Celebrate in April

by Elizabeth Morse Read

After the most miserable winter evah at the tail-end of a two-plus-year Covid-19 hibernation, it’s time to emerge into the sunshine and warmth of spring on the South Coast!

Celebrate Easter (April 17) and Earth Day (April 22), and the return of all the flowers, early vegetables and woodland critters. Gather with your family, friends and neighbors to once again enjoy local theatre, concerts and outdoor events!

Everything’s Coming Up Daffies!

Step into Spring during Daffodil Days at Blithewold Gardens in Bristol April 16-24 (blithewold.org) or throughout April during Newport’s Daffodil Days (newportdaffydays.com).

Pack a picnic and stroll through the daffodils and tulips at the whimsical Green Animals Topiary Gardens in Portsmouth (newportmansions.org)!

Get ready for spring and summer at the 72nd Rhode Island Home Show, with the Flower and Garden Shows and Energy Expo April 7-10 at the Rhode Island Convention Center (ribahomeshow.com)!

Make your reservation now to wander through the spectacular fields of daffodils at Parsons Reserve in Dartmouth (dnrt.org)!

Family Activities

Don’t miss the Asian Lantern Spectacular April through July at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence – larger-than-life illuminated lanterns of animals and mythical creatures (rwpzoo. org/lanterns)!

Take the whole family to the free Herring Run Festival at Oliver Mill Park in Middleboro on April 9-10! Food, games, music and beer garden (discovermiddleborough.com).

Hop over to the Easter EGGStravaganza at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford on April 9, 10 and 16 – bring your own basket (bpzoo.org)!

Head for Providence with the little ones to see “Peppa Pig Live!” April 21 at The VETS (thevetsri.com) or “Stars on Ice” at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on April 24 (dunkindonutscenter.com)!

Take the little ones to the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Livesey Park in North Fairhaven on April 16 – and check the calendar for the town’s Cherry Blossom Festival in late April or early May (fairhaventours.com).

Classical Acts

Don’t miss “Divine Fire” at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion on April 30, performed by the South Coast Chamber Music Series (nbsymphony.org).

Enjoy an afternoon of “Chamber Music in the Parlors” at the RotchJones-Duff Mansion in New Bedford on April 3, performed by members of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (rjdmuseum.org)!

Learn more about Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” at the Bristol BookFest April 1-2 at Linden Place in Bristol (bristolbookfest.com).

Listen to the Rhode Island Philharmonic perform “American Classics” at The VETS in Providence on April 8-9 (riphil.org).

Enjoy a performance of the Muir String Quartet on April 3 at Concerts at the Point in Westport (concertsatthepoint.org)!

Mark your calendar for the Plymouth Philharmonic’s performance of “Mysteries of the Heart” on April 30 at Memorial Hall in Plymouth (plymouthphil.org).

Watch the Festival Ballet Providence’s performance of “Blue Until June” on April 29-30 (festivalballetprovidence.org).

Listen to the Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s “Spring Concert: In Memoriam” on April 24 at BCC’s Jackson Theatre and on May 1 at St. Mary’s Cathedral (fallriversymphonyorchestra. org).

Food, Farms and Festivals

Raise a toast to springtime at the 10th Annual Newport Beer Festival on April 30 at Fort Adams State Park (ribrewersguild.org)!

Don’t miss the “All You Can Eat/All You Can Laugh” Italian Buffet and Comedy Show on April 1 at White’s of Westport, a benefit for Mercy Meals and More (shop. lafrancehospitality.com/collections/ events)!

Start the season of Open Farm Days on April 16 at Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth (roundthebendfarm.org)!

Eat Fresh, Eat Local! Fill your baskets with local produce, dairy products and artisanal foods! To find a farm, vineyard or farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, farmfreshri.org, coastalfoodshed.org or newportvineyards. com. To find food and wine events, go to farmcoast.com, coastalwinetrail.com or ediblesouthshore.com.

On the Road Again!

