Jump into June

Celebrate Father’s Day, Pride month, and the beginning of summer! Plan your day trips, vacations, and summer camps for the kids. Then head for the beaches, take a boat ride, try some outdoor yoga, picnic at outdoor concerts, or wander through street fairs, festivals, farmers markets, and Portuguese festas!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Family fun!

Make a splash at WaterWizz in Wareham, opening June 18 (waterwizz.com)!

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

Take the family to the free “Kick-Off to Summer” festival at Fall River’s Ruggles Park on June 18 – games, food, and fun (gfrrec.org)! Celebrate New Bedford’s neighborhoods and diversity June 9-11 during “20mi2,” a free citywide schedule of creative events, indoors and out (destinationnewbedford.org).

Take the family to the monthly Open Farm Days at Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth (roundthebendfarm.org)! Head for the Museum of Natural History & Planetarium in Providence’s Roger Williams Park on weekends and school vacation days to watch the planetarium shows (providence.gov/museum)!

Food and shopping

Don’t miss the annual Strawberry Festival in Assonet on June 19 (tuesdayclubofassonet.org)!

Fairhaven’s outdoor Farmers Market and Huttleston Marketplace both re-open this month (fairhaventours.com)!

Shop for everything fresh, local and handmade on Saturdays at the Southcoast Open Air Market in Somerset (southcoastopenairmarket.com)

Make your reservations for “Brunch on the Bay” with live music at Pier 52 in Fall River every Sunday through September (pier52ferry.com).

The Outdoor Farmers Markets in New Bedford open June 1: at Brooklawn Park on Mondays, Buttonwood Park on Thursdays, Clasky Common Park on Fridays (coastalfoodshed.org).

Celebrate Juneteenth at the BuyBlackNB Pop-Up Vendor Marketplace on June 19 at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House in New Bedford – shopping, food, music, kids’ activities (rjdmuseum.org or destinationnewbedford.org).

Mark your calendar for Food Truck Fridays at the Carousel at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence (rwpzoo.com)!

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, or coastalfoodshed.org. To find food and wine events, go to farmcoast. com, coastalwinetrail.com, or ediblesouthshore.com.

All aboard!

Da-DUM, da-DUM… Make your reservations to watch the movie “Jaws” aboard the Captain John Boats while cruising Plymouth harbor! There are also comedy cruises, whale watches, fireworks cruises, and fast ferries to P-town (captjohn.com). Take the Block Island Ferry from Newport starting June 25 (blockislandferry.com). Go on a “Vineyard Voyage” with the Providence Riverboat Company – sample wine and food pairings from Gooseneck Vineyards (providenceriverboat.com). Or go on a romantic gondola ride through the waterways of downtown Providence (gondolari.com).

Take a guided tour of Narragansett Bay or Newport Harbor past lighthouses and mansions, or take a fast ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or Block Island, with Rhode Island Bay Cruises (rhodeislandbaycruises.com). Take a boat tour of historic New Bedford harbor or a sunset cruise with Whaling City Expeditions (whalingcityexpeditions.com).

The shows must go on

Head for Fall River’s Little Theatre for “No Sex, Please – We’re British” June 16-19, 23-26 (littletheatre.net).

Enjoy dinner and “The Carol Burnett Show & Cabaret” through June 30 at the Wyndham Newport Hotel while the Newport Playhouse is being renovated (newportplayhouse.com).

Head for the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, the oldest barn theatre still in operation in America! There’s “She Loves Me” through June 4, “Mama Mia!” June 30-July 16 (pbtheatre.org). Head for Trinity Rep in Providence to watch “Fairview” through June 19 (trinityrep.com).

Check out what’s playing at the Providence Performing Arts Center! There’s “Jersey Boys” June 2-3, “Blippi: The Musical” June 18 (ppacri.org). Head for Oliver Mill Park in Middleboro for an outdoor performance of “Smiles of a Summer Evening” June 17-19, 23-25 (nemasketriverproductions.com). Mark your calendar for “A Collection of Four One Acts” performed at the Marion Arts Center June 3-5, 10-12, 17-18 (marionartcenter.org).

