Late summer across the South Coast

Elizabeth Morse Read

Here’s your chance to soak up all of the spectacular events, food festivals, waterfront music, and outdoor entertainment before the season changes!

Cross a county (or state) line to see what’s going on nextdoor, from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay!

GREATER PROVIDENCE

Mark your calendar for the free Rhode Island Folk Festival at Rose Larisa Park in Providence on August 28 (rhodeislandfolkfestival.com).

Don’t miss WaterFire on August 27, September 3 and 24 (waterfire.org)!

Head for the Museum of Natural History in Roger Williams Park to watch the planetarium shows (providence.gov/ museum)!

Enjoy free concerts at the Blackstone Valley Trolley Station in Providence – there’s Stone Cold Gypsies August 25, Steampunk Seed Traveling Show September 10 (blackstoneparksconservancy.org). Bring your lawn chair and listen to the Americana ensemble Saddle Up the Chicken on August 24 at Shakespeare’s Head Garden on Meeting Street, sponsored by the Providence Preservation Society (ppsri.org).

Check out “Happy Days Cruise Night” September 1 and the free “Movies in the Park” August 26, September 23, and October 21 at Crescent Park in East Providence (crescentparkcarousel.org/ events)!

Register now for the Annual CVS Downtown 5K Run in Providence on September 17 (cvsdowntown5k.com). Enjoy a performance of “The Inheritance: Parts 1 & 2” September 1 to November 6 at Trinity Rep (trinityrep. com).

Check out what’s happening at the Providence Performing Arts Center! There’s “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” September 11-12, Ringo Starr & his All Starr Band September 22, “Mean Girls” October 4-9 (ppacri.org).

Plan ahead for Jason Bonham August 18, Whitesnake August 19, Kip Moore August 20, One Night of Queen August 24, Jason Isbell August 26, Interpol August 28, Brett Eldredge September 15 and Jake Owen September 23 at Bold Point Park in East Providence (riwaterfrontevents.com)!

Don’t miss Ghost, Mastodon, and Spirit Box on September 12 at the Dunkin Donuts Center (dunkindonutscenter. com).

Plan ahead for Necronomicon Providence 2022 and the HP Lovecraft Film Festival August 18-21 (necronomiconprovidence.com).

Go on a lantern-led guided ghost tour of Providence’s historic East Side (providenceghosttour.com)!

GREATER NEW BEDFORD

New Bedford’s “Summer Sounds” free concerts are back! Dance in the streets, mingle, and enjoy the block-party atmosphere on Friday nights through September 16, alternating between Purchase Street outside No Problemo and lower Union Street outside Play Arcade (destinationnb.org)!

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights in New Bedford! The September 8 theme is “NB Cultures” (ahanewbedford.org).

“Shakespeare in New Bedford” returns with free performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” performed by the Reverie Theatre Company at the Rotch-JonesDuff Museum on August 18-20. There will also be “Plays in the Garden” on August 27-28, performed by Your Theatre (rjdmuseum.org).

Reggae on West Beach is back! Take the family to hear live music and DJs on the waterfront on August 28 (facebook. com/reggaeonwestbeach)!

Enjoy free Summer Yoga Classes at the Buttonwood Park Arboretum in New Bedford on Wednesdays through September 14. Or “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) Then 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).

Visit the Outdoor Farmers Markets at Brooklawn Park on Mondays, Buttonwood Park on Thursdays, Clasky Common Park on Fridays (coastalfoodshed. org).

Enjoy the new season of Your Theatre! “Bell, Book and Candle” will be performed September 8-11, 16-18 (yourtheatre.org).

Take a stroll through the urban greenspace of the Allen G. Haskell Public Gardens (thetrustees.org).

Take the family to the fundraiser “Make Hunger Disappear” with Illusionist Lyn Dillies on September 10 at the Zeiterion (zeiterion.org).

Wander through the many creative work spaces at the Hatch Street Studios on the free “Studio Saturday” September 10. Enjoy live demos and music, too (destinationnb.org)!

Stroll through “The Azorean Spirit: The Art of Domingos Rebelo,” the firstever American exhibition of the works of one of the great modernist painters of the 20th century, at the Whaling Museum through September 22 (whalingmuseum. org).

Find out who’s playing at The Rooftop at Kilburn Mill in New Bedford’s south end (kilburnmill.com)!

Don’t miss Another Tequila Sunrise on September 17 at the Zeiterion in New Bedford (zeiterion.org).

Enjoy free outdoor classical music performed by members of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra during “Sonata Saturdays,” across the street from the Whaling Museum entrance on the fourth Saturday of each month through October (nbsymphony.org).

BRISTOL COUNTY

Take the whole family to free Summer Evenings in the Park in Fall River – music, vendors, food and fun! Abbott Court on August 17, North Park on August 24 (vivafallriver.com/events)!

Mark your calendar for the South Coast Artists’ Open Studio Tour August 20-21 (southcoastartists.org).

Take the family to the monthly Open Farm Days at Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth! Grass-fed meats, botanicals, local veggies, honey, and more (roundthebendfarm.org).

