Friday the 13th is upon us, my friends, but apparently that means good luck because the calendar gods have blessed us with a week of fun. As your loyal 401 Fun columnist, I’ve curated the cream of the crop: from a Providence Place Mall musical (yes, really) to Belly, a grilled food fest, boats, johnnycakes, and more. Let’s go.
SAILOR’S DELIGHT
Ahoy! Sailors and boat lovers will want to scope out the 53rd Annual Newport International Boat Show Sept. 12-15. Billed as “one of the largest and most prestigious boat shows in the country,” it spans some 15 acres — including six show sites — in downtown Newport. Walk the docks to see a display of new sailboats and powerboats, according to billing. There will also be seminars and boating courses offered. 4 Commercial Wharf. Adult prices vary. Kids under 10 free. Newport County resident and military personal day tickets are $20 on Sept. 15. Details here.
FALL FEST WITH SUMMER VIBES
Soak up the last of the summer at a fall fest on the beach: the 14th Annual Misquamicut FallFest Weekend hits Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly Sept. 13-15. Head to the beach for live music, carnival rides and games, food and craft vendors, family entertainment, and more, according to billing. $12 per day, kids under 7 free. 257 Atlantic Ave., Westerly.
RHODY BY DESIGN
The 11th Annual DESIGN WEEK RI featuring Rhode Island designers and entrepreneurs offers eight days of events. According to billing, DESIGN WEEK RI offers talks, tours, panel discussions, parties, and more, aiming to showcase the state’s design talent. It’s organized by DESIGNxRI, a nonprofit organization with a mission “to create a vibrant and opportunity-driven environment for R.I. designers, design businesses and the design sector to thrive.”
- The fun kicks off Sept. 13 with a free admission kick-off party at Moniker Brewery, 5-8 p.m. (432 W Fountain St., Providence.) According to a press release, you can network and mingle with event hosts, the DESIGNxRI team and board, as well as design enthusiasts and win raffle prizes.
- Next, an Open Studios Tour runs from Sept. 13-15. Explore anything from Big Nazo to glass studios, URI Design Studio, Newport Art Museum and dozens of artists’ studios and workshops scattered around Rhody. Details here.
- From Sept. 16-20, find various events and talks around the state under the umbrella of Design Week, from “Ancient Techniques, Modern Artifacts: A Look into the Process of Creating Cast Iron Cookware” in Cranston Sept. 16, to “Urban Landscapes: Design Strategies, Implementation, and Management,” in Providence Sept. 20.
- The highlight of the week is keynote speaker Cey Adams: The Artist Who Designed Hip-Hop’s Visual Language, presented with RISD Sept 17 at 6:30 p.m at RISD Auditorium. According to billing, Adams will discusses “his artistic career spanning over four decades, from teen graffiti artist in New York City to founding creative director at Def Jam Recordings.” Adams is the co-founder of The Drawing Board, Def Jam’s in-house design firm, that created iconic album covers and logos for artists like Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige. Tickets are free, register here and details here.
- All details here.
IT’S CORN!
Can we get corn kid to come to Rhody to talk about johnnycakes? Because if you’re from the Ocean State, you know (and have an opinion) on the pancake-like breakfast treats sometimes called journey cakes or Shawnee cakes. Either way, it’s corn! Celebrate Rhody’s Breakfast of Champions with “Jonnycake Day” at Coggeshall Farm Museum Sept. 14. There will be cooking demonstrations, corn-themed games, and more. And yes, there will be fresh jonnycakes to taste — and mixes for sale to make more at home. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Adults $10, kids 4-17 $5. Details here.
… IT’S ALSO CORN!
Escobar Farm’s Corn Maze is now open for the season. Dare to escape Portsmouth’s maize maze. Plus concessions and hayrides, according to website. Adults $10, ages 4-10 $8. Under 3 free. 255 Middle Road, Portsmouth. Details here.
BELLY & BUFFALO TOM
Rhody’s own Belly returns! The alt-rockers play with Boston-born Buffalo Tom at PVD’s Fete Music Hall Sept. 14. And I don’t have to say more because southern New Englanders who lived through the ‘90s just read that subhead and started lining up. Doors 7 p.m. 103 Dike St. Advance $45, doors $50. Details here.
BRISTOL PORCHFEST
What’s a porchfest? Exactly what it sounds like. Bristol’s High Street area will spring to life as various house porches serve as stages for a neighborhood-wide music fest. I love it. On Sept. 15, it’s 22 bands on 12 porches from 3-6 p.m. with an afterparty from 5-8 p.m. at Unity Park (500 Wood St.) with food, drinks, dessert, and more live music, according to event billing. See a list of musicians, map, and festival schedule here.
