5 Weekend Musts: Pumpkins, Parties + More

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ben Mandeville, GoLocalProv Contributor

Boo! It's an evening of family fun at the 10th Annual Ballard Park Pumpkin Festival on Saturday.

Another fantastic fall weekend is approaching in Rhode Island, and we have five wonderful ways to experience it. Get going on pre-Halloween fun and much, much more.

10th Annual Ballard Park Pumpkin Festival in Newport

Saturday: Get spooked by the sea by experiencing over 1,000 jack-o-lanterns carved by local community groups and the general public. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy rustic paths lined with fantastic pumpkins for free admission. Event will run rain or shine. Hazard + Wickham Rds, Newport. 4:30-9pm. Parking available at Rogers High School. For more information, call (401) 619-3377 or go to 10th Annual Ballard Pumpkin Festival.

Fall Free For All! at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol

Saturday: One of Rhode Island's most beautiful historic sites is open free of charge for everyone today. Enjoy autumn in a way only New Englanders can at the Fall Free For All. Pick an heirloom pumpkin perfect for Jack-o-Lantern carving, collect as many shining New England apples as you can hold, help press cider, and enjoy fresh treats at a Bake Sale. 10am-4pm, Coggeshall Farm Museum, Poppasquash Rd, Bristol.
Call (401) 245-0750, or visit the Coggeshall Farm Museum website for more information.

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RiverzEdge Industrial Ball, Woonsocket RI

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Woo! There's nothing crazier, funkier, and for a better cause, than RiverzEdge's Industrial Ball, happening this Friday.

Friday: Celebrate creativity and community at RiverzEdge Industrial Ball. Engage in fun-filled competition such as belt sander races, giant fighting marionettes, and plenty other amazing surprises while enjoying food from Russell Morin Catering. RiverzEdge is a non-profit organization recognized by the White House for keeping at-risk teens in Woonsocket on a creative path to a bright future. Proceeds from the Industrial Ball go to the RiverzEdge Arts Project that provides training, support and artistic vision to at-risk teens in Woonsocket. 7-10pm, 68 South Main St, Third Floor, Woonsocket. Tickets are $50. For more information go to RiverzEdge Industrial Ball.

Amica Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K in Newport

Saturday: Race around one of the beautiful areas in Rhode Island in the Amica Marathon Weekend through Newport and Middletown. The Amica 5K begins at Brenton Point State Park on Saturday at 7:30 am while the Amica Marathon and UnitedHealth Care Newport Half Marathon starts at 8:00am at Easton’s Beach. Witness breath-taking oceanic views by Aquidneck Island and the majestic Bellevue mansions. Brenton Point State Park, Newport Yachting Center, and Easton’s Beach Rotunda, Newport. 5K $35.00, Half Marathon $80, Marathon $100. For more information, go to Amica Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K.

Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival in Newport

Saturday and Sunday: Fill your fall with flavor at Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival. Surround yourself with the best seafood as local restaurants for outstanding dishes. Indulge in delicious seafood, baked goods, cider, and hot and cold beverages. Children will be pleased with kid-friendly dishes and the non-stop live music by local bands, face painting, games, and other fun children's activities. Free admission, rain or shine. 13 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport. 11am-5pm. Call (401) 849-2243, or visit www.bowenswharf.com for more information.