Providence Attractions

Downtown Providence is home to the Dunkin Donuts Center and Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel that together put out quality musical and performance acts almost any night of the week. Downtown also hosts multiple festivals and farmers’ markets in the summer, check the goprovidence.com website for info. Providence has a Friday Night Concert Series in Waterplace Park throughout the summer for free, but WaterFire is the primetime event to attend. It is a compilation of on-river sculptures lit on fire at night. The event connects the city with its old world roots through the natural elements of the sparking fire and the flowing river; it brings its observers into a simpler state of mind in which each person focuses on the natural beauty of the event. Its website gives lighting dates and event information. For art lovers, there are numerous small museums and galleries dotting Providence proper and the surrounding area. One of the best is the RISD Museum that hosts multiple collections and rotating exhibitions for students, faculty and anyone else interested to appreciate. The up-and-coming Jewelry District is home to new galleries and art shops with art on display and for sale. This area is not only artistic, but also historic. The once unmatched jewelry business has been in decline for decades, but the district has caught a second wind of investment and home with new restaurants and galleries opening in old factory spaces. This is the youngest and one of the most economically and aesthetically promising areas of Providence. The Avon Theater on Thayer Street on College Hill is an indie movie haven playing only a few select films at a time. The theater caters to the “discerning movie lover” and is popular not only among the university population but also with anyone who appreciates foreign, independent or small-budget films. Their website gives show times for current shows as well as upcoming features. General Admission at the Avon is $9.75 while the bargain matinee is $7.50. Cable Car Cinema on 204 South Main Street in Providence has the same idea as the Avon: screening independent and foreign films since 1976 in a small but charming theater. However, they have replaced their normal theater seats with couches for a cozy and intimate feel that regulars suggest for a date night. The Roger Williams Park Zoo is close to the city and a fun family event for a good weather day. It arranges its animals by region of the world and is home to a recreated Venetian plaza and a mock rainforest. The zoo boasts exotic animals like kangaroos, emus, camels, and rare snow leopards. The zoo has one to two events per month focusing on various animals or regions of the world so be sure to check its calendar if you’re interested.

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