Party at the
Culture Club
The melting pot of Rhode Island
Though it’s the smallest state in the Union,
Rhode Island also plays host to a diverse
demographic that reflects the vast array of eth-nic-ities that make up the United States. To
celebrate the contributions of these cultures
to the state, the Rhode Island Preservation and
Heritage Commission presents the 31st Annual
Heritage Festival on Sept. 20. The all-day event,
ave
Date
the
DOWNTOWN
Gone to
Market
Sept. 6–Oct. 25
Visit the city’s only
open-air market for
fresh local produce, fine
arts and artisan-made
goods—and parking is
free! 617-481-2257; prov
idenceopenmarket.com
DOWNTOWN/
EAST SIDE/ WEST SIDE/
WICKENDEN STREE T
Up for Gallery
Night?
Sept. 18, Oct. 16
Crash Gallery Night’s
monthly visual arts
party and visit 19 of
the city’s hottest
museums and gal-
leries. 401-490-2042;
gallerynight.info
CITY GUIDE
Providence
which takes place on the State House lawn
in Providence, plays host to over 15 groups
representing many of the cultures that call
Rhode Island home, including African-Americans, Cape Verdeans, Chinese, Japanese,
Turks, Scots and Swedes. Tents will be set up
across the lawn, where attendees can learn
more about these cultures and sample their
foods and arts and crafts, and a main stage will
feature musical performances and traditional
dances throughout the day. A children’s tent
will also give younger visitors a chance to
expand their knowledge of the world and its
people through storytelling and song. A full list
of the attending subcommittees and special
guests can be found at the Heritage Commission’s website. 401-222-4133; preservation.ri.gov.
Dragons in
Pawtucket
For nearly a decade, the Pawtucket Arts Festival
has been celebrating the culture and
heritage of Rhode
Island’s Chinese
community by
conducting dragon
boat races on the
Seekonk River as
part of the Taiwan
Day festival. The
2,500-year-old tradition pits teams of
19 to 23—including
EAST SIDE
Come On-A My
House
Through Oct. 31
Tour the home of
Stephen Hopkins,
nine-time governor
of Rhode Island and
signer of the Declara-
tion of Independence;
Saturdays and Sundays
only. 401-421-0694;
stephenhopkins.org
EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE
Ocean State
Terror!
Oct. 23–28
Just in time for Halloween, the Rhode Island
International Horror
Film Festival returns
for its eighth year of
new cinematic chills.
401-861-4445;
film-festival.org/
Horror_ri.php
a drummer who
keeps time for
the paddlers—in
1,000-foot water
races using ornate
boats (featuring
fearsome dragons
on their prows) to
capture a flag and
claim $1,000 cash
prizes and trophies.
As in previous
years, the 2008
edition, which takes
place Sept. 6, is
free and will feature
several special-interest competitions, including a
cancer awareness
race and a bout
between local
police, fire and corrections officers.
For information on
the Pawtucket Arts
Festival, visit paw
tucketartsfestival.
org. 401-724-2200
or 800-454-2882;
dragonboatri.com.
DOWNTOWN
Get Pixilerated
Oct. 2–12
Artists and musicians
converge for Pixilera-tions, a festival of digital
media and interactive performances
taking place at several
locations across Providence. 401-421-4278;
first worksprov.org
