Celebrate in May!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and Pride Month in the great outdoors amidst all the flowers, café seating, food festivals, cultural events and music! We’re heading into another spectacular Summer on the South Coast –so, get out there and join in the fun!

To market, to market

Take the family to the Spring Crafts Fair & Food Truck Event on May 7 at Fall River’s Liberal Club (vivafallriver)!

The Fairhaven Farmers Market on Alden Road opens for the season on June 18, and the Huttleston Market on the high school grounds opens on May 20 (fairhaventours. com).

Let your family wander through the free May Day Market at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence May 6-7 – arts, crafts

Cand all things home and garden (finefurnishingshows.com)!

Don’t miss the June opening of Fall River’s open-air Farmers and Artisan Market on the corner of Columbia and Canal Streets (vivafallriver.com)!

Make a trip to Somerset on Saturdays to saunter through the South Coast Open Air Market to purchase all things local, handmade, and fresh (southcoastopenairmarket.com)!

Take the family to the monthly Open Farm Days at Round The Bend Farm in Dartmouth! Grass-fed meats, seasonal produce, honey, maple syrup, botanicals, and family-friendly farm tours (roundthebendfarm.org).

Eat fresh, eat local! Fill your baskets with seasonal produce, artisanal foods and dairy products! To find a farm, vineyard or farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, coastalfoodshed.org, farmfreshri.org, or localharvest.org.

Celebrate Juneteenth! Don’t miss the BuyBlackNB Pop-Up Vendor Market on June 17 at the Rotch-Jones-Duff Mansion in New Bedford – music, community- building, curated selection of local Black-owned businesses (rjdmuseum.org).

Art and artists

Calling all artists! Sign up now for the annual Cuttyhunk Plein Air Festival on June 17, departing from Pier 3 in New Bedford and sponsored by the Marion Art Center (marionartcenter.org/cuttyhunk)!

Check out all the free creative arts and cultural events scheduled in May from Fall River to Wareham, part of the South Coast Spring Arts Festival (southcoastspringarts. org/2023)!

Take a free tour of 30+ artist and artisan studios during Tour the Fall River Open Studios on May 12-13, part of the South Coast Arts Spring Festival (vivafallriver. com) (southcoastspringarts.org/2023)!

Check out “Art in Bloom” June 23-25 at the Marion Art Center – learn about edible flowers and herbs, floral watercolors, flower pressing, biophilic design (marionarttcenter.org)!

Visit the artists and artisans in their creative work-spaces on Hatch Street in

New Bedford May 6-7 during the Spring Open Studio Tours (hatchstreetstudios. com) (southcoastspringarts.org/2023)!

Lectures, exhibits and special events

Visit the Whaling Museum in New Bedford through May 7 for the special exhibit exploring the Arctic world of polar bears (whalingmuseum.org)!

Enjoy free walking tours on AHA! Nights in New Bedford, May through September, led by the New Bedford Preservation Society – “Walkways: Exploring the People and Places of Historical New Bedford” (nbpreservationsociety.org).

Sign up for a series of six lectures on “The Gilded Age Years: Transforming America” through June 15 at The Breakers in Newport – attend in person or via Zoom (newportmansions.org).

Enjoy a lunchtime solo concert of music, songs and stories with Irish harpist Aine Minogue on May 22 at the Marion Council on Aging (marionma.gov)!

Register now for the Thursday classes on Yoga & Breathwork for Seniors on May 11, 18, 25, and June 1 at the Rotch-Jones-Duff Museum in New Bedford (rjdmuseum.org)!

Learn more about the free virtual classes and video library in meditation, laughter yoga, tai chi, yoga, nutrition and smokingcessation hypnosis offered by the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (facebook. com/newbedfordwellnessinitiative)!

Buy your tickets early for the annual fundraiser “Garden Party: Nothing But Trouble,” a speakeasy event in the gardens of the Rotch-Jones-Duff Manson in New Bedford on June 9 – cocktails, period music, hors d’oeuvres, open bar (rjdmuseum.org)!

Check out the Friday afternoon movies at the Newport Public Library (newportpubliclibraryri.org)!

Quench your thirst for learning at the free monthly New Bedford Science Café lectures and discussions at The Last Round Bar & Grille (nbsciencecafe.com)!

“All in the family” activities

Take the family on an immersive adventure back to prehistoric times at “Dinosaurs Among Us!” at Roger Williams Park in Providence through August 13, walking amidst sixty life-sized animatronic and interactive dinosaurs (rwpzoo.org)!

