Rhode Island
401 Fun: The best things to do in Rhode Island Oct. 25-Nov. 1 – The Boston Globe
In case you’re reading this Thursday: Bristol’s Linden Place hosts the 4th Annual “Night at the Mansion Halloween Haunt” Oct. 24 7-9:30 p.m. Costume-up and explore the historic mansion, “which will be transformed into a haunted wonderland with surprises around every corner,” according to billing. “Encounter creepy creatures,” plus tarot reading, treats, and a cash bar. Mentalist George Saterial will “perform an interactive magic show,” and more. Prizes for best costumes. Age 18+. A $70 ticket includes one free cocktail. 500 Hope St., Bristol. Details here.
PAULA COLE: UNMASKED
Fresh from her stint as Ship on FOX’s “The Masked Singer,” Paula Cole plays her penultimate concert of the year in Newport. Catch “Ship” at Jane Pickens Theater Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets from $49. 49 Touro St. Details here.
NON-HAUNTED MANSION
Somebody call Ghostbusters, because we’ve got a non-haunted option. It’s all treats, no tricks at Blithewold Oct. 26 and 27. They provide the firepits, chairs, s’mores, hot cocoa, and cider — you bring your crew. After you nosh, check out the Big Beautiful Bamboo Bird sculptures. Maximum of six people per one-hour fire pit reservation, $65. 101 Ferry Road, Bristol. Details here.
FREE MANSION TOURS
The Preservation Society of Newport County invites Newport County residents to visit properties for free Oct. 26-27. Explore The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff, and Isaac Bell House — and just pretend you live there. Details here.
JUMP OUT OF YOUR SKIN
‘Tis the season of scares — in Rhody, we’ve got options.
Scary Acres RI offers the brave three attractions including a hayride through the “Haunted Town,” a creepy cornfield and burial ground, and the new “Curse of the Bayou.” 2150 Scituate Ave., Cranston. Prices and hours vary. Details here.
Meanwhile, Providence Ghost Tours invites you to “enjoy the spooky side of history” in PVD. While Ghost Tours of Newport does the same for the City by the Sea. (Tours and prices vary.)
BYOB on the Providence River Boat Company’s “Haunted Boat Ride.” Learn about the city’s haunted history on this one-hour cruise down the river. Climb aboard… if you dare. Prices range from $30. Details here.
Of course, there’s even more haunted houses, and more spooky Rhode Island places, from H.P. Lovecraft’s grave to a supposedly haunted factory in Foster.
GRAPE-STOMPING, AXE-THROWING, COSTUME CONTEST, TREATS & MORE
It’s Oktoberfest meets Harvest Fest meets Halloween vibes at Newport Vineyards seventh Annual Harvest Fest Oct. 26 and 27. Expect grape-stomping and stein-hoisting contests, axe-throwing, wine and beer-tasting, from-scratch fare roasted over an open fire, live music, costume contest, prizes, and more.
Drinking or not, the food is a draw. On the menu: pumpkin pub cheese with house crostini, “Aquidneck Island potato chip nachos,” chicken and waffle sandwiches with maple sage aioli, Portuguese fire-roasted steak sandwiches, stuffed campfire apples with brown sugar and walnut stuffing, plus apple cider donuts, and maple snickerdoodle cookies. Two sessions per day, purchase ticket by session. General admission: $35, includes souvenir glass and tasting: choice of five tastes from our wine, cider and beer bars. Kids 15 and under free. 909 East Main Road, Middletown. Details and register here.
FARM FEST FINALE WITH FLASHLIGHTS
Fly on ziplines, take a hayride, escape from a maze, roast s’mores on a bonfire, nosh on doughnuts and more in the South Kingstown village of Matunuck at Clark Farms Fall Fest — the farm’s last fest of the season on Oct. 26 and 27. There’s daytime and nighttime fun. BYO flashlight for the evening’s Fall Fest Flashlight Night on Oct. 26 from sunset to 9 p.m. The corn maze is open through Oct. 30. $18. Kids 2 and under free. 2984 Commodore Perry Highway, Matunuck. Details here, here, and here. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
PUMPKIN STROLL
Costumes are encouraged at the Westerly Library third annual fall Fest & Pumpkin Stroll at Wilcox Park, Oct. 26, 4-6 p.m. Stroll the grounds and gourds and vote on your favorite — prizes will be awarded at 6 p.m. Plus cider, doughnuts, games and activities, according to billing. 44 Broad St. Details here.
A ‘WICKED WALK’ IN PROVIDENCE
Get your trick-or-treat on early: the fourth annual “Wicked Walk: A Trick-Or-Treat Experience” is a free public event in PVD for families Oct. 26, 3-6 p.m. Explore “enchanting interactive themed Halloween Doors and StoryWalk” on the Van Leesten Memorial Bridge. Trick-or-treating, free crafts, and a ghost hunt walk in 195 District Park. Get a sense of vibe from photos here. Details here.
