There’s something unusually satisfying about July ending on a Friday. One last night out, one clean calendar flip, and by Saturday morning August is standing there with both hands full. Around Rhode Island, that means folk-festival stories still echoing from Newport, new restaurants firing up their kitchens, river bonfires glowing after dark, and enough weekend plans to make “taking it easy” feel increasingly theoretical.
Ten Standout Moments from the 2026 Newport Folk Festival
From Dave Matthews’ surprise appearance and a people-powered Lumineers set to local favorites, rising artists, and returning folk legends, Newport Folk packed three sold-out days with moments worth replaying. Ken Abrams shares 10 highlights that showed why the festival remains one of Rhode Island’s biggest musical traditions while continuing to stretch the definition of folk. Read more online.
Providence’s New Chicken and Waffles Restaurant Opens on Plainfield Street
House of Chicken & Waffles brings more than 20 waffle flavors, Halal Southern comfort food, and plenty of ways to build the sweet-and-savory plate of your dreams to its new Providence storefront. The former food truck celebrates its grand opening July 31 with live music, free samples, giveaways, and a ribbon cutting. Read more online.
Presented by Farm Fresh RI
Taste Rhode Island at Its Peak at Farm Fresh RI’s Local Food Fest
By August, Rhode Island's farms, fisheries, and food producers are at the height of the season, and there's no better place to experience that abundance than Farm Fresh Rhode Island's annual Local Food Fest. Returning to Castle Hill Inn on August 11, this beloved summer event brings together some of the state’s most talented chefs, farmers, fishers, and beverage makers for an unforgettable evening celebrating local food.
From 4-8pm, guests will gather on the Chalet Patio and Lawn overlooking Narragansett Bay, where more than 20 chef-farmer collaborations showcase the freshest ingredients of the season. Each tasting dish tells a story of Rhode Island’s vibrant food community, with acclaimed local chefs transforming peak-season harvests and freshly caught seafood into one-of-a-kind creations.
The experience begins with a champagne toast and local raw bar before guests explore tasting stations, meet the farmers and producers behind the ingredients, and enjoy local beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. Live music and stunning sunset views create the perfect backdrop for a summer evening by the sea.
More than just a food festival, Local Food Fest is a celebration of the people and partnerships that make Rhode Island’s food system thrive. Guests have the opportunity to connect directly with the chefs, farmers, and fishers whose work is featured throughout the evening, gaining a deeper appreciation for the local food community that sustains the Ocean State.
A raffle and silent auction featuring local experiences and products add to the festivities, with all proceeds supporting Farm Fresh RI’s work to strengthen a more equitable, accessible, and resilient local food system.
If you’re looking for a delicious way to spend a summer evening, this one’s worth circling on the calendar. Learn more online at farmfreshri.org.
Rhody Recs is your weekly roundup of what’s happening across the state, a built-in excuse to rally the crew early instead of scrambling for plans at the last minute. Because let’s be real, life’s too short to leave the fun for last minute.
Date | Event |
|---|---|
Friday 7/31 | Kow Kow’s 10th Night Market Celebrate Kow Kow’s 10th night market from 6-10pm at 120 Ives Street in Providence, where 14 local vendors will fill the evening with food, drinks, handmade goods, and plenty of reasons to linger. Learn more online ⸻ Sunflower Soirée Spend Friday from 5-7:45 PM at Clark Farms in Matunuck, where live music, food, cocktails, mocktails, ice cream, and a stroll through blooming sunflowers turn golden hour into the main event. Learn more online ⸻ Sea Glass Wine Charm Making Workshop Turn sea glass into a set of handmade wine charms during this small-group workshop at Fairwinds Farms in North Kingstown from 6-8 PM, with guided instruction, gift-box packaging, and a mid-project animal break built into the evening. Learn more online |
Saturday 8/1 | Clay Date With Rescue Animals Mold something memorable during a beginner-friendly pottery workshop at West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, where guests can sculpt clay, meet rescued animals, and enjoy a very good excuse to spend Saturday afternoon with tiny pigs and kind humans from noon to 2 PM. Learn more online ⸻ Chase Farm Food Trucks & Concerts Bring a blanket and settle in at Chase Farm in Lincoln, where a dozen-plus food trucks, local beer and wine, and a live set from Dynamite Rhythm fill the farm from 4-8 PM. Admission is free, so the hardest decision may be what to eat first. Learn more online ⸻ River Glow Watch downtown Westerly-Pawcatuck light up from 7-10 PM as floating bonfires glow along the Pawcatuck River, joined by live music, food vendors, local artisans, and family-friendly entertainment ranging from fire juggling to circus acts and belly dancing. Learn more online. |
Sunday 8/2 | Mahjong at Red Stripe Pull up a seat at Red Stripe in Providence from 2-5 PM for an afternoon of Mahjong, good food, and friendly competition, complete with a glass of wine or prosecco, light bites, salad, dessert, and coffee or tea included with admission. Learn more online ⸻ Alapalooza Head to the Meeting House in Tiverton when doors open at 5 PM for Alapalooza, an evening of live music featuring Nashville’s Zac Clark alongside F.R.E.D., Alex Correia, and Providence’s Chris Capaldi. Learn more online ⸻ Concert for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank Hear jazz, Celtic, and folk music at ISCO Spirits Company in Providence beginning at 2 PM, with free advance registration and donations encouraged to support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Learn more online |
Our Rhody Rec list is refreshed with every newsletter, so be sure to check back for the latest events!
Two Historic Rhode Island Mills Join the National Register
Eagle Steam Mill in Providence and Grant’s Mill in Cumberland have earned spots on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing two very different chapters of Rhode Island’s industrial past. One helped usher Providence into the age of steam, while the other preserves the state’s only surviving sash-type sawmill still standing in its original location. Read more online.
Hey Rhody Weekly: Your Rhode Island August Bucket List Starts Here
This week on Hey Rhody Weekly, we’re packing the final full month of summer with jazz in Newport, fair food in Richmond, beach sunsets, farm-stand tomatoes, WaterFire, Block Island, and plenty of seafood along the way. Consider it your reminder that August moves fast, so the best time to make the plans is before sweater weather starts getting ideas.
Presented by dogtopia
Rhode Island Hotels Where the Dogs Get the Good Life
This week on Hey Rhody Weekly, we’re checking into seven pet-friendly hotels where welcome treats, plush beds, waterfront walks, and even canine room service make bringing the dog feel like part of the vacation rather than extra baggage. From Providence city stays to Newport harbor views and slow South County escapes, these spots are ready to roll out the red carpet for Spot. Read more online.
⭐Craving fresh Mediterranean flavors in South County? Falafel Dave’s has officially opened its new Wakefield restaurant at 203 Main Street, serving Mediterranean bowls, shawarma, wraps, falafel, and plenty of vegetarian options. The grand-opening confetti may have settled, but the kitchen is just getting started.
⭐Looking for the biggest screen in New England to see The Odyssey? Movie fans are making the trip to Providence Place, where Apple Cinemas is one of just 26 theaters in the country showing Christopher Nolan's latest film in its original 70mm IMAX format. For anyone hoping to experience the movie exactly as it was shot, Rhode Island has quietly become one of the country's most sought-after destinations.
⭐Looking for a beer that gives back? On Saturday, August 1, Rhode Island Beer Club and Foolproof Brewing Company celebrate the release of Honey Hound from 5-9 PM, with a portion of every pint and can sold benefiting the Providence Animal Rescue League. It’s a chance to support local, sip something new, and raise a glass to Rhode Islanders making a difference.
