Rhode Island???s Historic Blackstone River Valley
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Weekend of April 22-23, 2017
??Rhode Island???s Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park is your springtime destination to be in Southern New England over the April 22-23 weekend.
??Experience unique perspectives of urban revitalization, legendary home grown music talent, captivating nature and amazing heritage that???s not to be missed!
??Cherry Blossoms and running
??Sunday morning, April 23, starting at 8 am, don???t miss the always popular annual Blackstone Valley Half Marathon and 5K Road Races, starting and ending at Pawtucket City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI.
This signature springtime competitive event is open to everyone and highlights the revitalized ???mill district??? of Pawtucket and Central Falls, showcased by colorful cherry tree blossoms.
The 5K race route travels alongside the cherry blossoms and the Blackstone River; while the half marathon extends into the Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln.
Both races are being directed by two time Boston Marathon champion Geoff Smith.
The??Cherry??Trees of the Blackstone River Valley, located along Roosevelt Avenue in Pawtucket and Central Falls serve as a fantastic backdrop for the races. The??Cherry??Trees have helped to transform this once industrial corridor into a vibrant walkable streetscape.????
Details on the races are online right now at www.bvhalf.com
Honoring our ???Ocean State??? music legends
Over the next two weekends, the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame welcomes everyone to participate in the 2017 Induction Ceremonies this weekend, April 23 and next weekend, April 29-30.
Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame???s 2017 inductees are: Artie Cabral, Phil Greene, Dan Moretti, Neutral Nation, Billy Osborne, Plan 9, Frank Potenza, Rizzz, Throwing Muses, and The Wild Turkey Band / Hometown Rockers.
Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and concert events will take place on three days ??? April 23, April 29 and April 30 ??? and will take place at two locations as RIMHOF celebrates its sixth year of operation.
This year???s Jazz and R&B inductions will take place on Sunday, April 23, 2:00 p.m., at The Greenwich Odeum, 59 Main Street, East Greenwich. Being honored on April 23 will be Artie Cabral, Dan Moretti, Billy Osborne and Frank Potenza. Tickets for the April 23 event at the Odeum are $20.00 and will include a performance by all of the inductees backed by an all-star trio consisting of pianist Tim Ray and 2015 Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame inductees Marty Richards on drums and Marty Ballou on bass. Tickets for the Jazz and R&B Inductions can be purchased at www.greenwichodeum.com
There will also be two rock induction concerts held at The Met on the following weekend. On Saturday, April 29, at 8:00 p.m., the 2017 RIMHOF Rock Induction Concert ??? Part I will feature Kristin Hersh and David Narcizo of Throwing Muses, Neutral Nation, and Plan 9. ??Sunday???s April 30 event will include the unveiling of the ten new inductee exhibits followed by the 2017 RIMHOF Rock Induction Concert ??? Part 2 featuring Rizzz, Phil Greene, and The Wild Turkey Band / Hometown Rockers beginning at 3:00 p.m. The Unveiling Ceremony for all 2017 RIMHOF Inductee exhibits takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the Hall of Fame itself, located within the Hope Artiste Village complex, 999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI.
Tickets for both the April 29 and April 30 events at The Met are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. The 2 p.m. unveiling of the inductee exhibits is free and open to the public; a ticket will be required for entrance to the 3 p.m. concert in The Met. Tickets for the April 29 and April 30 concerts at The Met can be purchased at www.rhodeislandmusichalloffame.com
Wildlife on an American Heritage River
As we celebrate Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, take time to discover the nature and wildlife of an American Heritage River close to home!
In 1998, the Blackstone River, canal and its tributaries were designated as one of a dozen American Heritage Rivers by the Federal Government.
Known for being the most industrialized waterway in the past, the Blackstone River has come back to being rediscovered for its transformation and nature reclamation. Today, it???s very common to see wildlife in natural habitats, even in historic mill and urban areas.
Sunday, April 23, at 8 am, participate with the kickoff of Birding on the Blackstone, inside Blackstone River State Park, at the Interstate 295 north Visitor Center, Lincoln, RI.
Participants in this walk along the Blackstone River and Canal in the park will learn about the kinds of birds and their habitats that migrate here on this location. The park offers panoramic perspectives of villages, waterways and nature settings to see birds and their early spring nesting.
Details on these and upcoming spring birding walks are available by contacting 508-234-4242 or on the web at www.blackstoneheritagecorrdior.org
Collectible history
Besides it many places and spaces, local residents share their local history with collectibles, including photos, news articles and printed materials of events related to local heritage and culture.
Sunday afternoon, April 23, at 2 pm, Blackstone Valley Historical Society, at historic North Gate Toll House, 1873 Louisquisset Pike (Route 246), Lincoln, RI, presents the collections of local history buff Dan Bethel.
View an impressive array of rare items and new finds, including photos of the Manville Mill, early art renderings of the Lincoln Mall and early pictures of Lincoln Downs (now the site of Twin River Casino.)
More information about this event is at www.bvhsri.org