FULL WATERFIRE
Stick around after “Wicked Walk” for a wicked fun WaterFire. Yup, we’ve got a full lighting Oct. 26 with fun starting at 5 p.m., sunset at 5:47 p.m., and lighting at 6:04 p.m. Along with all the regular WaterFire fun, Brown will celebrate its annual Family Weekend with performances from Brown University’s Daebak K-Pop dance group, Mariachi de Brown, The Brown’s Tones, and more student performances on Steeple Street. Details here.
JAZZ FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Newport Live takes a field trip to Providence to present Mandla Mlangeni with Amandla Freedom Ensemble Oct. 26 at the Barker Theater. The ensemble is comprised of young musicians who aim to promote the legacy of South African music. 35. 7:30 p.m. 400 Benefit St. Details here. Learn more about the artists here and here.
ZOO BOOS
It’s the last full week to experience Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular. See thousands of pumpkins — and test your knowledge — with this year’s trail: “Trivia Edition.” Open nightly, 6-10:30 p.m. Online purchase only. Mondays through Thursdays: $19 adult, $16 child (babies 1 and under free). Fridays through Sundays: $22 adult, $19 child. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Through Nov. 2. Details here.
Meanwhile, the zoo hosts “Spooky Zoo” Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids and adults can costume-up and trick-or-treat. Plus live musical entertainment, Touch-A-Trucks, costumed characters, fall-fun animal enrichments, and more, according to billing. Purchase ticket by timeslot. Age 13+ $21, ages 2-12 $15, 1 and younger is free. Details here.
MASTER CARVING
Serious about jack-o-lanterns? Splurge on a “Carving with the Masters” class at Roger William Park Zoo Oct. 27, 5-9 p.m. You’ll learn at the feet of a “master pumpkin carver” to make an animal-themed pumpkin, according to billing. Ticket includes a pumpkin with a pre-drawn carving design, carving tool kits, LED Lamp/Bulb, light refreshments and front-of-line VIP access to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, according to billing. View past classes here. $180 non-member, $235 for two. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Details here.
“WARREN WALKABOUT”
Stroll or bike downtown Warren as it pops to life Oct. 27 in a Warren Walkabout, billed as a celebration of fall. Explore shops, galleries, pop-ups, restaurants and food vendors, music, and more. Check out the full lists of Sunday happenings here.
TOUR DE FRIGHT
Costume up and pedal with your neighbors on a gentle 2- to 3-mile ride at Bike Newport’s free Tour de Fright. Love it. Ride is Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. at Bike Newport. You’ll need a bright white headlight and rear red light; helmets required. 18+. 62 Broadway, Newport. Details here.
COMIC CON
Don’t throw away those Halloween costumes just yet. Meet celebs, comic book artists, cosplayers, tattoo artists, and more in Providence next weekend at RI Comic Con Nov. 1-3 at the Rhode Island Convention Center and the Amica Mutual Pavillion. We’re getting into next week’s territory here, but events include loads of celeb meet-and-greets, photo opps, guests, and events geared toward “Rick & Morty” fans, writing, a look at the career of Priscilla Presley, Cosplay 101 and much more, according to billing. General admission from $130 adults, from $55 kids. Details here.
ART & LITERATURE MEET BALLET
Ballet RI leaps into its 47th season Nov. 1 with “Art & Literature Meet Ballet.” The show features a combination of dance, opera, and poetry with the story of Don Quixote. Catch a show Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Woodman Center, 250 Lloyd Ave., Providence. From $35. Details here.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: ONGOING FUN
MAIZE MAZE: At Escobar Farm dare to escape Portsmouth’s maize maze. Plus concessions and hayrides. Adults $10, ages 4-10 $8. Under 3 free. 255 Middle Road, Portsmouth. Details here.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?: It’s apple-picking season. From Jaswell’s Farm, to Steere Orchard in Apple Valley, it’s time to skip the supermarket and pick your own treats. Obviously, check online before you hit up any farms — Mother Nature is in charge here — but I rounded up some Ocean State orchards for apples, cider, doughnuts, pumpkins and peaches here.
BIG BEAUTIFUL BAMBOO BIRDS: You’ve heard of the Charlestown trolls — now there’s the big beautiful birds of Bristol. Noted artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein are talented artists in their own right. When they team up, they are The Myth Makers, and they’ve created big beautiful bamboo birds at the 33-acre Blithewold estate in Bristol. Each bird ranges from 15 to 30 feet tall, and each has a story to tell. Free to see with admission through next summer. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. General admission for adults, $22, ages 11-16 $11; children ages 6-10 $6; ages 0-5 free. 101 Ferry Road. Details here.
BROWN’S ART WALKING TOURS: Brown University now offers free public art walking tours led by Brown students every weekend. Learn about Brown’s public art collection with a 40-minute student-curated tour, exploring six works of art. All tours are outdoors, rain or shine. No registration required. Meet up at 1 p.m. On Saturdays, meet at the Eli Harvey sculpture, Bronze Bruno, on the College Green (79 Waterman St.) On Sundays, meet at Tom Friedman’s Circle Dance, on the Campus Walk. Tours run weekends through Nov. 17. Map and all details here.
