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Arts and Entertainment

LGBTQ + Gathering Space

Small Format

Tameka Eastman-Coburn founded Small Format in 2020 as a place where LGBTQ+ neighbors could gather over a cup of coffee. Since then, it’s become a hub for Providence’s inclusive community, hosting everything from book clubs to clothing swaps in a cozy, 500-square-foot space. Part art gallery, part cocktail lounge, part coffee shop offering vegan and gluten-free treats (try the homemade Pop-Tarts, trust us), it’s all about acceptance and expression in this safe space. 335 Wickenden St., Providence, instagram.com/smallformatpvd

New Beer Festival

Whale Watching

From the owners of New York’s Finback Brewery comes a beer festival to rival even the best of the Big Apple. Co-owners Basil Lee (a Rhode Island native) and Kevin Stafford chose Pawtucket to inaugurate their annual beer bash that sees local brewers pouring alongside sought-after labels from around the country on the banks of the Blackstone River. Add in some lobster rolls and a few special release pours and you’ve got yourself a good time. finbackbrewery.com/events

Retro Fun

United Skates of America

United Skates of America

For decades, generations of teens have glided along to the blasting music and pulsating lights in this retro roller rink in Rumford. As far as we know, it’s the last indoor roller-skating rink left in the state. The 30,000-square-foot space keeps things fresh by holding popular adult skate sessions for the LGBTQ+ community, night skates with music from the seventies, eighties and nineties, and “Stranger Things” costume contests (cheesy eighties music included). It’s clear that USA, after four-plus decades, is still rolling strong. 75 New Rd., East Providence, 438-9898, unitedskates.com/rumford

United Skates of America

Drag Gives Back

Black Sheep Babes

Black Sheep Babes

In a year when drag has come under public scrutiny in other parts of the country, Gia Devaroux, Jealousy Jonz and Viza D. Klein of the Black Sheep Babes have been a force to reckon with at Black Sheep in Providence. It’s not just the Babes’ sidesplitting Sunday brunch shows and dazzling karaoke performances that have caught our fancy, it’s also the fact that they’re known as the Queens with a Cause. Catch them calling bingo at the bar every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and donating the proceeds from the night’s $20 entry fee to a local charity. 397 Westminster St., Providence, 837-6088, blacksheepri.com/drag-events

Black Sheep Babes

Live Music Venue

Moonshine Alley

No need to book a flight to Nashville to feel like you’ve landed on Lower Broadway. Moonshine Alley brings the Music City experience right to Downcity, with a Southern-comfort-food-by-day menu that gives way to a hopping concert venue at night. Catch acts like Danielle Bradbery and the No Shoes Nation Band without the jet lag at this Tennessee-inspired party spot. Cowboy boots recommended. 52 Pine St., Providence, 861-0001, moonshinealley.com

Staycation Destination

Samuel Slater Canal Boat

Tucked away on the banks of the Blackstone River, you’ll find a little slice of English heaven in the Samuel Slater canal boat. Revel in the Union Jack decor as you brew a pot of tea, enjoy the outdoor deck and snooze in style as the river gently lulls you to slumber. The boat sleeps four and is equipped with a kitchen, bath and shower, and living and eating area. You can even take an optional tour of the river during your stay — and steer the boat if you’d like. Central Falls Landing, 15 Madeira Ave., 724-2200, rivertourblackstone.com   

Eclectic Events

Askew

On any given night, you could wander into Askew and hear a funky rendition — with plenty of bass and saxophone — of the Beatles’ “Come Together,” an open mic comedy night, a drag king revue, a jazz quartet or an eighties dance party. Eclectic is the name of the game at Askew, and that’s all part of the fun — and of the appeal at this gem in Providence’s Jewelry District. 150 Chestnut St., Providence, 774-526-9736, askewprov.com

Pinball Museum

Electromagnetic Pinball Museum

Those of us who grew up in the seventies and eighties remember fondly the ding-ding-dings, flashing lights and frenetic flipping of pinball machines. The Electromagnetic Pinball Museum is like a shrine to that wondrous era, with 100 arcade games and pinball machines, including wooden ones from the fifties up through modern-day titles. You don’t even need a roll of quarters; $10 gets you unlimited play. 881 Main St., Pawtucket, 743-8067, electromagneticpinballmuseum.com