Music on the greens

Bring your picnic basket to Running Brook Vineyard in Dartmouth for free live music every Saturday and Sunday (runningbrookwine.com)!

Enjoy “Irish Night” with Joshua Tree and Maureen Healy’s Step Dancers on June 29 at Plymouth Memorial Park, part of Plymouth’s Project Arts Summer Concert Series (projectarts.com)!

Buy your tickets now to hear Livingston Taylor perform on July 9 at the Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery, sponsored by the Westport River Watershed Alliance (westportwatershed.org). Enjoy wine tastings and live jazz on Saturdays at Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth (greenvale.com). Buy your tickets early for the Westport Series June 10-September 10 at the Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery (westportrivers.com).

Bring a blanket to the Summer Concerts at Independence Park in Bristol June 19-July 2 (july4thbristolri.com).

South Coast sounds

Buy your tickets early for the 25th Annual New Bedford Folk Festival July 9-10 – multiple stages, workshops, food court, beer garden, artisan market (newbedfordfolkfestival.com or zeiterion. org)!

Check out what’s playing at the Providence Performing Arts Center and The VETS! There’s Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band at the VETS June 12, Celebrating Billy Joel June 14 (ppacri.org).

Head for the District Center for the Arts in Taunton to hear the Eric Clapton Experience on June 3, Aquanett June 10, Draw the Line June 18, 90s Alternative Night June 25 (districtartcenter.com).

Reggae on West Beach in New Bedford is back! Take the family to hear live music and DJs on the waterfront on June 26, July 31 and August 28 (facebook.com/ reggaeonwestbeach)!

Plan ahead for Bon Iver performing on June 11 and Trombone Shorty on June 17 at Bold Point Park in East Providence (riwaterfrontevents.com)!

Enjoy maritime music with Janie Meneely and Rob Van Sante on June 15 at the Fishing Heritage Center on New Bedford’s waterfront (fishingheritagecenter.org).

Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth to hear The Mavericks: En Espanol June 17, Righteous Brothers June 18 (memorialhall.com).

Don’t miss internationally-acclaimed guitarist Hiroya Tsukomoto at the Four Corners Art Center in Tiverton on June 12 (FourCornersArts.org)! Check out who’s playing at the Greasy Luck Brew Pub in downtown New Bedford – there’s LA Guns June 7, Enuff Znuff June 17, Joshua Tree June 18 (vaultnb.com). Find out who’s on stage at the Spire Center of the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth! There’s the Henry Acker Trio June 1, Enter the Haggis June 3, Slambovian Circle of Dreams June 10, Pure Prairie League June 15, The Sea The Sea June 24, Lydia Luce June 30 (spirecenter.org). Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford for Mel Brooks’ “Silent Movie” June 4, Young @ Heart Chorus June 5 (zeiterion.org). Groovy! The free Summer of Love Concerts will return to the Onset Bandshell July 6 (onsetbay.org)! Head for The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River for great music! There’s Colby James & the Ramblers June 3, Steve Forbert June 10, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters June 11, Jesse Cook June 23, The Zappa Band June 24 (narrowscenter.com).

Don’t miss James Taylor July 1 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter.com). Buy your tickets early for the Newport Folk Festival July 22-24 (newportfolk.org) or the Newport Jazz Festival July 29-31 (newportjazzfest.org), both at Fort Adams State Park!

Festivals and festas!

After a two-year hiatus, Fairhaven’s Homecoming Day Fair will return on June 25 (fairhaventours.com)! Have fun throughout the streets of Providence during PVDFest 2022 on June 10-12 (pvdfest.com)! Don’t miss the annual Black Ships Festival in Bristol and Newport June 10-12 (blackshipsfestival.com). Mark your calendar for the 45th Annual Day of Portugal celebrations June 11-12 in Providence (ridayofportugal.org). Head for Kennedy Pavillion Park in Fall River on June 18 for the free Juneteenth Festival – live music, food, prizes, vendors (vivafallriver.com)! It’s festa time! The 2022 Day of Portugal in New Bedford will take place on June 3-5 next to the Senhor da Pedra Club on Tinkham Street (facebook. com/dayofportugalofnewbedford or nb-dayofportugal.com).

