Rejuvenate in January

by Elizabeth Morse Read

January may indeed be the dead of winter, but there’s still plenty of lively activities and unique events to warm your heart and soothe your senses. Explore the frosty outdoors, warm your hands on a mug of hot cider or cocoa, listen to music by the fireplace, or bring together family and friends for a bowl of hearty homemade soup on a cold, snowy day! And don’t forget that the days are slowly getting longer!

Bundle up and get outside!

Get outdoors with your binoculars and watch for migratory birds and snowy owls with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island (asri.org), Mass Audubon (massaudubon.org), the Llyod Center in Dartmouth (lloydcenter.org), or Sachuest Point National Wildlife Preserve in Middletown (fws.gov/ refuge/sachuest)!

Take the family on a guided Seal Watch Boat Ride from December through April with Save the Bay, leaving from Bowen’s Ferry Wharf in Newport (savebay.org/ seals)!

“Discover Buzzards Bay” offers an online portal with information about more than 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 and riparks.com or stateparks.com/ rhode_island.

Enjoy live music indoors!

Stomp your feet at Fall River’s Narrows Center for the Arts this month – enjoy Funky White Honkies January 6, Forever Young January 13, Neal and the Vipers January 20, Pearly Baker Band January 27, Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish January 28 (narrowscenter.com).

Stay warm indoors at the Spire Center in Plymouth and enjoy the music of Rhett Miller January 20, Joshua Tree January 21, Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra: The Music of James Bond January 28-29 (spirecenter.org).

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to hear Get the Led Out January 19, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra perform “The Magic of Disney: 100 Years of Wonder” January 28, Llama, Llama Live! January 29 (zeiterion.org).

Check out the concert series at the Newport Public Library! Listen to the Ocean State Ramblers on January 21 (newportlibraryri.org)!

Listen to the South Coast Chamber Music Series perform “Bassoonia” on January 14 at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion or on January 15 at St. Gabriel’s Church in Dartmouth (nbsymphony.org/ chamber-music-series). Don’t miss the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s performance of “Romantic Chopin” at The VETS in Providence on January 20-21 (riphil.org). Check out who’s on stage at Taunton’s District Center for the Arts! Enjoy Draw the Line January 7, Nasty Habits January 13, MONSTA January 21, Living on a Bad Name January 27 (thedistrictcenterforarts.com).

Plan ahead for the Annual Newport Winter Festival on February 17-26 (newportwinterfestival.com), including the Bowen’s Wharf Winter Sale, with in-store events and restaurant promotions (bowenswharf.com)!

Take the kids to see Monster Jam on February 3-5 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter.com)!

Relax and listen to Our Lady of Light Band, Banda Filharmonica Santa Cecilia and the Tri-County Symphonic Band perform on February 5 at UMass Dartmouth (tricountysymphonicband.org)! Don’t miss the Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s Winter Concert on February 19 at BCC (fallriver symphonyorchestra.org)!

Family fun on the ice and snow

You’re never too old to build a snowman or have a snowball fight! Get out the sleds and toboggans and put on those boots and mittens. It’s time to lace up your ice skates (or rent them) at indoor skating rinks:

The shows must go on

Enjoy Broadway show performances on the South Coast! Head for the The network started as AHA! Fall River Providence Performing Arts Center through the Community Foundation of to see “Jagged Little Pill” January 17-22, Southeastern MA in 2014 with a focus on “Annie” January 31-February 5 (ppacri.org)!

Take the kids to “Disney on Ice” through January 2 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter. com)!

Check out the new season of The Wilbury Group in Providence – don’t miss “We’re Gonna Die” January 19-February 12 (thewilburygroup.org).

Rediscover the thrill of live theatre with the new season at Your Theatre in New Bedford! Enjoy "Proclivities" January 20-22, 27-29 (yourtheatre.org)

Don't miss Trinity Rep's performances of "By the Queen" January 12-February 12 in Providence (trinityrep.com).

Eat, drink and be merry!

Celebrate American craft beers on January 29 at the 10th Rhode Island Brewfest at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence (ribrewfest.com)!

Take a bite out of winter! Check out the menus during Providence's Restaurant Week January 9-22 (goprovidence.com/rw).

Learn something new

Learn how to line dance at the New Bedford's Kilburn Mills (facebook.com/aandmdanceacademy.com).

Try your hand at pickelball at Fairhaven's indoor Southcoast Pickleball arena (southcoastpickleball.com).

Get a head start on spring and attend a workshop January 21 on Veggie Garden Design at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol (blithewold.org).

Check out the Moby-Dick Marathon, with readers from around the world at New Bedford's Whaling Museum (whalingmuseum.org).

Take care of yourself

Stay healthy this winter! "Walk with a Doc" on Saturday mornings at the Dartmouth Mall, part of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (nbewell).

Get in touch with nature - and yourself - at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown! Attend a "Winter Wellness Workshop" on January 13 (normanbirdsanctuary.org).

Check out the videos in meditation, tai chi, yoga, smoking cessation or hypnosis with the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (facebook.com/newbedfordwellnessinitiative).