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Happy Friday, Providence. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let PVD Current serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
In today’s edition: WaterFire’s future, a women’s rights folk opera, food truck day at the zoo, and more.
Let’s get to it.
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
City backs WaterFire future: Providence’s finance committee advanced leasing WaterFire Arts Center to WaterFire Providence after $3.75 million purchase, requiring eight full and five partial lightings, WaterFire-funded upkeep, with final approval later this month — learn what the deal requires.
Exploring AI-driven creativity: RISD has launched its first academic department in nearly 30 years, Computation, Technology and Culture, offering majors in art and computation and sound, with studios each semester and a capstone — read the full story.
Future-ready learning in focus: RIDE celebrates STEAM Month this November, highlighting math. Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green visited RIC’s Workforce Development Hub. Winners’ Circle XR Academy hosts pop-up events and educator awards will be announced mid-November — learn about events and awards.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
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Roomy East Side retreat for Providence pups
Providence pups have a home base on the East Side at Waterman Street Dog Park, a roomy, enclosed 2.5-acre spot with walking trails and plenty of trees.
It’s a relaxed, neighborly scene that suits dogs who like to mingle and humans who like to chat.
Thoughtful touches help: a separate small-dog area, a double-gated entry that keeps flight risks in check, and water for bowls after fetch sessions. Donor support shows in community pride and steady improvements.
New “pup”grades are coming… more trees, a refreshed entrance, fresh mulch, and mosquito and tick protection. The park is also welcoming Reggie, Rhode Island’s first public art in a dog park. If your four-legged roommate needs a new hangout, take a lap through Waterman Street Dog Park, then let them lead the way.
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Ready to see your business featured in an ad spot like this? 👆
Advertising with us is as easy as it gets. Fill out this quick form and we’ll get you in an upcoming edition!
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🫶 We got your back
Unique Providence redevelopment opportunity: After more than eight years empty, Providence is finally selling the Humboldt Fire Station in Wayland, a 1906 Beaux Arts gem. Bids are due Dec. 1. Zoned R-3 in a historic district, it could become up to three units plus an ADU, live-work spaces, or a neighborhood commercial spot. Fire pole included. Get property and bidding details.
Weekend traffic impacts ahead: RIDOT is closing two lanes in both directions of I-95 in Providence on the weekends of Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 to decommission a bridge over an inactive rail line near Cadillac Drive and the Roger Williams Park Zoo. Closures run 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, with a southbound lane split Nov. 10 to 14. Plan for delays. See the closure schedule.
Low-key fancy night: Sometimes you want special without the spectacle. At Persimmon, chef Champe Speidel turns seasonal ingredients into precise, quietly luxurious plates. Cocktails go zero proof and still feel grown‑up. Settle in, trade bites, and actually finish a conversation.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
Need new windows? It’s not the most glamorous upgrade, we’ll admit. But newer windows = lower energy bills and a subtle (but definitely noticeable) glow-up. If you’ve been putting it off or waiting for the right moment, Renewal by Andersen is offering a discount that just might seal the deal. Check it out here.
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🤝 Introducing local deals (just for you)
We’re launching a brand new segment to bring you exclusive local offers from trusted businesses right here in Providence. Think of it as your inside pass to the best local finds, discounts, and experiences.
The kind only available to PVD Current readers.
Know a local business you love? Send ’em this newsletter and encourage them to get involved.
Own, manage, or market a local business? We’d love to feature you here for free. The only catch? Your deal has to be genuinely valuable and exclusive to our readers.
Email us 👉 [email protected] to get started.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →
Today
🔥 The Fire Within Her @ The Music Mansion | Friday (11/7) at 7:00pm – Skip the usual cover bands and let The Pandora Consort light a match with a folk opera inspired by the history of women’s rights in the U.S. Think protest songs with polish, history with heart, and the kind of harmonies that travel home with you.
🍷 Sip & Sculpt Pottery Workshop @ Providence Brewing Company | Friday (11/7) at 7:00pm – Trade screen time for clay time at this sip-and-sculpt pottery workshop, where you’ll unwind, sip something decent, and make gifts or décor you’ll actually keep. Perfect for date night, friend night, or quality time with yourself. Lopsided bowls encouraged, bragging rights optional.
This weekend
🐿️ Secret of the Squirrels @ Blackstone Park Conservation District | Saturday (11/8) at 2:00pm – Think squirrels are just fluffy acorn hoarders? Come learn how six local species actually survive with guided walks, clever crafts, and science at Blackstone Field, across from the Narragansett Boat Club; part of Nature on the Move with 15 Minute Field Trips, registration recommended.