Statewide Themed Tours

Experience Rhode Island

We all know how wonderful our little state is. Every Saturday, guides at Experience Rhode Island give tourists — and non-tourists — a glimpse into all Little Rhody has to offer with its seven-and-a-half-hour Rhode Island in a Day excursion. The air-conditioned tour bus travels from Providence to Newport, visiting sites large and small, with all manner of hidden gems tucked in between. Visitor Information Center, R.I. Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence, 886-0733, experienceri.com  

Local Escape

Stone House Inn

Travel to the end of Sakonnet Point and feel like you’re a world away from the daily grind. This is the ideal spot to take a time out, while soaking up water views from the 1854 stone farmhouse. The luxury inn recently completed $12 million in renovations, making each room eco-friendly with contemporary furnishings. Whether it’s a romantic couples’ stay or a girlfriends’ getaway, guests feel relaxed and refreshed at the end of the stay. What could be better than that? 122 Sakonnet Point Rd., Little Compton, 635-2222, newportexperience.com/venues/stone-house

Art Incubator

Public

Providence artists Casandra Inez and Spocka Summa host an impressive array of events — everything from self-care pop-ups and author readings to artist shows and secret comedy nights — in Public, their studio and space devoted to art and the community. A recent show, “Come in, We’re Open!,” featured photos and paintings by eight local artists. Look for special events to come in September and October. 27 Sims Ave., Providence, publicshopandgallery.com

Rage Reliever

Smash ‘N’ Splash

Ever wanted to put a baseball bat through your TV? Enter Smash ‘N’ Splash, the only place in the state where you can take a sledgehammer to your problems. Billed as Rhode Island’s first rage room, the West Warwick venue offers fifteen-minute sessions complete with safety gear, hype music and breakables galore. For a more artistic indulgence, opt for the splash room and use the neon paint blasters to paint a masterpiece (and yourself). But seriously, we know you came here to break stuff. 289 Cowesett Ave., West Warwick, 744-1173, smashnsplashri.com

Smash N’ Splash

Live Music Dance Parties

Galactic Theatre

It’s a micro movie theater. No, it’s a live music venue. Oh wait, it’s a dance club. Actually it’s all three. Owner Dave “Sasquatch” Podsnap merges all of his favorite things into this neighborhood hangout while serving craft beers and creative cocktails. The crowd gets off their seats to tear up the dance floor (tequila not necessary) to live bands that span from bluegrass and indie to soft singer-songwriters and boisterous frontmen, plus there are occasional comedy nights for a much-needed break from reality. 440 Main St., Warren, galactictheatre.com

Local Jazz Night

Courtland Club

Get sucked into saxophone riffs and bass jams on Sundays as Leland Baker and Friends take over Courtland Club. The former bakery-turned-social-club may not have a sign in sight, but let the music lead the way in the West End of Providence. Try the Zodiac cocktail of the month as well as drinks that highlight artisanal spirits, housemade syrups and garden-plucked herbs and fruit, plus a food menu worthy of dubbing it a farm-to-table restaurant. 51 Courtland St., Providence, 227-9300, courtlandclub.com

Rock and Roll Roadhouse

Richmond Smoke

This summer, get cozy by the firepit and order from Outsider Cooking Company’s out-of-this-world grill menu or partake in lawn games and an Arturo Fuente, all set to a live soundtrack by talented local musicians — think: Black Knight’s Castle, PonyBoy, Tyler James Kelly, Jay Parker — from the al fresco stage. When the weather turns, the bar beckons with a roadhouse-meets-speakeasy vibe, deep club chairs and more well-curated cover bands to heat up chilly nights. 1219 Main St., Richmond, 539-2002, richmondsmoke.com

Nontraditional Art

Overlap

Artist Susie Matthews’ usual medium of choice is ceramics. But she just molded a forty-year-old brick-and-mortar glass business into a gleaming, airy showcase for contemporary art. The two galleries focus on local and regional artists while a retail space sells jewelry, prints and housewares by area makers. It’s hosting “Exquisite Variants,” a mixed-media exhibit with works by Alicia Renadette, the gallery’s director, and Maggie Nowinski, through Sept. 10. 112 Van Zandt Ave., Newport, 324-5238, overlapnewport.com

Rainy Day Activity

The Sailing Museum

Newport’s newest museum is an ode to the city’s sailing legacy, with two iconic monikers at one historic destination: the National Sailing Hall of Fame and America’s Cup Hall of Fame. It will energize any rainy day with its treasure trove of sailing ephemera as well as hands-on exhibits for all the kids in your life (including the mature ones!). 365 Thames St., Newport, 324-5761, thesailingmuseum.org

