Get inspired by Providence and the greater-Providence region by touring the many museums, historic walking tours (or how about a ghost tour), local stores, and culinary delights. This is also the best time of the year to enjoy the changing of the season and the explosion of colors as the leaves turn. Check out a list of state beaches, state parks, and bike paths for an exciting adventure. Below are a few of our recommendations for events and adventures that you can explore this weekend.
Thursday, October 3
Festival Ballet Providence presents: Together We Dance 3
Dance fans, don’t miss this great event to kick off Festival Ballet Providence’s 36th season. Internationally renowned ballet stars – along with Festival Ballet Providence (FBP) company and school dancers – take the Vets stage for a one-night-only gala performance.
One of our favorite annual events at Roger Williams Park Zoo, check out Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, a fundraiser which supports the zoo’s environmental education programs, conservation efforts, & zoo improvements. 5,000 pumpkins on display.
Friday, October 4
Benefit Street: Walk a Mile of History
It’s the perfect time of year for an afternoon stroll down Benefit Street to admire the rich history of colonial Providence. The East Side of Providence, particularly Benefit Street, is renowned for its quintessential New England historic architecture. Join the Rhode Island Historical Society for a Fall walk down Benefit Street and discover the past that makes this community so vibrant in the present. Created “for the benefit of all,” this colonial thoroughfare boasts one of the most extensive collections of 18th and 19th century urban architecture in the country.
Weekly Salon at Providence Athenaeum
The Providence Athenaeum is a unique library and cultural center located on historic Benefit Street that was founded as “The Athenaeum” in 1836. It is an independent, member-supported library open to the public that welcomes and enriches the educational and cultural pursuits of its members and the community and encourages a diverse public to engage in spirited conversation such as their weekly salons on Friday evenings. This weeks salon, which is free and open to the public, features historian Thom Bassett as he explores some of President Abraham Lincoln’s contradictions, inconsistencies, and even failures regarding race during the Civil War and in his truncated plans for reconstruction in his discussion, “The Flawed Emancipator: Lincoln, Race, and Narratives of Freedom.”
Trinity Repertory Company presents: The Grapes of Wrath
Check out Providence’s regional theater, now in its 50th season, located at the historic Lederer Theater Center in downtown Providence. Running nightly through October 6, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath at Trinity Rep is a great idea for a night out.
Saturday, October 5
Click on the calendar for even more options. Be sure to check out our Dining out in Providence page for a list of suggested restaurants to visit throughout the day!
There’s so much to do at WaterFire! Stop by the WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza on Washington Street where you can view and purchase locally made glassware, jewelry, paintings, photography, clothing and more. Inca Son, the internationally acclaimed, award winning music and dance group, will be performing at Union Plaza, performing enchanting melodies on their Andean pan-flutes. Be mesmerized The Gargoyles and the Oracles from Ten31 Productions at the World War Memorial in Memorial Park. Share a dedication with the world in honor or remembrance of a loved one and light a Luminaria Candle Lantern. This WaterFire lighting is made possible by our Sponsor: Webster Bank
Hop on/Hop Off Shuttle helps you get around Providence easier!
No need to worry about finding a parking spot on a busy night! The folks over at Experience RI have introduced a “hop on, hop off” shuttle that travels throughout Providence from 5pm to 1am every Saturday night. Tickets will entitle you to unlimited hop on/hop off service all night long from 5pm – 1am at locations throughout the city. This is a great way to get around Providence and experience all that our charming city has to offer plus a portion of the proceeds benefit WaterFire.
Sunday, October 6
Providence Performing Arts Center: Once
Winner of 8 2012 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. The travelling cast comes through Providence and the beautiful Providence Performing Arts Center in downtown Providence.
Other Events Around Town:
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