promises an audio and visual art experience complete with a DJ and dance party. Berroa, who has created large-scale […]
Posted inNews
What’s up in Newport County: Wednesday, January 14
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. South wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight: Showers likely, mainly between 8pm and 2am. Patchy fog between […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Tiverton Library Foundation announces 2026 speaker series
The Tiverton Library Foundation has announced its 2026 speaker series, a six-month program featuring authors, designers and a former U.S. ambassador. The series kicks off Feb. 11 with author and photographer Christine Chitnis. The following month, global brand designer Mikel Folcarelli and landscape architect John Gwynne will present on March 11. Ambassador Chris Hill will […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County brings back youth aquatics program
Youth aquatics programming has returned to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County thanks to a partnership with the Wellington Resort. The resort is providing pool access while the nonprofit continues renovation and expansion work at its central clubhouse at 95 Church St. Programming resumed this fall and includes community swim offerings such as […]
Posted inArts & Culture
BTS to play Gillette Stadium for first time in August
Global pop group BTS will bring their massive world tour to Gillette Stadium on Aug. 5 and 6, marking the first and largest headline K-pop concert ever held at the venue. The South Korean group announced the 79-show tour Tuesday, their first headline performances together since 2022. The tour, promoted by Live Nation, will span […]
Posted inArts & Culture
RI VegFest returns to Providence for sixth year in February
RI VegFest, one of the East Coast’s largest fully vegan festivals, returns to WaterFire Arts Center on Feb. 21 and 22 for its sixth year celebrating plant-based eating and living. The 2026 event will feature more than 90 vegan and vegan-friendly food and beverage producers, restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, artists and makers from Rhode Island […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Arts Around the Fire to feature RI250 Commission program coordinator
The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County’s monthly networking event, Arts Around the Fire, continues on Wednesday, Jan. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd. West. The free event will feature Lauren Fogarty, program coordinator for the RI250 Commission. Fogarty will share an overview of the commission’s plans for […]
Posted inNews
What’s up in Newport County: Tuesday, January 13
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 44 degrees. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Tuesday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 40 degrees. South wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts […]
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What’s up this weekend in Newport County: Jan. 9-11
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events this weekend in and around Newport. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Live Music & Entertainment Friday, January 9 Busker’s Irish Pub: Live music at 8 p.m. Johnny’s Restaurant: Stu Krous at 7 p.m. Narragansett Cafe: Eddy’s Shoe at 8 p.m. Newport Blues […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Save The Bay opens registration for summer camps on Narragansett Bay
Registration opened Thursday for Save The Bay’s BayCamp, a week-long summer program that immerses young people in the marine environment of Narragansett Bay. The camps, offered for students who have completed grades K-12, take place in Providence, Newport, Wickford and Bristol. They focus on environmental and marine sciences while allowing campers to explore shorelines and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bruno Mars announces first headline tour in nearly a decade, including Gillette Stadium stop
Bruno Mars is hitting the road for his first full headline tour in nearly a decade, and New England fans will get a chance to see the global superstar when he performs at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Sept. 5. The tour, announced Thursday, will support Mars’ long-awaited fourth solo album, “The Romantic,” […]
Posted inCity & Government
Innovate Newport announces partnership with Photo Guild of Newport
Innovate Newport is teaming up with the Photo Guild of Newport to present a curated photography exhibit aimed at blending art with the city’s entrepreneurial community. The exhibit, titled “Visions of Newport County,” will be displayed on the third floor of Innovate Newport’s coworking space and will include an opening reception. The partnership positions the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Theatre By The Sea announces 2026 summer season
Theatre By The Sea has announced its 2026 summer season, featuring four musicals at the historic seaside playhouse. Owner and producer Bill Hanney will open the season with “Little Shop of Horrors,” the sci-fi musical comedy about a hapless floral assistant who discovers a carnivorous plant with sinister intentions. The show runs May 28 through […]
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New docuseries exploring Rhode Island’s coastal ecosystem premieres Friday
A new documentary series celebrating Rhode Island’s coastal wildlife and conservation efforts premieres Friday on Ocean State Media. “Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast” debuts with its first episode, “Secrets of the Seagrass,” at 8 p.m. Jan. 9 on WSBE. The episode will be followed by a re-run of “Chasing Fins,” a short documentary about […]
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What’s up in Newport County: Tuesday, January 6
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Tuesday: Cloudy, with a high near 38. Light and variable wind becoming north around 6 mph in the morning. Tuesday night: Rain likely, mainly between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Cloudy, with […]