TIVERTON GRILL PARTY
Technically fall doesn’t start until next week, and Tiverton is soaking up every last drop of summer. On Sept. 15, the Tiverton Farmers Market hosts a “Summ Sizzla” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where they will be “celebrating the end of summer with a salute to all things grilled,” according their website. Expect live music, and grilled meats and seafood, vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options. And looks like some grilled cookies, too. (Yes, please.) Free admission. At Town Farm Recreational Area, 3588 Main Road. Details here.
ONE PROVIDENCE PLACE: A MALL MUSICAL
Welp, this is peak Rhode Island. The Providence Place Mall just keeps on serving up inspo. First, artists lived there. Then, a podcast about the artists. Then a documentary about them called “Secret Mall Apartment.”
And now, a musical: “One Providence Place: A Mall Musical.” It runs Sept. 19-29 at the AS220 Black Box Theater. According to billing from AS220: “Don’t expect this to be a straight-up retelling of the mall apartment saga. The folks behind this production, Mariah Min, Ayla Ahlquist, and Tina Wolstencroft… along with composer Avi David used the concept as a jumping off point” to talk about art, grief and family. $20. 95 Empire St. Providence. Details here and here.
GALLERY NIGHT
Like WaterFire, Gallery Night is part of what makes PVD the Creative Capital. On Sept. 19, you can also hop on a trolley to see galleries, museums and other creative hot spots with one of five free guided tours, or visit the “Make Your Own Tour” page and go it on your own. Details here.
JAZZ FROM KENYA
BYO picnic to this Portsmouth vineyard to enjoy jazz from Kenya. Newport Live x Greenvale Vineyards Present “Aaron Rimbui: Jazz From Kenya” Sept. 20. Multi-instrumentalist and composer Harun Kimathi Rimbui, who was born in Nairobi, is regarded as one of the greatest pianists in East Africa, according to African newspaper Nation. $35. 7p.m. 582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth. Details here, here, here.
RHODE READS
I’m a lifelong book lover and want to spread the Ocean State literary love. Rhody is so packed with talented authors and books, I started a subsection of this column, Rhode Reads. In this week’s Rhody Reading News…
I almost spit out my coffee milk when I saw Laura Dave will be in Rhode Island Sept. 18. Her new family drama/mystery, “The Night We Lost Him,” blew my socks off. Even better than her best-selling “The Last Thing He Told Me” — which was a Reese Pick, and adapted by Apple+. Couldn’t put this one down. “Succession” vibes. Catch my fellow LD at Westerly’s United Theater in conversation with local author Deborah Goodrich Royce. GA with book $40; no book $8. 6 p.m. 5 Canal St. Details here and here.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE: ONGOING FUN
HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?: It’s apple-picking season, baby. From Jaswell’s Farm, to Steere Orchard in Apple Valley, it’s time to skip the supermarket and pick from treats. Obviously, check online before you hit up any farms — Mother Nature is in charge here — but I rounded up some Ocean State orchards for apples, cider, donuts, pumpkins and peaches here.
BIG BEAUTIFUL BAMBOO BIRDS: You’ve heard of the Charlestown trolls — now get ready for the big beautiful birds of Bristol. Noted artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein are talented artists in their own right. When they team up, they are The Myth Makers, and they’ve created big beautiful bamboo birds at the 33-acre Blithewold estate in Bristol. Each bird ranges from 15 to 30 feet tall, and each has a story to tell. Free to see with admission through next summer. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. General admission for adults, $22, ages 11-16 $11; children ages 6-10 $6; ages 0-5 free. 101 Ferry Road. Details here.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS: Weather permitting, some 15 local food trucks park at Roger Williams Park at 5 p.m. each Friday through Sept. 27. Bring a chair or blanket and soak up live tunes from local artists, jump on the carousel, hop the train ride. Free admission; pay for what you eat. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Details here.
BROWN’S ART WALKING TOURS: Brown University now offers free public art walking tours led by Brown students every weekend. Learn about Brown’s public art collection with a 40-minute student-curated tour, exploring six works of art. All tours are outdoors, rain or shine. No registration required. Meet up at 1 p.m. On Saturdays, meet at the Eli Harvey sculpture, Bronze Bruno, on the College Green (79 Waterman St.) On Sundays, meet at Tom Friedman’s Circle Dance, on the Campus Walk. Tours run weekends through Nov. 17. Map and all details here.
FOOD AND ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR: Food, art, and architecture come together for Downcity Providence Food Tours, noon to 3:30 p.m., on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November. Get an insider’s view of creative and lively Providence during a tour lasting more than three hours over 1.7 miles. Discover some of the city’s award-winning restaurants, its hidden art and historic architecture. Tickets $76-$94 per person. 1 Ship St., Providence. Details here.
Until next week, Rhody: Keep rockin.’
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.