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It’s Friday, Providence! Let’s finish this week strong.
In today’s can’t-miss-weekend-plans edition: Retro patriotic beer cans, a grown up book fair with brews, and Little City Thrifty Vintage Market + a stacked lineup of events this weekend.
Today’s sponsor (FinanceBuzz) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
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📰 In the news
Academia meets digital health: On Feb. 18, Providence’s Rhode Island College and Care New England announced a workforce center to train in health technology, cybersecurity and AI, with Epic EHR integrated into nursing courses — get all the details.
Industrial site at a crossroads: Providence Journal’s former Kinsley Avenue printing complex has been sold for $4.17 million to a Rhode Island LLC tied to Boston’s GFI Partners. Redevelopment plans have not been announced — learn about the buyer and site.
Retro patriotic beer cans: Rhode Island’s oldest brewery, Narragansett, has debuted limited-edition America 250 cans reviving its 1976 Liberty Bell design, with a chance to win a trip to Boston — read the full story.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
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🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor FinanceBuzz
Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.
The frustrating part? Loyalty rarely gets rewarded. Insurers adjust prices constantly, and new customers often qualify for better rates than long-time policyholders.
I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.
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🫶 We got your back
Date-night upgrade, zero dairy: PiANTA Vegan Restaurant turns familiar cravings into plant-based wins: penne alla vodka, steak-and-cheese egg rolls, and indulgent desserts, all nut-free and made with local ingredients. Cozy comfort with a clear conscience, ideal for date night or anytime you want flavor without compromise.
Three floors, zero boredom: With 200+ dealers, Nostalgia Antiques & Collectibles is a rabbit hole of vintage finds, quirky curios, and honest conversation-starters. Roaming its floors often uncovers that just-right piece, letting serendipity refresh a corner of your place (and maybe your outfit), one discovered treasure at a time.
Wake up ready: Pretty Things PVD shapes brows, liner, lips, and freckles to look like you, just a touch more polished, with thoughtful permanent makeup and artists who listen. Spend more time enjoying Providence, and less time wrestling with the mirror each morning.
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.
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📆 Around town this weekend
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🍁 Sugar Bush Care Day @ Woonasquatucket River Greenway | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Roll up your sleeves and help WRWC care for Providence’s maple woods, pulling invasives, planting natives, and learning some urban ecology along the way. Family-friendly, low strain, bilingual leaders, refreshments, crafts, and a short walk from parking, though the restroom is a tad farther.
🛍 Little City Thrifty Vintage Market @ WaterFire Arts Center | Saturday (3/7) at 12:00 PM – Clear some trunk space for Rhode Island’s biggest vintage market at WaterFire Arts Center. 90+ vendors sling pre-Y2K housewares, records, size-inclusive threads, art, and accessories. Your ticket includes a drink, pop-ups keep you hunting, and Early Buying Hour means first dibs with a tote.
☘ Pawtucket St. Patrick’s Parade @ Downtown Pawtucket | Saturday (3/7) at 12:00 PM – Parade season calls for lawn chairs, thermoses, and just enough green to keep your aunt happy. Pawtucket’s 44th St. Patrick’s Parade brings bagpipes, step dancers, and familiar faces you only see curbside once a year. Stake your spot early, then let the nostalgia roll.
✨ Magic of Hope Gala & Auction @ Omni Providence | Saturday (3/7) at 6:00 PM – Break out the good shoes for a night of cocktails, dinner, entertainment, and a guilt-free bidding spree at the Magic of Hope Gala. It fuels APDA Rhode Island’s support, education, and research for Parkinson’s, with KPMG Providence behind it, so you can toast with purpose.
📚 Grown Up Book Fair! @ The Guild | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – If you’ve ever wished the school book fair came with beer, your moment has arrived. Browse a curated spread of books and gifts from An Unlikely Story, sip Guild brews, snag bites, and enter giveaways. Free to wander in, no RSVP, grown-ups get recess.
🏆 Spring Members Exhibition Opening and Awards Ceremony @ Providence Art Club | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – Kick off spring at the Providence Art Club with a free opening reception, awards, and more art than your living room walls can handle. Over 150 works across three galleries, artists chatting, light bites, and $5,000 in prizes judged by Paul Michael.
🦆 Winter Duck Walk @ Blackstone Field | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – Bundle up and meet Dan Berard at Blackstone Field, across from the Narragansett Boat Club, for a winter duck walk along the river, spotting loons, raptors, grebes, and whatever the cold blows in. RSVP recommended, bring binoculars, and pretend the pace is for science.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📻 Providence report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 36°F – Low: 33°F – Precip: 99%
Rain and areas of fog before noon, then areas of fog and a chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Later: Cloudy, with a low around 33. Northeast wind 1 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
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Tomorrow – High: 49°F – Low: 44°F – Precip: 12%
Cloudy, with a high near 49. South wind 1 to 9 mph. Later: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 44. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
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Take a peek inside →
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