PLAY: NIGHT

Where to go for a dose of theatrical entertainment, live music, comedy, cooking classes and more all year long.

Patio Cocktails

Tiny Bar

With a neighborhood vibe, gorgeous outdoor space and creative lineup of jewel-toned cocktails, it’s no surprise Tiny Bar quickly won over our hearts after opening in 2019 — even if the bar is, well, tiny. Most evenings, the fun spills out across the string-lit patio, so grab a friend (or three) and settle in for a night of sipping and catching up under the stars. 377 Richmond St., Providence, instagram.com/tinybarpvd

Tiny Bar

Free Outdoor Concert Series

Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series

Funded by a grant from the Levitt Foundation, the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series combines the best of the summer concert experience in one riverside venue — food trucks, vendor pop-ups, an onsite bar and high-energy shows featuring local and national acts like Steve Smith and the Nakeds and Nashville-based rock outfit the New Respects. Bring your blanket and head up to Woonsocket for this free, Friday-night series that runs all summer long. River Island Art Park, 95 Bernon St., Woonsocket, levittamp.org/woonsocket

Cooking Class

Newport Pasta Co.

Who knew hand-cutting your own pasta could be so much fun? Alex Reppe, an Army veteran and founder of Newport Pasta Co., brings his show on the road every week with pasta-making pop-ups at breweries and private events. Sure, you could buy a box of Barilla, but why would you when you can learn to make Dave’s Coffee Stout penne or ghost pepper-infused shells and take some home to share? newportpastaco.com

Japanese-Style Karaoke Bar

The Boombox

Belt out your favorite Whitney Houston tune at this Dean Hotel attraction that brings a little taste of Tokyo to PVD. In true Japanese fashion, guests can book a private room to sip sake and unleash their inner rock star among friends. Feeling brave? Head out to the lounge area to test your talents in front of the crowd that gathers on weekend nights. 122 Fountain St., Providence, 861-0040, singboombox.com

Family After-Dark Activity

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

Tucked deep within Ninigret Park, this Charlestown mainstay has introduced a generation of Rhode Islanders to astronomy through its free, Friday-night stargazing, sky theater and science programs. You never know what you’ll spot through the PlaneWave CDK600 telescope perched in the observatory dome — the rings of Saturn, perhaps, or
a distant galaxy whose mysteries are still hidden in the night sky. 62 Park Lane, Ninigret Park, Charlestown, 859-1450, frostydrew.org

Frosty Drew Observatory

A NIGHT AT THE THEATER

Rhode Island has no shortage of world-class theater offerings, but it’s the smaller venues that pack the most punch on the local theater scene. At the Lorraine Mills in Pawtucket, Mixed Magic Theatre  fulfills its promise to deliver diverse stories and images and build arts-active communities with an impressive lineup of music and drama showcasing the state’s many voices and cultures. In Wakefield, the Contemporary Theater Company’s improv shows steal the stage, with wacky, made-up musicals and murder mysteries where even the actors are in the dark about the action rounding out the more traditional offerings. In Newport, the Bit Players have carved out a home for improv comedy in the Firehouse Theater, drawing crowds every weekend with laugh-out-loud ad-libs that will make you want to jump on stage and grab the mike (you can — they hold try-outs!). Mixed Magic Theatre, 560 Mineral Spring Ave., Pawtucket, 305-7333, mmtri.org.; Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main St., Wakefield, 218-0282, contemporarytheatercompany.com; The Bit Players, Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Pl., Newport, 849-3473, bitplayers.net

The Bit Players

Inclusive Space

Booth.

Whether it’s a business launch party, photoshoot, pop-up shop or a jam session, booth.’s cozy, 1,100-square-foot retail and recreational space gives women and minority artists, creatives and entrepreneurs the opportunity to celebrate their brand or next chapter in life with the option to host a cash bar on site. Booth. aims to be a welcoming event space for aspiring business owners who may have a limited resource availability and creates a personalized solution that fits their needs. 245 Main St., Pawtucket, boothonmain.com