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Cozy Eats & Musical Feats 🎶

Cozy Eats & Musical Feats 🎶

Celebrate sustainability on National Pistachio Day, savor casual eats in Warwick, tune into Bristol’s Community Strings Project + more!

February 25, 2025

I know most of us are busy daydreaming about spring, but let’s not skip over the good stuff winter in has to offer! Today’s newsletter is serving up a frosty dose of fun, from winter sports bringing in the big bucks for the state to the coziest eats guaranteed to warm your soul (and maybe your frozen fingertips). So grab a hot drink, settle in, and let’s embrace the chill while it lasts!

Sports Tourism Keeps Rhode Island Buzzing with Big Wins and Big Bucks

Rhode Island is scoring big in sports tourism, proving athletics are a major economic engine for the state. While March Madness tends to grab headlines, it's merely the kickoff to a bustling season filled with exciting competitions. These events consistently fill hotels, pack restaurants, and support local businesses across the region. Read more on our blog at HeyRhody.com.

^{• By Jenna Kaplan, photo by Stew Milne}

Experience Cozy Eats at The Brook Kitchen + Bar

Inside the newly revamped Loom Hotel in Warwick, The Brook Kitchen + Bar serves up sophisticated comfort with cocktails, curries, and waterside views. Between igloo dining and indulgent bread pudding, it's your next go-to for elegant yet laid-back dining. Read more online at SoRhodeIsland.com.

^{• By By Kou Tukala Nyan, photo by Caitlin Elizabeth James Photography, courtesy of The Brook Kitchen + Bar in The Loom Hotel}

^{Presented by}^{Rhode Island International Film Festival}

The Red Carpet Rolls Out in Providence for RIIFF

If you look forward to the world-renowned Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) every August, save the date for their annual fundraiser on the night of the Oscars. In partnership with ABC 6, The Red Carpet Experience at the Graduate Hotel in Providence is a can’t-miss event for film lovers to be a part of Hollywood’s biggest night during the live tele-cast. A cocktail hour, plated dinner, and dessert add to the glamor of the night.

It’s only fitting that RIIFF would provide this exclusive experience to fans, having seen 93 Oscar Nominations since its founding in 1997, and a total of 14 wins, with six films up for awards this year. RIIFF brings a legacy of discovering new and innovative voices in independent film, having featured the works of notable names like Denis Villeneuve, Brian Cranston, Terry Gilliam, Julia Louis Dreyfus, and more, as well as offering a foot in the door for international filmmakers.

“RIIFF is a lynchpin event for the global film industry,” says executive director Shawn Quirk, who has been involved with the festival for over a decade. Last year alone, RIIFF screened 286 titles representing 62 countries. “RIIFF's goal has always been to highlight a dynamic program of filmmaking that provokes, engages, and entertains all walks of life. Children's animations, thrillers, genre films, international dramas, LGBTQ cinema, TV pilots, webseries, feature films and documentaries – we have it all!”

An engaging night of cinema, the Red Carpet Experience on March 2 at 4:30pm highlights RIIFF’s ongoing ties to the Academy Awards, and the festival’s commitment to being a meeting ground between filmmakers and fans. The evening will also feature the Producers Circle Awards in partnership with Steven Feinberg and the Rhode Island Film and Television Office. Reserve tickets online. Learn more about the festival at RIFilmFest.org.

^{• By Abbie Lahmers, photo courtesy for RIIFF}

Ever wondered what to do with those leftover pistachio shells after your snack attack? Celebrate National Pistachio Day on February 26 by transforming your crunchy castaways into fun, coastal-inspired home and garden decor. Read more on our blog at HeyRhody.com.

^{• By Jenna Kaplan}

Voices of the Bay: Bristol’s Vicki Boyle

Musician and educator Vicki Boyle is tuning up for a new challenge as the executive director of Bristol’s Community Strings Project (CSP), a nonprofit dedicated to making string instrument lessons affordable and accessible. Boyle, whose musical journey spans from cello to choir and guitar, is now orchestrating CSP's thriving youth and adult programs, creating harmony across generations in East Bay. Read more online at TheBay.com.

^{• By Nina Murphy, photo courtesy of Community Strings Project}