Five Great Things to Do in Rhode Island This Weekend—December 4, 2021
GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team
Five Great Things to Do in Rhode Island This Weekend—December 4, 2021
There are holiday festivities -- free of charge -- in Providence and Newport.
Still need to do some shopping -- and want to support local artists? See a top spot for holiday gifts.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnd if you're looking for some musical entertainment, or want to catch some top college basketball, you don't have to go far.
SLIDES: See Five Great Things to Do in RI This Weekend -- BELOW
Five Great Things to Do in Rhode Island This Weekend—December 3, 2021
Head to Pawtucket -- and Support Local Artists
The Foundry Artists Association presents its 39th annual show & sale featuring unique gifts, fine art, functional crafts & original designs from over 65 artisans.
The Foundry Artists Association is a collection of individual creators of arts and crafts. The group consists of artists from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, offering a wide array of hand-crafted artwork in every medium.
Artists come together to put on a very well-attended show in the heart of Pawtucket. Some of the types of art include ceramics, handmade books, fiber, hats and handbags, giftware, home accessories, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, printmaking, collage & illustration, photography, wood & furniture, and much more.
Located at 172 Exchange Street in Pawtucket, the “showtimes” are Friday from 12 PM to 8 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM.
PHOTO: Foundry Artists Association
The Game
It’s must-see BB.
On Saturday, the URI Men’s Rams take on the Providence College Friars at the Dunk.
It is THE game of the weekend — and it tips off at 2 PM.
Check out the latest game coverage of the 7-1 Friars and 6-2 Rams.
PHOTO: PC
Holiday WaterFire
WaterFire Providence is bringing holiday joy back to Providence with “A Holiday Celebration” at WaterFire on Saturday, December 4.
This Basin Lighting of WaterFire will be WaterFire’s first holiday-themed event in five years.
A Holiday Celebration at WaterFire will take place in Waterplace Park with a 4:30 p.m. lighting time; the fires will remain lit until 10:00 p.m.
The event will feature a fully illuminated 12-foot Christmas Tree, Santa’s Village, holiday-themed food trucks, local artists and makers, caroling, and a Holiday Toy Drive at WaterFire benefitting Rhode Island families.
PHOTO: WaterFire
Bowen's Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting
Make your way to Bowen's Wharf in Newport on Saturday, December 4 for an enchanting evening of caroling, holiday shopping, and family fun for the 51st Annual Bowen's Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting.
Festivities begin with live music and a carol sing-along at 4:30 PM.
Frosty the Snowman arrives at 4:30 PM.
At 6:00 PM, head to the center of the wharf to watch as the Mayor of Newport lights the tree, followed by the cheerful arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus by boat, weather permitting.
Admission is free.
PHOTO: Discover Newport
"This is America" Concert
On Sunday, December 5, head to the First Unitarian Church in Providence 4 PM for FirstWorks' "This is America."
Curated by violinist Johnny Gandelsman, “This is America” is a new commissioning and recording project featuring over 20 works for solo violin written by American and US-based composers.
The invited composers – including icons like Rhiannon Giddens and Conrad Tao – were asked to reflect on the events of the past year and to consider the impact the period has had on their lives and on their communities.
A long-time FirstWorks collaborator, Gandelsman is a co-founder of Brooklyn Rider and a member of the Silk Road Ensemble. The New Yorker has called him “revelatory” in concert, placing him in the company of “radically transformative” performers like Maurizio Pollini, Peter Serkin and Christian Zacharias.
For this special FirstWorks program, Gandelsman will perform selections from “This is America,” and Providence’s Community MusicWorks will join him for a performance of Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto.”
The concert will open with the premiere of “Woodland Impressions,” a program developed with EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks through FirstWorks’ inaugural commission initiative. Experience the new suite for erhu (two-stringed Chinese fiddle), violin and marimba composed by erhu virtuoso Jing Wang, performing with violinist EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and percussionist Piero Guimaraes. “Woodland Impressions” is inspired by FirstWorks themes of Raise Your Voice (celebrating diversity) and Earth First (addressing environmental justice).
New England Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for the ArtsFunded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.
FirstWorks is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with major funding from the federal CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan from the National Endowment for the Arts.
PHOTO: FirstWorks
