by JULIE TREMAINE
Sound Session
Carnival Parade
and Block Party
Sounds of
Summer
Celebrate Providence’s
diversity at this
weeklong festival
In July, Providence turns up the volume for
Sound Session, a weeklong music and cultural
festival that will literally have you dancing in
the streets. Bands in all genres—from hip-hop
ave
Date
ELMWOOD DOWNTOWN
Living Art Reel Streets
the
Daily Through Thursdays
Sept. 7 Through
The Roger Williams
September
Park Zoo gives new
Watch Movies on the
meaning to live art
Block Thursdays at
installation with
dusk, downtown at
“Flutterby: Butterflies
Grant’s Block. Make
in Bloom.” Wander
sure to catch an open-air
through a greenhouse
film presented by direc-
filled with butterflies
tor Michael Corrente
and appreciate some
(Outside Providence,
of nature’s beauty.
American Bu alo).
rwpzoo.org
shopdowncity.com
CITY GUIDE
Providence
to rock-and-roll to jazz—hit stages throughout
the city, July 5–11. From the small, funky Providence Black Repertory Company to the grand
Providence Performing Arts Center to outdoor
shows at Waterplace Park, there’s live music
happening all week, and most of it is free.
The week’s festivities culminate with the
Carnival Parade, an all-day celebration of
the city’s diverse influences, featuring massive parade floats and enough excitement to
have you wondering whether they rescheduled Mardi Gras this year. The extravagant
costumes alone (handmade by a Trinidadian
master seamstress) are enough reason to
check out this exciting event that’s bringing
Providence national and international attention. providencesoundsession.com.
Providence’s
Silver Screen
Get your minutes of fame at
the Rhode Island
International Film
Festival, which
lights up the city
Aug. – . The
largest film festival
in New England,
it features world
premières of movies from America
NEWPORT
Black Ships
Coming
July 16–19
East meets west at the
Black Ships Festival, a
celebration of all things
Japanese in the City by
the Sea. The weekend’s
festivities include taiko
drumming, sumo wres-
tling, a sake and sushi
sail, plus a kite sail at
Fort Adams State Park.
newportevents.com
CITYWIDE
Foodie’s
Paradise
July 5–18
The Renaissance City is
also a foodie’s para-
dise—sample its gour-
met fare (on the cheap)
during Providence Res-
taurant Weeks. Lunch
and dinner prix-fixe
bargains let you taste
what’s cooking around
town. providence
restaurantweeks.com
and abroad. Three
of last year’s featured films were
nominated for this
year’s Academy
Awards, and one
of them, Toyland,
won an Oscar.
Screenings take
place all over the
city and have been
known to draw
some big names in
the movie business. So, even if
you’re not going
to check out the
festival, make sure
to keep an eye out
for celebrity sightings that week.
film-festival.org.
DOWNTOWN
A Fool’s Errand
Aug. 15
Don’t miss Foo Fest,
the annual fundraiser
hosted by AS220, a
favorite gallery space,
performance center and
arts hub, filling Empire
Street with art installa-
tions, musical perfor-
mances, games, cabaret
acts and one huge dance
party. as220.org
