Rhode Island's Capital City Offers a Playground of Fun and Free Summer Happenings

From Providence's vibrant downtown to its eclectic neighborhoods, summer visitors to this renaissance city can enjoy great summer fun throughout the day and well into the evening. Because Providence is the perfect walking city, visitors can use the downtown area as a starting point and branch out to its connecting East Side, Federal Hill and Smith Hill neighborhoods for free summer fun that suits their fancy.

FREE PERFORMANCES
When it comes to free summer activities in Providence, three performing arts events have put the city on the national map, drawing tourists from throughout the U.S. and the world. The most notable summer activity that runs from May through October is Waterfire, created by award-winning sculpture Barnaby Evans. The fire sculpture features 97 floating bonfires along the three rivers that empty into Providence's downtown waterpark. The fragrant scent of aromatic wood smoke, the dancing firelight reflected on the water and framed by the arched bridges and the enchanting music draws thousands to Waterfire each summer. It's a work of art that touches all the senses and emotions of visitors who stroll along the riverfront's paths. In recent years, Waterfire has been expanded to include ballroom dancing and musical entertainment on nearby plazas.

Providence is also known as the site of New England's top summer music festival. Sound Session is a multi-stage, seven-day festival that takes place July 15-21 to celebrate the diversity of music and culture. Among the national acts that have performed at Sound Session are Ron Carter, The Funk Brothers, Ursula Rucker, King Britt and Tortured Soul. Sound Session 2007 performances take place throughout three locations: the Providence Black Repertory Company, 276 Westminster Street in downtown Providence, Waterplace Park, 1 Financial Way in the heart of downtown Providence, and the Providence Performing Arts Center on Weybossett Street in downtown Providence. Most performances are free, with some accessibly priced.

Another free summer happening gaining notoriety is Celebrate Providence. The award-winning arts programs offer a diverse selection of live performing arts and cultural programming from July 5 through August 27. Throughout the summer, drummers, dancers, storytellers and other performers present high-energy performances in neighborhood parks and community gathering places throughout Providence's 25 neighborhoods. For 2007, free performances include dance, opera, storytelling, theater, live jazz, puppetry and a Circus School. Among the 2007 Celebrate Providence events within walking distance to the downtown area are:

Jump Dance Troupe: July 6 at 6:30pm at Lippitt Park, Hope Street on Providence's East Side and July 7 at 6:30pm at the Bank of America City Center in downtown Providence.

Opera Providence: July 9 at 6pm, July 16 at 5 pm and July 30 at 5 pm on DePasquale Plaza, Atwells Avenue in the Federal Hill neighborhood.

Circus School: August 22 at 2pm at the Vincent Brown Recreation Center on Hope Street on the East Side of Providence.

Providence Black Repertory Company: July 20 at 6:30pm at Lippitt Park, Hope Street on Providence's East Side.

CityArts!: July 20 at 6:30pm at Lippitt Park Hope Street on Providence's East Side.

A special singing event also takes place this summer in Providence and it's free and open to the public. On June 24, be part of the Sing for Peace and Justice at Blessed Sacrament Church, 239 Regent Ave., in the Smith Hill section of Providence. Lend your voice and join with other church choirs, organists and other instrumentalists to sing for peace and justice throughout the world.

A TASTE OF THE CITY LIFE
Summer in Providence also means Farmers Markets, where local growers and artisan food vendors display their wares. You can stroll the market for free and browse the wide selection of produce and fresh foods grown locally while enjoying live music and entertainment. One of the bigger and more comprehensive Farmers Markets in Providence is the Downtown Farmers Market located in Kennedy Plaza, in the heart of the city. It's open 11am-3pm every Friday from June 9 to October 29, 2007.

Summertime in Providence is also the ideal time to stroll the historic streets and enjoy the city's open spaces, all for free. From the downtown area, the Roger Williams National Memorial on282 North Main Street is just a few blocks away. The memorial overlooks the downtown cityscape and commemorates the life of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Stop in the Visitor Center, which is open daily from 9am-4:30pm, to browse exhibits and videos about the many contributions of Roger Williams. Next, stroll the adjacent park, which includes the site of the fresh-water spring and common area of the first European settlement in Providence. Throughout the summer, walking tours and educational programs are offered regularly. All activities and admission to the Roger Williams National Memorial are free.

From North Main Street, head up the hill to the East Side and the Benefit Street Mile of History. The cobblestone Benefit Street is lined with homes built in the 18^th and 19^th century and makes history itself by being one of the nation's leading areas of historic architecture. With its colonial lampposts and big shaded trees, Benefit Street is a popular place to enjoy a cool stroll in the summertime.

A SUMMER JEWEL
Whether you want to fly a kite or toss a Frisbee, Providence's major playground is Roger Williams Park, which can be reached from the city's downtown via Broad Street or Elmwood Avenue. Known as the "Jewel of Providence," the award-winning Roger Williams Park is among the leading historic urban parks in the U.S. While Roger Williams Park is enjoyed for its open space, history and architectural buffs shouldn't miss the three main structures throughout the park. For a look at historically preserved Colonial Revival architecture of 1896, tour the Casino at Roger Williams Park, with its brick exterior and verandas adorned with Ionic columns, semi-circular porticos and railings with turned balusters.

Follow the park's roads to Roosevelt Lake to find the Bandstand, which is supported by a dozen Corinthian columns. Though it looks like stone, the structure is mostly wood and sits in water. Built in 1982, the Bandstand is an exact replica of the 1915 original.

Yet another structural marvel is the Roger Williams Park Temple to Music, made of Vermont marble. Throughout the summer, it serves as a gathering place for concerts, festivals and other summer activities.

Playtime at Roger Williams Park offers several options. There's the free Hasbro Boundless Playground in the Carousel Village with equipment designed for children of all types of abilities. There is also the park's many recreation fields, available at no charge for outdoor games and sports.