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

Head for Fall River’s Little Theatre for “The Fantasticks” August 18-21, 25-28 (littletheatre.net).

Bring your lawn chair to the Concerts Under the Stars in Fairhaven’s center Thursday evenings in August (fairhaventours.com).

When it’s raining outside, take the little ones to the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River (cmgfr.org)!

Buy your tickets early for the Wednesday evening Concerts at Apponagansett Park in Dartmouth through August 31 (town.dartmouth.ma.us/recreationdivision).

Mark your calendars for the annual Our Lady of the Angels Portuguese Festa on Labor Day weekend – September 3-5 – at the feast grounds in north Fairhaven (fairhaventours.com)!

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

Don’t miss the annual Westport Rock, Rhythm & Blues Festival September 9-11 at the Holy Ghost Grounds, a fundraiser to benefit A Wish Come True (awish.org).

Visit Fairhaven’s outdoor Huttleston Marketplace on the high school lawn through September 17 (fairhaventours. com)!

Don’t miss the Westport Rivers Summer Sunset Concert Series through September 10 at the Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery (westportrivers.com).

Head for The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River for great music! There’s the Poussette Dart Band August 19, Tyler Bowe August 20, The War and Treaty August 25. Don’t miss the free Narrows Center Music Festival on September 4 with Shemekia Copeland, Ward Hayden, Mark Cutler and Men of Courage on Tom Norton City Pier. There’s also Todd Snider September 10, Ambrose Akinmusire September 15, Richard Thompson September 17, Cowboy Junkies September 22, Donna the Buffalo September 29, Entrain October 1, Vanilla Fudge October 6, Ruthie Foster October 7, Mark Erelli October 8, Vanessa Collier October 15 (narrowscenter.com).

Find out who’s on stage at the District Center for the Arts in Taunton! There’s Fast Times August 19, Star Club August 20, Lady Supreme August 27, Whammer Jammer September 2, Moondance September 9, Won’t Back Down September 10, Completely Unchained September 17, Elvis, Cash and Fogarty Show September 23, American WHO September 30, Best of Foo October 1, The Fools October 15 (thedistrictcenterforarts.com).

Head for the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth for “Seabirds, Seals and Sharks: Birding in Chatham” August 17, “Birding and Whale Watching in Provincetown” August 27 and the Women’s Canoe Trip on September 10 (lloydcenter.org).

Plan ahead for the Great Holy Ghost Feast in New England in Fall River in late August (facebook.com/great-feast-ofthe-holy-ghost-in-new-england)! Don’t miss the annual Acushnet Apple-Peach Festival on the weekend after Labor Day (facebook.com/fans-ofthe-acushnet-applepeach-festival)!

EAST BAY & NEWPORT

Bike for clean water! Join in the 16th Annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride on October 2, from Little Compton to Woods Hole through the scenic landscapes of the South Coast (savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events)!

Mark your calendars for the Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival on September 16-18 (newportmansions.org). Check out the Fantasy Faire September 10-11 at Frerich’s Farm in Warren (frerichsfarm.com).

Enjoy dinner and a performance of “Murder at the Howard Johnsons” through August 31 or “Social Security” September 11 to October 23 at the Newport Playhouse (newportplayhouse. com).

Need a bigger boat? Plan ahead for the Newport International Boat Show September 15-18 at the Newport Yachting Center (newportboatshow.com).

Enjoy a free “A Night at the Oscars” on September 4 at Bristol’s Independence Park, part of the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s “Summer Pops” series (riphil/ summerpops).

Check out the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth to see more than 60 vintage cars and driving simulators (newportcarmuseum.org)!

If you’re a boat lover, visit the Herreshoff Marine Museum, home of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, in Bristol (herreshoff.org).

Enjoy wine tastings and live jazz on Saturdays at Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth (greenvale.com).

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

Go on a free Bird Walk or Flower Walk at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown. Don’t miss the Beach Bash on August 18, or the Summer Outdoor Music Series with The Suitcase Junket September 16 (normanbirdsanctuary. org)!

Register now for the Newport Marathon October 9 (newportmarathon.com) or the Pell Bridge Run/Walk on October 16 (pellbridgerun.com).

Don’t miss the Thursday Movies Series through August 18 or the free Summer Sunday Concerts through September 4 in Warren at Burr’s Hill Park (townofwarren ri.gov/towngovernment/departments/ parks_and_recreation)!

Head for Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol for the Music at Sunset Concerts Series through September 21! Check out the flower walks, outdoor yoga, and art classes, too (blithewold. org).

ON THE LATE SUMMER MENU

Save the date for “Brew at the Zoo” – Rhode Island’s largest beer festival on August 27 at the Roger Williams Park Zoo! More than 80 brewers, live music, 21+ only (rwpzoo.org/brew-at-the-zoo).

Dine “Al Fresco on the Hill” on Atwells Ave. in Providence on Friday and Saturday nights through October 1 while people-watching and enjoying free live entertainment (federalhillprov. com).