Dash through the daffodils in Newport on April 16 in the Newport Rhode Races – marathon, half marathon, 5K or beach mile (rhoderaces.com)! Register now for the Cinco de Mayo 5K in Wareham on May 1, or the Honor Thy Mother 5K in Lakeville on May 14 (southshorerace.com)! Get Healthy! “Walk With a Doc” on Saturdays at Buttonwood Park Zoo, part of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (nbewell.com). Sign up now for the Providence Marathon (and after-party!) on May 1 (providencemarathon.com). Go on a free guided Bird Walk at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown (normanbirdsanctuary.org)! Support your schools! Register now for

Enjoy the Outdoors!

“Discover Buzzards Bay” offers an online portal with information about 100+ public places to walk, bird-watch, kayak/canoe, fish, snowshoe or cross-country ski (savebuzzardsbay.org/discover). You can find other outdoor recreation spots along the South Coast at thetrustees.org, exploreri. org, massaudubon.org, asri.org, riparks.com or stateparks.com/ rhode_island.

the Newport 5K Night Run on April 9 (newportnightrun.com). Register now for Fairhaven’s West Island 5K Run/Walk on April 24 (westisland5k.org).

Sounds of the South Coast

Head for Plymouth’s Pilgrim Memorial Hall to hear One Night of Queen April 8, Get the Led Out April 14, Blue Oyster Cult April 22 and 10,000 Maniacs April 28 (memorialhall.com). Listen to the Kriol Kings perform on April 2 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter.com)! Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to hear The Beach Boys on April 3, Amos Lee April 12, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s “Hallucinations” April 16, and Weird Al Jankovic April 19 (zeiterion.org). Find out who’s on stage at the

Providence Performing Arts Center

– there’s Josh Groban April 2 and the International Portuguese Music Awards April 23 (ppacri.org). Head for The VETS in Providence to see Teresa Caputo Live! on April 10, Brit Floyd April 13, Bamako to Birmingham April 27 and Nate Bargatze April 28 (thevetsri. com)! Don’t miss Soul Asylum on April 30 performing in the Vault at the Greasy Luck Brew Pub in downtown New Bedford (vaultnb.com)! Find out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Arts of Greater Plymouth! Don’t miss the Paul Nelson Band April 1, Eileen Ivers April 2, Amy Helm April 8, Asleep at the Wheel April 9, Journeyman

April 15, David Wilcox April 22, and Spyro Gyra April 30 (spirecenter.org). Don’t miss Disco Dream April 15, Gold Rush April 22 or Eagles Experience April 23 at The District Center for the Arts in Taunton (thedistrictcenterforarts.com)! Head to the Narrows Center in Fall River to hear the Soul Rebels April 7, Marc Broussard April 8, Blood Brothers April 16, Hot Tuna April 23, and The Zombies May 1 (narrowscenter.com)!

The Shows Must Go On!

Don’t miss The Wilbury Group’s performances of “It’s (Not Quite) the End of the World” April 2-3 and Beckett’s “Krapp’s Last Tape” April 9-25 in Providence (thewilburygroup.org). Head for the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, one of the oldest barn summer stock theatres in America! Plan ahead for “The Sisters of Swing: The Andrews Sisters Musical” April 29-May 7 (pbtheatre.org). Buy your tickets early to see “Sueno” performed at Trinity Rep in Providence April 7-May 8 (trinityrep.com). Find out what’s playing at the Providence Performing Arts Center – there’s “Dear Evan Hansen” April 5-10, and “Ain’t Too Proud” April 12-17 (ppacri.org)!

What’s Coming Up in May…

Don’t miss the annual Taste of SouthCoast on Pier 3 in New Bedford on May 22 (facebook.com/ tasteofsouthcoast)! Plan ahead for the annual Newport Oyster and Chowder Festival at Bowen’s Wharf on May 21-22 (bowenswharf.com). Don’t miss the Pilgrim Festival Chorus’ performance of “A Woman’s Voice” on May 7-8 at St. Bonaventure’s in Plymouth (pilgrimfestivalchorus.org). Discover the Barker Playhouse on Benefit Street in Providence, the oldest continuously-running little theatre in America! Don’t miss “It Shoulda Been You” May 13-15, 2022 (playersri.org).