Summer in
the City
Forget the beach—there’s too
much going on this summer
While everyone is flocking to the coast, the
city savvy can avoid all that beach traffic, stay
home and still find great summer fun. In just a
few blocks, downtown has enough entertainment to keep you busy every day of the week.
In the Downcity shopping district, spend
an afternoon browsing unique fashion and
home stores such as Queen of Hearts and
Heir Antiques, sampling gourmet edibles
at Farmstead and fine wines at Eno (which
hosts complimentary, in-store wine tastings
Friday and Saturday afternoons) or enjoying
an alfresco meal at Tazza, with live music
nightly. Thursday evenings, head to Grant’s
Block for Movies on the Block, a free, open-air showing of a popular movie, chosen by
ave
Date
EAST SIDE
Far East
the
Through July
Travel east—way
east—with “Moun-
tains and Rivers: Scenic
Views of Japan” at the
Rhode Island School of
Design Museum of Art.
risdmuseum.org
EAST BAY
Living History
July 5
America’s oldest
Independence Day
parade hits the streets
of Bristol, which pro-
claims itself one of the
country’s most patriotic
to wns, for the 225th
time this year. A week-
end of festivities before
the Monday parade
includes fireworks.
july4thbristolri.com
CITY GUIDE
Providence
American Buffalo director Michael Corrente
and projected onto the side of a building.
shopdowncity.com
Just a few blocks away in Kennedy Plaza
are daily outdoor events perfect for filling
a lunch break or leisurely afternoon. From
a weekly farmers market to the Brown Bag
Music Series to artisan bazaars, there’s something happening every day in this buzzing
hub. kennedyplaza.org
The biggest, most popular outdoor event
in Providence, however, is WaterFire, the
spectacular art installation and festival that
illuminates the Providence River on Saturday
nights. Stroll the river, watch performance
artists such as the unforgettable Living Statues,
listen to live music, ballroom dance under the
stars, indulge in outdoor food—or, for Romantics, spend a WaterFire evening floating the
river on a gondola. It’s an experience you
won’t soon forget. waterfire.org.
The Rhythm of
Providence
The newest thing
to bring Provi-
dence into the
national spotlight
is Sound Ses-
sion, a weeklong
multicultural
music festival.
All over the city,
July 18–24, see
concerts from well-
established local
acts and nationally
known musicians.
These shows,
ranging from rock
and reggae to folk
and Latin jazz, also
feature artists,
spoken-word per-
formances and cul-
tural celebrations.
DOWNTOWN
Get Real
July 2 and
Aug. 6
Love a good story?
The ones told at
Perishable Theatre’s
Live Bait: True Stories
from Real People, a
monthly evening of live,
unscripted storytelling,
are everything from
heartbreaking to
hilarious. perishable.org
NEWPORT
Ahoy, Matey
July 10 and
Aug. 14
Today, the City by the
Sea is a scenic vacation
spot for boaters and
landlubbers alike, but
it wasn’t always so.
Learn Newport’s darker
history on the Pirates
and Scoundrels walking
tour.
newporthistorytours.org
CITYWIDE
Rhode Island’s
Silver Screen
Aug. 10–15
See next year’s hit mov-
ies at the Rhode Island
International Film
Festival. The largest
film fest in New England
is one of 63 qualifying
events for the Oscars.
Screenings and meet-
the-filmmaker events
take place all over the
city. film-festival.org
