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

Regulators weigh bill changes: Rhode Island Energy proposes a 14.770 cents per kWh winter rate, about 9% lower than last year but 16% higher than summer. McKee presses for credits and added relief — see how bills could change.

Lanternfly threat escalates: Spotted lanternflies are surging in Rhode Island, with Providence reporting most sightings. RIDEM says they’re here to stay as farms ramp pesticides and nets and USDA trials parasitic wasp controls — see how farms and officials respond.

Big hearts, big impact: Wednesday’s Day of Giving telethon raised $375,000 for Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s, benefiting the Malloy Strong Fund and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and donations were matched dollar for dollar — see how to donate.

Highlights this week

• Earn badges to use makerspace equipment
• Learn to choose the right postdoc
• Get help with GOSA grant application
• Brown archaeology students share fieldwork highlights

Have you tried our local coffee roasters?

Some coffee shops feel like corporate chains with local names. Not Borealis Coffee Company. They roast their beans in Pawtucket, and serve excellent coffee out of their beautiful cafés in Riverside and Bristol.

There’s nothing rushed or sterile about the atmosphere. You’ll find genuine community spaces where you can sit outdoors on sunny days, watch neighborhood traffic saunter by, and actually relax.

From nitro cold brew flights to vegan-friendly lunch options, they cater to a wide range of preferences while maintaining that welcoming local vibe. It’s definitely worth the trip.

Visit Borealis Coffee Shop for more info or to shop the best beans in RI.

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🫶 We got your back

Stage magic awaits: PPAC just launched a Golden Snitch digital lottery for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s two and a half week run in Providence, Sept 19 to Oct 4. Enter on Lucky Seat for a chance at up to two $40 tickets. Deadlines come up fast, and winners get emailed soon after entries close. Find entry link and deadlines.

Tackling polluted runoff: Rhode Island’s Stormwater Innovation Expo is back Oct. 8 at Roger Williams Park Casino, focused on climate resilience and the new Resilient Rhody 2025 plan. Expect a keynote from Massachusetts’ MVP director and a deep dive on water quality vs. quantity. Tickets are $40 (state/municipal staff comps), breakfast and lunch included. Get event details and tickets.

Market: Fresh veggies, homemade jams, slightly too confident street musicians, and the joy of overbuying produce you swear you’ll cook with this week, Hope Street Farmers Market is basically Saturday morning perfection.

Modern health: Willow is changing the weight management game with sustainable, flexible, and modern plans to help you feel your best. All their docs are board certified, and you get unlimited access to your physician (AKA… you’ll be in good hands). Take this 2-minute assessment to get started.

Learn something new: If you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, meet italki. They match you with native speakers for personalized lessons starting at just $5/hour. With 150+ languages to choose from and flexible scheduling, you won’t need to rearrange your life (or start a side hustle) to achieve fluency.

📆 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

🎤 Outspoken Poetry Show @ The Avenue Concept | Friday (9/12) at 6:00pm – Once the bar chit-chat dies down, it’s time for raw verse at Outspoken Poetry Show. Brace for tear-jerking lines, punchy humor, and enough honest vulnerability to make your oat milk latte seem tame. No headphones required, just open minds, maybe tissues.

🧙‍♀️ The Craft @ Buttonwoods Brewery | Friday (9/12) at 7:00pm – Grab your flannel and slip into Buttonwood’s new taproom in Providence for The Craft on the big screen, because nothing pairs better with teenage witch drama than a cold IPA. Screaming Unicorn’s food truck will slay your hunger, while local artists bring event-themed merch and prints.

This weekend

🎨 Providence Artisans Market @ Lippitt Park | Saturday (9/13) at 9:00am – Get your art fix and your farm-fresh veggies in one scenic swoop. This weekly outdoor market is packed with handmade goods from 200+ local artists, and runs alongside the Hope Street Farmers Market. Live music? Check. Food trucks? You bet. A wholesome way to weekend.