Don’t miss the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust’s Summer Cookout at Helfand Farm on August 26 – BBQ, beverages, live music (dnrt.org).

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

Get your craving for delicious locallyfarmed oysters satisfied on FridaysSundays through August at Westport Sea Farms – buy your voucher from the Westport River Watershed Alliance (westportwatershed.org).

Bring a blanket to enjoy “Food Truck Sunsets” at Safe Harbor New England Boatworks in Portsmouth on August 20 – free live music, local beer and wines (foodtrucksin.com). Or head for the Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival on August 21 (foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com).

Head for the Rhode Island Seafood Festival at India Point Park on September 10-11, rain or shine (riseafoodfest. com)!

Don’t miss the New Bedford Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival on September 10 at Fort Taber. Family fun, lawn games, and music (foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com)!

Enjoy a real Fisherman’s Clambake on September 18 at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport, sponsored by the Buzzards Bay Coalition (savebuzzardsbay.org/events)!

Don’t miss “First Taste of Fall” on September 24 at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford – food trucks, local breweries and wineries (bpzoo.org).

For a taste of New Bedford’s rich culinary history, go on a guided Food Tour (nbfoodtours.com)!

Aw shucks! Plan ahead for the 8th Annual Ocean State Oyster Festival at River Walk Park in Providence on October 8 (oysterfestri.com).

Mark your calendar for the 17th annual New Bedford Seaport Chowderfest on October 8 under the tents on Pier 3 (southcoastchamber.com).

Don’t miss the Newport Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival on October 15 at Fort Adams (foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com)!

On October 15-16, you can also head to the 31st Annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival (bowenswharf.com)!

Keep checking for the early October date of the Annual Oktoberfest in New Bedford on Pier 3 – craft brews, food vendors, music (southcoastbusinessalliance.org)!

Plan ahead for the fabulous “Jack-oLantern Spectacular” September 29 to October 31 at Roger Williams Park Zoo (rwpzoo.org)!

PLYMOUTH COUNTY

Groovy! Don’t miss the free Summer of Love Concerts on Wednesdays at the Onset Bandshell through August 31 (onsetbay.org)!

Enjoy a performance of “Rabbit Hole” August 19-21, 25-28 at the Marion Art Center (marionartcenter.org)!

Make a splash at WaterWizz in Wareham through September 5 (waterwizz. com)!

Head for Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett for Friday Night Cruise Night on August 19 (mattapoisett.net/calendar).

Don’t miss the Annual Rochester Country Fair on August 20-21 (rochesterma.com).

Head for Onset Beach for the Chalk- Full-of-Fun Onset Street Painting Festival on August 20 (onsetbay.org).

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! King Richard’s Faire in Carver returns on weekends September 3 to October 23 (kingrichardsfaire.net).

Take the family to the Harvest Moon Festival in Onset on September 24 – food trucks, flea market, live music, fireworks, and more (onsetbay.org)!

Head for the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, the oldest barn theatre still in operation in America! There’s “Something Rotten” through August 13 and “Forever Plaid” September 2-10 (pbtheatre.org).

Plan ahead for the Lakeville Arts & Music Festival on October 1 (lakevilleartscouncilma.org/festival)!

Wander through the many rows of hybridized daylilies at TomCat Farm in Mattapoisett (tomcatfarm.com)!

Check out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth! Don’t miss Forever Young August 6, Matt Borrello August 11, Deadgrass August 12, Kat Wright August 19, Porch Party Mamas August 25, Grace Kelley August 26, Ronnie Earl August 27, Goldenoak September 1, Dan Tyminski September 3, Rebecca Correia September 8, Walter Trout September 9, Jon Butcher Axis September 10, The Edwards Twins September 16-18, Jonathan Edwards September 23, Mallett Brothers September 24, Paul Thorn September 29 (spirecenter.org).

Head for Plymouth’s Memorial Park to hear the Project Arts Summer Concert Series on Wednesday nights through August 31 (projectarts.com), and the L. Knife Concert Series on Thursday nights through September 1 (lknifeandson.com). And don’t miss comedian Bob Marley August 19, Indigo Girls August 20 and The Sixties Show on September 17 at Memorial Hall (memorialhall.com).

ALL ABOARD!

Why hassle with the bridges and the Cape traffic when you can head for State Pier in New Bedford to take a high-speed Seastreak Ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket (seastreak.com) or else take the Cuttyhunk Ferry for a day-trip to Cuttyhunk (cuttyhunkferryco.com)!

Take a sightseeing cruise of the Cape Cod Canal from Onset Town Pier – check out the cocktail cruises, live music cruises and musical Bingo (hylinecanalcruise.com)!

Go on a “Vineyard Voyage” with the Providence Riverboat Company – sample wine and food pairings (providenceriverboat.com).

Or go on a romantic gondola ride through the waterways of downtown Providence (gondolari.com). Or explore the waterways of Providence in a single or tandem kayak (providencekayak.com)!

Take the Block Island Ferry from Newport (blockislandferry.com). 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 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).