Treat Mom to a Mother’s Day Mimosa Boat Tour through the waterways of Providence on May 14 (providenceriverboat.com)!

On rainy days Wednesdays-Sundays, take the little ones to the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River (cmgfr.org)!

Buy your tickets online for the planetarium shows on weekends and school vacations at the Museum of Natural History & Planetarium at Roger Williams Park in Providence (providence.gov/ museum).

There’s always something going on at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown! Enjoy a family campout under the stars during the Flower Moon Sleepover Party May 5-6 (normanbirdsanctuary.org)!

Register early for the Mother’s Day Tea on May 13 in the gardens of the RotchJones-Duff Museum in New Bedford (rjdmuseum.org)!

Food, fairs, and festivals!

Save the date! Don’t miss Coastal Wine Trail’s 10th Annual Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Festival on June 17 at the Westport Fairgrounds (coastalwinetrail. com)!

Get ready for the Buttonwood Park Zoo’s annual “Red, White and Brew” beer- and wine-tasting festival on May 19 in New Bedford (bpzoo.org)!

Don’t miss the free Community Block Party on May 20 at 45 Rock Street in Fall River! Food, music, games, family fun and more (gfrREC.org)!

Taste your way through the historic district of New Bedford with New Bedford Food Tours on a 3-hour guided walking tour to sample local foods at five signature restaurants (nbbfoodtours.com)!

Mark your calendars for the Wareham Oyster Festival on May 28 (warehamoyster.com)!

Don’t miss the 34th Annual Strawberry Festival in Assonet on June 18 (tuesdayclubofassonet.org)!

Mark your calendar for the Greyhound Pets of America Crafts Fair on June 4 on Middleborough’s Town Hall Lawn – free admission and parking (discovermiddleborough.com).

Bring the whole family to Fairhaven’s annual Homecoming Day Fair on June 24 (fairhaventours.com)!

Buy your tickets early for the 2023 Asparagus Fest on May 7 at Four Town Farm in Seekonk (farmfreshri.org/ asparagus)!

Check out the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship House in Fairhaven on May 7 (fairhaventours.com).

Take the family to the third annual We HeART Fall River Festival on May 13 at Government Center, a free celebration of art, culture and community (vivafallriver.com)!

Plan ahead for the seventh annual Newport Oyster and Chowder Festival at Bowen’s Wharf in Newport on May 20-21 (bowenswharf.com).

Music on the greens

Groovy! The free Summer of Love Concerts at the Onset Bandshell start June 28 (onsetbay.org)!

Pack a picnic or enjoy the food trucks when you head for Soule Homestead in Middleborough for the start of their Summer Concert Series on May 13 or their Folk Festival on June 24 at the outdoor pavilion (soulehomestead.org)!

Buy your tickets in advance online for the Westport Rivers Sunset Music Series starting in May (westportrivers.com)!

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

Bring a blanket to the Summer Concerts at Independence Park in Bristol June 20-July 4 (july4thbristolri.com)!

Classical acts

Enjoy the free annual Concert in the Garden at the Rotch-Jones-Duff Mansion in New Bedford on May 16, performed by New Bedford High School studentmusicians – jazz, classical, strings, and steel band (rjdmuseum.org)!

Don’t miss the Newport Contemporary Ballet’s performance of “Catch Fire!,” including a reimagined “Firebird,” at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence May 18-20 (newportcontemporaryballet.org).

Listen to the Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s “Spring Concert” with the South Coast Community Chorale on May 7 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River, performing Mozart’s Requiem and The Pines of Rome (fallriversymphonyorchestra.org).

Don’t miss the Greater New Bedford Choral Society’s Spring Concert on May 7 at Grace Episcopal Church in New Bedford (gnbcs.org)!

Stop by the Four Corners Art Center in Tiverton to listen to chamber music performed by The Newport String Project on May 14 or to Americana music performed by The Whelks on May 20 (fourcornerarts.org)!

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to hear Konstantia Plays the “Emperor,” presented by the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra on May 20 (zeiterion.org).

Buy your tickets early for the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s 20th Annual Pops Concert “Shall We Dance?” on June 11 under the tent at Tabor Academy in Marion (tricountysymphonicband.org).

On the move again!

Register for the Cinco de Mayo 5K in Wareham on May 7 (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 30th Annual Buzzards Bay Swim on June 24 (savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events)!

Register early for the June 24 Independence Rhode Race/Half Marathon in Bristol (info@rhoderaces.us) (july4thbristolri.com)!

Get ready for Fairhaven’s Annual Father’s Day 10K and 5K Road Race on June 18 (fairhaventours.com)!