Pierogi-Making Class

Krakow Deli Bakery Smokehouse

Craft perfectly pinched pierogies and make babcia proud at this class inside a Polish deli. Sign up solo, with a friend or lover, or as part of a whole group as you learn how to roll out dough, cut it into rounds, then stuff each circle with a mashed potato, bacon and onion filling. Guests will form dumplings that are then boiled until they float. Participants also get a tasting of all the house specialties and go home with the recipe to replicate the work at home. 855 Social St., Woonsocket, 765-4600, facebook.com/KrakowDeliBakerySmokehouse

Colonial Comeback

The General Stanton Inn

New owners David and Jackie Moore took the 300-year-old General Stanton Inn — which had been showing its age a bit — and burnished it into a bustling inn and events center with fourteen completely renovated guest rooms, a tavern, fine dining rooms and a local, seasonal menu crafted by executive chef Tom Hagist. Revolutionary, indeed. 4115 Old Post Rd., Charlestown, 364-8888, thegeneralstantoninn.com

Spectacular Spirits

Rhode Island thrives on microbreweries, but distilling is a craft like no other. This year saw several moves in the state’s growing spirits industry, including a fresh tasting room for Rhode Island Spirits (rhodeislandspirits.com), now serving its Rhodium-branded gin, vodka and liqueurs out of a souped-up former mill down the street from the new Pawtucket/Central Falls Transit Center. In Bristol, Adam and Natalie O’Brien set flight to their whiskey-distilling dreams at O’Brien and Brough (obrienandbrough.com), where the signature rye is equally good in a classic old fashioned or the more adventurous French Canadian, featuring maple ice cream and cold brew from neighboring Borealis Coffee Company. Back in Pawtucket, White Dog Distilling (whitedogdistilling.com) owners Carlo and Alecia Catucci have set a new standard in their tasting room in the Lorraine Mills, where the handcrafted spirits (and cocktails!) will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about moonshine.

White Dog Distilling

Laugh Out Loud

It’s a good time to be in the funny business in Rhode Island, with a handful of fresh venues and takes for comedy-chasers of all stripes. Leave it to local yucksters Charlie Hall and Doreen Collins to make light of all the aches, pains and travails that go along with growing old in their hit show, “Aging Disgracefully” (oceanstatefollies.net). From Viagra and bifocals to bingo and Metamucil, the duo pokes fun at life in the boomer lane, with plenty of laughs, songs and skits thrown into the mix. Speaking of local legends, last year saw the opening of the Comedy Park (theparkri.com/the-comedy-park) at the newly revived Park Theatre, home to the Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame as well as a new stand-up venue where you can catch all your favorite Rhody acts. For those who prefer their comedy on the go, the Comedy Bus (comedybus.net) offers the state’s only mobile comedy tour, featuring two comedians and a converted school bus on a whirlwind, ninety-minute tour around Providence (complete with mid-tour brewery stop). With so many options, you’ll never have to agonize over Friday night plans again. 

Party Hardy

Rhode Island knows how to have a great time, especially when it’s for a good cause. –J.C. 

Halloween Party

Barnaby Castle

If there was a setting for the ultimate Halloween party, Barnaby Castle on the West Side of Providence was it (unfortunately, this past fall’s bash was its last). The annual costume party was organized by Kaitlyn Alyece Event Architects and a team of voracious volunteers who decorated the 1875 mansion with a murder mystery history in themes like “Barnaby’s Inferno” while raising funds for the restoration of the exterior and public spaces of the historic Victorian home. kaitlyn-alyece-events.com/barnaby-castle

Barnaby Castle

Food and Wine Event

Rhode Island PBS’s Uncorked!

This food and wine event pulls out all the stops (and corks!) by calling in the state’s best restaurants, breweries, spirit companies, wine shops and distributors for a night of gastronomic revelry. Guests walk around the vast room decked out in impressive decor — this year’s event was held at the WaterFire Arts Center — and indulge in a week’s worth of food and drink all in one spot and all for a good cause. ripbs.org

Theme Party

Providence Preservation Society

This year’s “Through the Looking Glass” Alice in Wonderland-themed event took place inside the alluring Industrial Trust Building, aka the Superman Building to most locals. The decor featured everything from the Mad Hatter tea party to the Queen of Hearts garden with incredible scenery, performances by the Providence Drum Troupe and fabulous costumes. We’re all mad here. ppsri.org 

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Food and Drink | Shopping | Arts and Entertainment | Health and Wellness