🎸 An Evening with Ellis Paul at the Stone Soup Coffeehouse @ The Music Mansion | Saturday (11/8) at 7:00pm – Ellis Paul, the folk storyteller who’s on a first-name basis with our nostalgia, returns to Stone Soup at the Music Mansion. Expect luminous lyrics, warm laughs, and zero filler. Snag tickets early, parking is tight on College Hill, so carpool, and thank yourself later.
🎼 Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra @ Grace Episcopal Church | Saturday (11/8) at 7:00pm – If your idea of drama involves fewer group chats and more Latin, the Civic Chorale and Orchestra is serving a three-part tour of Mozart in Providence and Cumberland: youthful Solemn Vespers, operatic fireworks, and the Requiem. Big sound, goosebumps, and that rare feeling of unplugging.
🏠 November Open House @ John Hunt House | Sunday (11/9) at 1:00pm – Stretch your legs with a meetup at the gazebo for a gentle hike, then nose around The Hunt House Museum with a docent who knows all the good stories. Cap it with ancestry sleuthing at the Education Center. It is all free, and very neighborly.
🎃 Pumpkin Spice – Painting Class @ Paint and Vino | Sunday (11/9) at 6:00pm – This pumpkin-spice painting class lets you sip a complimentary beer, wine, or soda while you channel your inner Bob Ross, and yes, there is free parking. Bring a friend, claim your seats, and leave with a fall masterpiece that actually matches the living room.
🚂 American Railroad: Silkroad Ensemble featuring Wu Man @ The Vets | Sunday (11/9) at 7:30pm – Skip dinner music and let Silkroad’s American Railroad roll through, eight virtuosos led by pipa icon Wu Man. Railroad story told right, with Indigenous and immigrant voices, suona, accordion, Indian and Japanese percussion, and goosebumps. Feeling fancy, go VIP for early entry, seats, and toast.
Next week
🔥 Enameling 101: What the Flux? @ The Steel Yard | Monday (11/10) at 6:30pm – Nothing beats making something that lasts longer than your houseplants. Learn the basics of enameling with artist Nicholas Hesson, fuse glass to metal, play with fire, and finally learn what flux actually is. Leave with a shiny piece, steadier nerves, and bragging rights.
🏛️ The Creative Capital: Art and Architecture Tour of Providence @ Graduate Hotel Lobby | Tuesday (11/11) at 11:00am – Play tourist and join a stroll through Providence’s Gilded Age gems, spanning Art Deco, Beaux Arts, and Neoclassical. You’ll get stories behind the facades, plus a peek at the arts scene that pulled us out of the bad days, no pop quiz required.
🍔 Food Truck Day @ Roger Williams Park Zoo | Tuesday (11/11) at 11:00am – Food Truck Day is taking over Roger Williams Park Zoo with full zoo access, live tunes, and a parade of local eats. Make Veteran’s Day count, with half-off admission for vets for up to four, free for members, and zero judgment for second dessert.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 11/7 The Callouts and more @ Fete Music Hall – 8 pm
- 11/8 Dead Fish Handshake and more @ Alchemy – 6 pm
- 11/8 Ellis Paul @ Stone Soup Coffeehouse – 7 pm
- 11/9 So Over It and more @ AS220 – 7 pm
- 11/9 Laraaji @ First Unitarian Church of Providence – 7:15 pm
- 11/10 Knives @ The Steel Yard – 6:30 pm
- 11/11 Jake Blount and more @ Myrtle – 7 pm
- 11/12 Magic Men Takeover @ Medici – 6:30 pm
- 11/12 Neva Dinova and more @ Getties – 7 pm
- 11/13 Anciients and more @ The Parlour – 7 pm
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🏠️ Price is right – Providence edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: The Blackstone Team (Compass)
Greek Revival charisma, circa 1870, refitted in 2021, meets two-unit versatility at 104 Sheldon Street. The lower is a 3-bed, 1-bath with updated kitchen, new appliances, and in-unit laundry. Above, a 6-bed, 2-bath townhouse stretches out, equally refreshed, ideal for roomies or a sprawling crew.
Lead Safe Certificates, four coveted off-street spots, and a Fox Point perch steps to Brown, RISD, College Hill, and Downtown. Proven student rental performer, or reposition for professionals and families in a high-demand East Side pocket.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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