Classical acts

Head for Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol for Opera by the Sea on June 15 (blithewold.org)!

Don’t miss “Solace” at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion on June 4 and at St. Peter’s Church in South Dartmouth on June 5, performed by the South Coast Chamber Music Series (nbsymphony.org).

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s “Irresistible” June 18 (zeiterion.org).

Buy your tickets early for the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s 19th Annual Pops Concert “John Williams at the Movies” on June 12 under the tent at Tabor Academy in Marion (tricountysymphonicband.org).

Classical music lovers can enjoy dozens of performances throughout the state performed by international artists during the Newport Classical Music Festival July 1-17 (newportclassical.org).

Gardens galore

Reserve your tickets early for the Providence Preservation Society’s Festival of Historic Houses on June 4, a self-guided tour of homes and gardens in historic College Hill (providencehousetour.com).

Take a free 30-minute garden tour at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House in New Bedford on June 9 or attend “All That Glitters,” a garden party with refreshments and entertainment on June 11 (rjdmuseum.org).

Head for Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol for flower walks, outdoor yoga, and art classes (blithewold.org)!

Sign up early for the “Secret Garden Tours” of Newport’s historic properties June 24-26 (secretgardentours.org).

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

Don’t miss the Sakonnet Gardens open garden tour on June 5, sponsored by the Little Compton Garden Club (littlecomptongardenclub.org).

Special events & exhibits

Don’t miss “The Azorean Spirit: The Art of Domingos Rebelo,” the first-ever American exhibition of the works of one of the great modernist painters of the 20th century, at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford through September 22 (whalingmuseum.org).

Check out “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” a unique multimedia event at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence through July 8 (vangoghprovidence.com).

Don’t miss WaterFire in Providence on June 4, June 10, and June 25! For the complete schedule of lightings through September, go to (waterfire.org).

Buy your tickets early for the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open July 10-17 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport (halloffameopen.com

Stay in shape!

Get in shape at the free ten-week Yoga in the Park and Summer Bootcamp classes at Fairhaven’s Cushman Park starting this month (facebook.com/ fitnessincushmanpark)!

Don’t miss the 29th Annual Buzzards Bay Swim on June 18 (savebuzzardsbay. org/discover/events)!

Enjoy free Summer Yoga Classes at the Buttonwood Park Arboretum in New Bedford on Wednesdays June 1 to September 14, or at Haskell Gardens on Thursdays June 2 to August 25 (nbewell.com).

Sign up now for the Mattapoisett Triathlon on July 24 (mattapoisettlionsclub.org). Register now for the 2022 Whaling City Triathlon and Duathlon, the most beginner-friendly multisport event in New England, on July 17 at Fort Taber in New Bedford (sunmultisportevents.com).

Get Healthy! “Walk With a Doc” on Saturdays at Buttonwood Park Zoo, part of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative – and don’t miss the free Tai Chi Fit Flow class just before the walk (nbewell.com)!

Cheer on the 2022 Harvest Triathlon on June 11 in Wareham (maxperformanceonline.com)! Learn about the free virtual classes in meditation, laughter yoga, tai chi, yoga, and smoking-cessation hypnosis, offered by New Bedford Wellness Initiative (facebook.com/ NewBedfordWellnessInitiative).

Register online for the annual Fathers’ Day 5K Road Race on June 19 in Fairhaven (fairhaventours.com).

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, riwalks. org, asri.org, riparks.com, or stateparks. com/rhode_island.

June is LGBTQ+ PRIDE Month!

Don’t miss the Fall River PRIDE Festival on June 5 at Government Center (vivafallriver.com)!

Mark your calendar for the Rhode Island PrideFest & Illuminated Night Parade in Providence on June 18 (prideri.org)!

Celebrate with South Coast PRIDE on June 4 at Buttonwood Park or at the PRIDE Block Party in Custom House Square during New Bedford’s AHA! Night downtown on June 9 (ahanewbedford.org or newbedfordcreative.org).