💃 Bachata/Merengue Dance @ Gateway Center at Roger Williams Park | Saturday (9/13) at 11:00am – If your living room dance moves have been limited to dodging furniture, moonwalk your way into a beginner-friendly bachata and merengue class. No judgment here, just infectious rhythms, signature hip movements, and midweek cardio that feels more like a party.

🐎 All-Ivy Polo Potluck Tailgate | Saturday (9/13) at 2:30pm – This All-Ivy polo potluck tailgate pairs sunlit fields with homemade delights and spirited cheers. Bring your best dish, nab a spot near the rail, and soak in the thwack of mallets and the chatter of alumni who never outgrew tailgate games. No horsing around.

✡️ Jewish Culture Fest | Sunday (9/14) at 11:00am – Sunday at the Dwares JCC means bagels rubbing shoulders with craft beers. Maven’s meets Moniker, kosher dogs crash Ezekiel’s Wheels on stage, and Rock-a-Baby guarantees sticky fingers in the KidZone. Bring a canned good, your appetite, and enough ruach to blow a Shofar.

🛍️ Flea in the Park @ 195 District Park | Sunday (9/14) at 11:00am – Flea in the Park turns Sundays into an al fresco treasure hunt with 75+ local makers, food trucks, live tunes, and well-behaved dogs roaming Dyer Street’s green oasis. No entry fee, plenty of parking, and more vintage finds than your attic can handle.

🎤 An Evening With David Byrne – Who is the Sky Tour @ The Vets | Sunday (9/14) at 8:00pm – Summer’s winding down but David Byrne’s ramping up with a 13-piece band of musicians, singers, and dancers roaming the stage in his Who Is the Sky? tour. Expect art-rock earworms, snappy choreography, and more synchronized wanderers than your neighborhood bus route.

Next week

🔨 Workshop Equipment Training @ Providence Public Library | Monday (9/15) at 5:30pm – Ever wish your library card could prove you actually make things? Our Monday maker workshops cover sewing, vinyl cutting, laser engraving, and 3D printing, capped at ten people for real hands-on help. Succeed and snag a shiny equipment badge to flex at trivia night.

🧵 Charity Sewing @ Weaver Library-East Providence Public Library | Tuesday (9/16) at 12:30pm – Sew a little good into the world—literally. Whether you’re a stitching pro or just threading your first needle, this laid-back session welcomes all levels to create quilts, bibs, and more for local hospitals and charities. No registration, no pressure, just feel-good crafting for a cause.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 9/12 College Clash Tour @ Lo Vera VIP – 8 pm
• 9/12 Mannequin Pussy and more @ Fete Music Hall – 8 pm
• 9/13 Far Too Late and more @ Alchemy – 4 pm
• 9/13 Stone Soup Concert @ The Music Mansion – 7 pm
• 9/14 Pamela Lowell RVV Cello Ensemble @ The Music Mansion – 5 pm
• 9/14 Charming Disaster and more @ Myrtle – 6 pm
• 9/15 Indigo Girls & Melissa Etheridge @ The Vets – 7:30 pm
• 9/16 Willie Watson and more @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium – 6 pm
• 9/16 Alison Krauss & Union Station @ The Vets – 7:30 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).

Listed by: Kira Greene (Compass)

Floor-to-ceiling windows steal the show at this brick beauty in the Blackstone Boulevard Plat Historic District, flooding the living spaces with sunshine and serious curb appeal. The living room’s classic fireplace is ready for everything from lazy Sundays to impromptu soirées, while the kitchen’s custom cabinetry and second fireplace bring both style and warmth.

Upstairs, five bedrooms flex for guests, work, or play, and the lower level’s wine storage is ready for your next dinner party. Mature landscaping frames the scene outside, and a semi-attached two-car garage keeps city parking woes at bay. Wayland Square’s best eats and shops are just around the corner.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →