The Burnside Series is back- with a brand new season of great music, refreshing beer and family fun! Join us on Saturday, June 22nd for the kick off of the season as part of the Summer Solstice Celebration – with MTV Artist to Watch, Family of the Year; indie darlings Gentlemen Hall; and local heros, The Silks!

Then, starting June 27th, join us each Thursday evening for a free, after-work show in the park featuring inspired performances by innovative musicians from across the region. Meet up with friends new and old, relax in the Trinity Brewhouse and Revival Brewing beer garden and enjoy the park with lawn games and delicious food truck fare.  Beer garden is open from 4:30 – 7pm with music from 5:30 – 6:30pm. Every Thursday, Burnside Park. This is a free, family-friendly event for all ages!

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The Downtown Farmers Market is now a dinnertime market! After work every TUESDAY from 3-6pm, stop by Washington St. along Burnside Park to grab dinner and pick up fresh produce, meat, and cheese for the week. The market starts June 18th and runs through October 29.

Support local farmers and businesses and get fresh, local and healthful produce and homemade treats for you and your family. This year the Farm Fresh RI Farmers Market will have special activities, workshops, games and more for families! PLUS dinner available from Sprout, Rocket Fine Street Food, Mijos + Joedega.

Vendors include:

• NorthStar Farm
• Pezza Farm
• Lane Gardens
• Mello’s Farmstand
• Hill Orchards (Starting later in the summer)
• Pine View Farm
• Ellie’s Bakery
• Palmieri’s Bakery
• Cupcakerie
• Narragansett Creamery
• Harvest Kitchen
• Providence Pudding Pops
• Rocket Fine Street Food
• Mijos Tacos
• Joedega

The Downtown Farmers Market accepts cash, credit cards, EBT/SNAP, Senior Coupons, WIC Farmers Market Coupons, & WIC Fruit and Vegetable checks.

*Get $2 free for every $5 you spend with your EBT card!!!

www.farmfreshri.org

Summer is here and so is the 2^nd Annual Summer Solstice Celebration on the Plaza!

Help us kick off the season with an all day celebration in Greater Kennedy Plaza – with special musical guests Family of the Year, Gentlemen Hall and The Silks, an outdoor beer garden, food trucks  fun family programming and more!

Come early and stay late – there is something for everyone during this day of fun.  This event runs from 3PM-10PM and is FREE, all ages and open the public!
Details below!

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Bike to Work Day 2013 is Friday, May 17th

Did you know that asthma is the #1 chronic illness in children AND that RI has one of the highest asthma rates in the country?

Now you can be part of the solution AND have a fantastic time THIS SATURDAY when you join the Environmental Justice League for the 1st Annual Green DRIVE Bus Pull Challenge.  As part of Asthma Awareness Month,  teams will compete to pull the 29,000 pound, eco (and asthma!)-friendly Green DRIVE bus across the rink.   Winners will receive great prizes -  but everyone can join the fun with family-friendly activities including YMCA inflatable obstacle course, fitness games, live DJ, open mic, and local vendors.

The Green DRIVE Bus is not your usual bus  – this eco-friendly machine runs on recycled used cooking oil and locally produced biodiesel, which improves air quality and reduces asthma triggers. The EJ League’s youth programs use the Green DRIVE bus travel and host workshops about asthma and air pollution, training young people to teach other young people about asthma and improving air quality. The Bus Pull Challenge will raise awareness about these issues and support programs for youth, the environmental, and public health.

Event details below!

Who: Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island in partnership with The Avenue Concept, Greater
Kennedy Plaza, RI Asthma Control Coalition, and RI Department of Health
What: Teams competing to pull the 29,000 pound Green DRIVE bus across the skating rink the fastest, plus
family-friendly activities including YMCA inflatable obstacle course, fitness games, live DJ, open
mic, vendors, and information tables about related environmental and health issues.
When: Saturday May 11th, 12 – 4pm (Rain Date: Saturday May 18th, 12-4pm)
Where: Bank of America Skating Center, Greater Kennedy Plaza, Providence RI
Why: Asthma Awareness Month event to raise money for youth asthma outreach and education

Sponsored by: Green & Healthy Homes InitiativeTM, Coalition for Transportation Choices, CrossFit, Shape Up, Social Venture Partners Rhode Island, RI Nursery and Landscape Association, RIPTA Riders Alliance, and Walgreens.

The event is free and open to the public.
For more information visit: http://ejlri.wordpress.com/bus-pull-challenge/

Dust off your your vintage, your tweed or your most dapper or daring wear  – tune up your bike and get ready for the first Tweed Ride PVD!

The RISD Museum has partnered with Greater Kennedy Plaza to bring our fair city a Tweed Ride of its own. As part of the opening of  Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion a new exhibit at the museum celebrating the dandy spirit in all its many forms- the tweed ride will bring the spirit of the show into the streets as part of this bike parade/high tea/celebration event!

