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 the news
Local happenings: Brown University is offloading 21 unused properties, local artists can chase $30,000 fellowships, and T F Green just topped the US airport charts — catch up here.
State-level stories: New law will ban phones in public schools, a top hunger relief group faces major federal cuts, and giant trolls are popping up statewide — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: Study finds adults inhale thousands of plastic fragments daily, many hearts age faster than their owners, and Ford recalls F-150 hybrids without seatbelt chime — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Walk in Sunday for low-cost dog vaccines
- Visit 211 van at Central Library
- Learn U.S. job search tips from alumni
- Drop in for tech help and digitization
- Unlock dozens of travel deals with AARP
🫶 We got your back
Gardening: Providence’s plant scene is a leafy playground, offering everything from rare monsteras to backyard blooms. Discover plant nurseries that prove your green thumb deserves a joyride.
Food: Ever wander past a farm stand unsure if you’re scoring real-deal heirloom tomatoes? This seasonal produce guide spells out what’s fresh each month at local farmers markets.
Reads: The smell of paper, the thrill of cracking open a new story, and the chance to accidentally spend two hours debating which cover looks cooler, Riffraff Bookstore and Bar is basically a playground for bookworms (minus the monkey bars, plus way more coffee).
Health: Forget outdated weight loss fads and gimmicks. Modern science has changed the game. GLP-1 medications (like the ones behind today’s most talked-about treatments) are helping people manage weight in a safer, more sustainable way. Check out your options today.
👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?
Own or manage a local business? Thousands of your future fans read our emails — advertising your products, services, listings, and events with us is easy.
You can advertise with us or submit an event for free.
📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
💉 Providence Tattoo Convention @ Rhode Island Convention Center | Friday (8/1) at 4:00pm – Think Providence’s coolest weekend upgrade is that new brewery? Think again. Live inking, sideshows, and more — a bold return for Providence’s ink scene. Regret? Entirely up to you.
🎤 The Reckoners @ The Parlour Providence | Friday (8/1) at 8:00pm – Friday night at your go-to haunt gets bumped up when a Boston supergroup rolls in, The Reckoners, assembled by axe hero Johnny Trama and fronted by soul powerhouse Tim Gearan. Expect R&B, funk, and rock jams, with Dread Buffalo kicking off the fun.
This weekend
💃 Bachata/Merengue Dance @ Gateway Center at Roger Williams Park | Saturday (8/2) at 11:00am – Lace up your dancing shoes and swap that usual bar stool for bachata hip rolls and merengue shimmies. No rhythm degree required, just an open mind, comfy shoes, and the grace to forgive a few missteps. Register by emailing rwpgateway@providenceri.gov.
🍳 Meal with Strangers-Saturday Brunch Series @ A Restaurant in Providence | Saturday (8/2) at 11:00am – Step away from the usual Saturday and join a cozy Providence brunch where strangers become brunch buddies. Expect fluffy pancakes, bottomless coffee, and conversation that might spark something more than small talk. Who knows, you could leave with a new friend, or two.
🎭 Tet Atè Bouda Anlè | Saturday (8/2) at 9:00pm – If your social life needs a kick in the pants, head to Tet Atè Bouda Anlè for live bands, mouthwatering Creole bites, and vibes that stick to your shoes. It’s the kind of party where even your most cynical friend cracks a smile.
🐶 Exhibition: “Museum of Who Let Who Let the Dogs Out Out” @ Providence Public Library | Sunday (8/3) at 8:30am – Whether you’re still belting ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ in your car or never failed to wink at that lyric, the local library’s gallery has a cheeky archive of shirts, records, and novelty toys. It’s a low-key ode to its 25th anniversary, goofy nostalgia guaranteed.
🚤 Founding Waters: A Boat Tour with Roger Williams | Sunday (8/3) at 11:00am – Think you know Rhode Island history? Set sail down the Providence River, guided by Roger Williams, well, our local expert in full colonial regalia. Expect tall tales, postcard-worthy waterfront views, and a sprinkle of theatrical flair, way more entertaining than your uncle’s reenactments.
🧸 Toe Jam Puppet Band Kids Concert @ Roger Williams Park Botanical Center | Sunday (8/3) at 12:00pm – Sunday mornings just got cooler at the Botanical Center: New England’s puppet-rock heroes are back to hijack tots with catchy hooks and questionable lyrics. Kids will bop, parents will hum along like they meant to be there, and it’s free with park admission.
Next week
🐾 Xen’s Critters @ The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library | Monday (8/4) at 6:30pm – This grown-up show-and-tell lacks the cringey PowerPoint but brings ten of Xen’s adorable furry and feathery companions for you to marvel at and pet, while you pick up delightfully random trivia about each critter. Registration is required, so snag your spot online before they’re gone.
🎬 Flickers’ RI International Film Festival @ Providence Performing Arts Center | Tuesday (8/5) at 7:00pm – Nothing cures cabin fever like a heady mix of world-class short films without leaving the Ocean State, right? This opening night serves globe-trotting premieres with serious Oscar, BAFTA, and Goya vibes, so dust off your beret and pretend you always knew about it.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/1 Comedy By The Fire @ Mezzo Lounge – 8 pm
- 8/1 The Garcia Project @ Stadium Theatre – 8 pm
- 8/1 Ginuwine and more @ Bally’s – 8 pm
- 8/1 Profanatica and more @ Alchemy – 8 pm
- 8/1 Jay Rabbitt @ Lucky’s – 8:30 pm
- 8/1 Joe Derosa @ Comedy Connection – 9:30 pm
- 8/2 Vanna Pacella @ Myrtle – 7 pm
- 8/3 Mako Yaki and more @ Alchemy – 8 pm
- 8/4 King Parrot and more @ Alchemy – 7 pm
- 8/5 The Dollyrots and more @ Alchemy – 7 pm
🏠️ 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).
*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.
Listed by: Kira Greene (Compass)
Three levels of city living get a major upgrade in this Hope Village townhouse, where sunlight streams through oversized windows and the kitchen is all about quartz counters, premium cabinets, and stainless steel everything. The open-concept main floor keeps things bright and social, while a powder room and laundry add a dose of daily convenience.
Upstairs, a cathedral-ceilinged bedroom brings drama, and the primary suite is pure calm with its own bath. The lower level flexes as a guest hideout, movie den, or studio space. Out back, a private patio is ready for plant babies or impromptu hangs, with assigned parking sealing the deal.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