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Emmy award-winning ocean explorer Richard Vevers to speak at Sail Newport on Jan. 15
Sail Newport will host Emmy award-winning storyteller and ocean explorer Richard Vevers for “An Ocean (RE)Introduction” on Thursday, Jan. 15, as part of its Challenger Lecture Series presented by Hinckley Yacht Services. Vevers, who played the lead role in the Netflix documentary “Chasing Coral,” will share the surprising reality of the ocean and how it’s […]
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Adequoyah Kamali Josephine Mathews on growing whole thoughts on the cost of silence
“Now is the time to step up, speak out, and lead with conviction. Be the change. Be the voice. Be the difference.” The call is timeless; the voice behind it belongs to 17-year-old Rhode Islander, Adequoyah Kamali Josephine Mathews. As our conversation unfolded it became clear to me that she doesn’t look at life through […]
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Puddingstone to present internationally acclaimed Sitkovetsky Trio at Rough Point
Coming off a sold-out holiday double-header concert at Redwood Library, the Puddingstone chamber music series returns to Rough Point mansion on Jan. 27 with a performance by the internationally celebrated Sitkovetsky Trio. Known as one of today’s foremost piano trios, violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, cellist Isang Enders and pianist Wu Qian have earned critical acclaim and […]
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What’s up this weekend in Newport County: Jan. 2 – 4
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events this weekend in and around Newport. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Live Music & Entertainment Friday, January 2 Busker’s Irish Pub: Live music at 8 p.m. Johnny’s Restaurant: Briana White at 7 p.m. Narragansett Cafe: Live music at 8 p.m. Newport Blues […]
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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 […]
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‘Full Circle’ exhibition to reunite Monumenta artists at Rosecliff
A new exhibition opening in February will revisit one of the world’s first large-scale outdoor sculpture shows through the work of artist Richard Fleischner and his contemporaries. “Full Circle: Richard Fleischner with David Smith, Christo, Claes Oldenburg, Barnett Newman, & other Monumenta Artists” runs Feb. 6 through May 3 at Rosecliff. The exhibition marks 51 […]
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What’s up in Newport County: Tuesday, December 30
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around […]
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What’s up this weekend in Newport County: Dec. 26-28
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events this weekend in and around Newport. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Live Music & Entertainment Friday, December 26 Busker’s Irish Pub: Live music at 8 p.m. Johnny’s Restaurant: Briana White at 7 p.m. Narragansett Cafe: The Sunshine Melodies at 8 p.m. O’Brien’s […]
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“Twas The Night Before Christmas” and its ties to Newport
Photo Credit: oddthingsiveseen.com Did you know that one of the most popular and well-known Christmas poems, “Twas The Night Before Christmas”, has ties to Newport? “Twas the night before Christmas” was written by Clement Clarke Moore and first published anonymously in 1823 as “A Visit From St. Nicholas”. At the time the poem was published, Moore was […]
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‘Twas the night before Christmas’ helped make the modern Santa – and led to a literary whodunit
Melissa Chim, General Theological Seminary (Originally published: December 16, 2021) The poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” better known by its opening line “‘Twas the Night before Christmas,” has a special place among Christmas traditions, right alongside hot chocolate, caroling and bright lights. It has also inspired the modern image of Santa Claus as a […]
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Christine Baranski and Skylark bring ‘A Christmas Carol’ to life at The Breakers
Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski joined forces with Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble Skylark to perform a live reading of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at The Breakers on Friday evening. The sold-out performance in the mansion’s Great Hall drew more than 200 people and took place on the 182nd anniversary of the story’s first […]
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What’s up in Newport County: Tuesday, December 23
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Tuesday: A chance of snow before 9am, then rain. Patchy fog after 10am. High near 41. West wind 7 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. […]
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What’sUpNewp, The JPT hosting annual ‘Christmas Vacation’ party with live music, cookies
What’sUpNewp and The JPT Film & Event Center are bringing back their annual National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation party on Tuesday, December 23. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a live concert by David Tessier’s All Star Stars, featuring a holiday rock set. The 1989 comedy follows at 7:30 p.m. Complimentary Christmas cookies are included […]
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What’s up this weekend in Newport County: Dec. 19-21
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events this weekend in and around Newport. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Live Music & Entertainment Friday, December 19 Busker’s Irish Pub: Live music at 8 p.m. Johnny’s Restaurant: Stephen Hodgman at 7 p.m. Narragansett Cafe: Live music at 8 p.m. Newport Blues […]