Cheer on the 2023 Harvest Triathlon in Wareham on June 11 (maxperformanceonline.com)!

Sounds of the South Coast

Head for Plymouth’s Pilgrim Memorial Hall to hear One Night of Queen May 5, The Righteous Brothers May 12, Lewis Black: Off the Rails May 13, Come Together: Music of the Beatles May 20-21, Cage Titans 59 May 27, Celebrating Billy Joel: America’s Piano Man June 1, Cold Chocolate June 22, John Jorgenson June 30 (memorialhall.com).

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to hear New Bedford Festival Theatre’s “The Wiz” through May 6, It’s Okay to Be Different May 7, Dori Rubbico May 11, Tavares: Coming Home May 12 & 14, One Funny Mother May 13, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s Konstantia Plays “The Emperor” May 20, With Love From Portugal June 3, Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro June 24, Bernadette Peters June 29 (zeiterion.org).

Head for The VETS in Providence to hear The Temptations & The Four Tops May 19, Heather McMahan May 20, Natalie Merchant June 28 (thevetsri. com)!

Check out who’s performing in The Vault at the Greasy Luck Brew Pub in downtown New Bedford (vaultnb.com)!

Head for the Providence Performing Arts Center for the International Portuguese Music Awards on May 20, The Avett Brothers May 23, Celebrating Billy Joel: America’s Piano Man June 9, John Mellencamp June 11, The Rocketman Show June 16 (ppaccri.org)!

Find out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Arts of Greater Plymouth ! Don’t miss Roomful of Blues May 6, Christine Hurley May 12, Hayley

Sabella May 18, The Fat City Band May 19, The The Band Band May 20, Popa Chubby May 26, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones June 3, Mark Hammel Band June 9 (spirecenter.org).

Don’t miss Deaf Leopard May 5, Devoted 2 You May 6, Panorama May 12, Heartless May 13, 60’s Pirate Radio Ship May 19, Beastie Ballz May 20, Wildside May 26, Echoes of Floyd May 27, LoVe

SeXy May 28 at The District Center for the Arts in Taunton (thedistrictcenterforarts.com)!

Head to the Narrows Center in Fall River to hear Alejandro Escovedo May 2, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams

May 4, Davy Knowles May 5, Masters of the Telecaster May 6, A Tale of Two May 11, Trinity May 13, The Iguanas

May 18, Dark Desert Eagles May 19, Ana Popovic May 20, Bill Frisell Trio

June 1, Jadice Venson June 15, Jorma Kaukonen June 22, Eilen Jewell June 30 (narrowscenter.com)!

The shows must go on!

Show your support for the student-actors at the Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School by attending their performance of “9-5: The Musical” May 5-7 (newbedfordlight.com)!

Find out what’s playing at The Little Theatre in Fall River! Don’t miss “The Lion King Jr.” June 1-4 or “Fun Home” June 15-25 (littletheatre.net)!

Head for the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, one of the oldest barn summer stock theatres in America!

Celebrate Armed Forces Day and travel back to the sounds of WWII USO clubs for “Stars & Stripes: A Musical Salute to the Troops” performed by The Seaglass Theatre on May 20 at the First Congregational Church in Fairhaven (newbedfordcreative.org)!

Mark your calendar to see “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” May 12-14, 19-21 at Your Theatre in New Bedford (yourtheatre.org)!

Enjoy dinner with your drama at the Newport Playhouse! Don’t miss “Run for Your Wife” through May 24, “Spreading It Around” May 31 to June 28 (newportplayhouse.com)!

Buy your tickets early to see “Sweeney Todd” May 25 to June 25 at Trinity Rep in Providence (trinityrep.com).

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to watch the New Bedford Festival Theatre’s production of “The Wiz” through May 6 (zeiterion.org).

Viva Portugal!

Head for the Providence Performing Arts Center for the International Portuguese Music Awards on May 20 (ppaccri.org)!

Mark your calendar for the 46th Annual Day of Portugal celebrations in Providence on June 10-11 (ridayofportugal.org)!

Enjoy a night of fado “With Love From Portugal” on June 3, with Helder Moutinho and Maria Emilia, at the Zeiterion in New Bedford (zeiterion.org).

Head for the City Gates of Fall River June 8-11 for the Day of Portugal Weekend (facebook.com/DOPFR2023)!

It’s festa time! The three-day 2023 Day of Portugal in New Bedford will take place in June (nb-dayofportugal.com) (facebook. com/dayofportugalofnewbedford)!