Tweed Rides are an international phenomena that began in London in the early 1990′s and now take place in cities across the world (pictures!). Tweed Ride PVD will be our time to celebrate all that is craft/fashion/bike with a grand parade through the streets, a high tea at the Steel Yard and a old-timey, full fashion celebration at the RISD Museum.  Full schedule below:

9:30AM  Tweed Ride PVD registration begins in Burnside Park by the statue of the stately General Burnside. Coffee available from the wonderful Joedega truck

10:30AM- Take to the streets! Bike parade through Providence.

11AM- High tea at the Steel Yard

1-5PM – Celebrate at the RISD Museum with cocktails, music, bike displays, celebrity judges + contests, food trucks, fun, and free entry to the Men of Fashion show.

Open to all ages and abilities! Tickets to ride are $10 each (and include tea & treat); $5 for students with valid ID. To register:  https://48203.blackbaudhosting.com/48203/Tweed-Ride-PVD

Exhibition information: http://tinyurl.com/RISDMuseum-ARD

Sponsors and Partners: The Providence Tourism Council, Legend Bicycle, Circle A Cycles, Spiffy Gents, Recycle-A-Bike, Cleverhood, East Coast Greenway, New England Bike-Walk Summit, New England Builder’s Ball and more to come!

Come savor the final days of winter with an extra week to enjoy outdoor ice-skating in downtown Providence!  The season will end Sunday, March 24^th, completing the 18-week season of ice-skating that was enjoyed by more than 50,000 skaters.

Special Weekday Hours Monday, March 18 to Friday, March 22:  4pm to 10pm

Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 hours:  11am to 10pm

 With only one week to go there are still so many events to look forward to! Don’t miss your last chance to enjoy the rink this year and stop by for one of the following great outdoor activities.

Thursday, March 14^th:  Art in Ice ice-sculpting feature from 6pm to 9pm.

Friday, March 15:  High School Night special 7pm to 10pm.

Saturday, March 16^th:  Girl Scout cookies for sale!

Sunday, March 17^th:  St. Patrick’s Day celebration with City Girl Cupcake 12pm to 4pm

Monday, March 18^th:  New weekday hours from 4pm to 10pm

Saturday, March 23^rd:  Open 11 to 10pm

Sunday, March 24^th:  Open 11am to 10pm.  Closing Day

The end of the ice skating season drawing to a close- but don’t fear!  The Providence Rink at the Bank of America City Center will transform into a premier programming and event center from April to October!  The Providence Rink is a perfect location to host all types of summer programming and events with over 14,000 square feet of space available in the heart of downtown.  Event applications are still being accepted for the upcoming 2013 summer and fall season.

For additional information, please visit www.providenceskating.com or call 401.331.5544.

ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT RHODE ISLAND!

FRIDAY, MARCH 1st for our rescheduled HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT from 7 to 10pm. Special rates for high school students with valid ID – $3 admission or $5 for admission + skate rental. DJ Josh Soares and DJ JR Mackenzie will be spinning great tunes through the night!  Get your friends together and come on out to The Providence Rink at the Bank of America City Center!

Lunch and after-work specials do not apply during school vacation week so we have 2 terrific opportunities this Thursday, Feb 21st to save on ice-skating while school is out!

8am-10am:  The Rhode Show will be broadcasting at the rink.  Free admission for ice-skating between 8am and 10am  ($4 skate rental rates apply).  Will Gilbert & Michaela Johnson will be broadcasting on The Rhode Show live from the Skating Center from 9-10am.  NiRoPe from Cardi’s will also be at the show with additional guests to be announced.

10am-2pm:  The CW28 is once again hosting Skate with 28 at the Bank of America Skating Center!  The CW28, the Bank of America Skating Center and Neighborhood Health Plan Of Rhode Island present a free family skate at the Bank of America Skating Center in downtown Providence during school vacation week on Thursday, February 21st from 10am to 2pm.  Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank…and your skating admission is covered (only fee incurred is for skate rental)!  Brought to you by CW28, Bank Of America, Neighborhood Health Plan Of Rhode Island, Courtesy Auto Group, and hot chocolate will be on hand keep you warm thanks to our rink-side Subway.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!! A spectacular day for skating and boy do we have an terrific event planned for those on the rink tonight from 6 to 10pm! Not only will the ice be perfect for gliding with your love (or like!) but with super-fresh oysters on the half shell from Walrus and Carpenter, delicious cupcakes from City Girl Cupcake, custom photos by Missy M Photography, and roses to offer to your special one, your romantic evening will always be one to remember! The traditional heart will be aglow to add even more ambiance to the night. Have a favorite love song? Bring it along and we’ll be happy to be your DJ! Love songs are on all day long at the Skating Center!!