FOOD AND ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR: Food, art, and architecture come together for Downcity Providence Food Tours, noon to 3:30 p.m., on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November. Get an insider’s view of creative and lively Providence during a tour lasting more than three hours over 1.7 miles. Discover some of the city’s award-winning restaurants, its hidden art and historic architecture. Tickets $76-$94 per person. 1 Ship St., Providence. Details here.
Until next week, Rhody: Keep rockin.’
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.
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The doctor is not in, and there’s not one on the way either. Many Rhode Islanders are well aware that the state is facing a harrowing shortage of primary care physicians. As native Rhode Islanders and physicians invested in quality accessible primary care for our community, we are dedicated to working towards policies to support our state.
A medical school at the University of Rhode Island is not the solution to solve the primary care crisis. A medical school at URI would not provide a timely solution, would likely not achieve the target outcome of increasing the number of primary care physicians in the state, and would likely not address the underlying issue of getting doctors to stay. Instead, resources should be allocated now to supporting primary care in ways that would make sustainable change.
Lack of access to primary care is hurting patients now. A medical school at URI would not be a short- or long-term solution. In addition to the time needed to engineer an accredited medical school, it takes seven years to produce an inexperienced primary care physician. Once trained, there still must be an incentive to stay in Rhode Island. Patients do not have access to necessary care for acute and chronic conditions. The burden on our health care system, impacting ER wait times and hospital capacity, impacts everyone. We cannot afford to wait another decade for a solution.
More physicians does not equal more physicians in primary care or in Rhode Island. If the aim is to produce more physicians from URI’s medical school, this will certainly occur, but we should not delude ourselves into believing it will fix primary care. It’s not due to lack of opportunities. In 2019, the National Resident Matching Program offered a record number of primary care positions, yet the percentage filled by students graduating from MD-granting medical schools in the United States was a new low. Of 8,116 internal medical positions that were offered, just 41.5% were filled by U.S. students; most residency spots went to foreign-trained and U.S.-trained osteopathic physicians.
As medical schools across the country look to debt reduction as a means of encouraging students to enter primary care specialties, their goals have fallen far short. In 2018, The New York University School of Medicine offered full-tuition scholarships to every medical student, regardless of merit or need. In 2024, only 14% of NYU’s graduating seniors entered primary care, lower than the national average of 30%.
There must be an incentive to stay in Rhode Island (or at least not a disadvantage). Our efforts must shift to recruiting and maintaining physicians in primary care. Inequitable reimbursement from commercial insurers between Rhode Island and neighboring states (leading to significantly lower salaries than if you lived here and traveled to Attleboro to care for patients), the lack of loan repayment(average medical student debt is $250,000, forcing the choice between meaning and money), and the ongoing administrative burdens are amongst the drivers away from primary care. Rhode Island needs to get on par with surrounding states to prevent physicians from going elsewhere.
The motivations behind opening a medical school are well intended in terms of wanting to increase the number of primary care providers by enabling local talent to train close to home. Training more people in Rhode Island will not keep them here; it will invest significant resources without addressing the root of the issue. Until there are comparable salaries between Rhode Island and our neighbors, until loan repayment is improved and the administrative burdens are reduced, primary care in the state will forever be fighting an uphill battle. Both providers and patients suffer the consequences.
Dr. Kelly McGarry is the director of the General Internal Medicine Residency at Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Maria Iannotti is a first-year resident, a Rhode Islander intent on practicing primary care in Rhode Island.
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The trucking industry will have to pay its own legal bills for the unsuccessful eight-year-old lawsuit it brought to stop Rhode Island’s truck toll system, a federal judge ruled Friday, March 27.
The American Trucking Associations was seeking $21 million in attorneys fees and other costs from the state, but a decision from U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. says the truckers lost the case and will have to pick up the tab.
The state had previously filed a counterclaim for reimbursement of $9 million in legal bills, but an earlier recommendation from U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Sullivan had already thrown cold water on that possibility.
McConnell ordered American Trucking Associations to pay Rhode Island $199,281, a tiny fraction of the amount the state spent defending the network of tolls on tractor trailers.
Settling the lawyer tab may finally bring an end to a court fight that bounced back and forth through the federal judiciary since the toll system launched and the truckers brought suit in 2018.
As it stands, the state’s truck toll network has been mothballed since 2022 when a since-overturned judge’s ruling temporarily ruled it unconstitutional.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation said it hopes to relaunch the tolls around March 2027.
The court costs fight hinged on which side could claim legal “prevailing party” status as the winner of the lawsuit.
The trucking industry claimed that it had won because the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled an in-state trucker discount mechanism, known as caps, in the original truck toll system was unconstitutional.
But Rhode Island argued that it is the winner because the appeals court had ruled that the larger system and broad concept of truck tolls is constitutional and can relaunch with the discounts stripped out.
“The Court determines that ATA has vastly overstated the benefit, if any, that they have received from the ultimate resolution of their challenge to the RhodeWorks program,” McConnell wrote.
The truckers “failed to obtain any practical benefit from the First Circuit’s severance of the [in-state toll] caps,” he went on. “Specifically, the evidence from this dispute confirmed that the lack of daily caps will result in ATA paying a higher amount in daily tolls and that it does not receive any tangible financial benefit from their elimination.”
In her December analysis of the legal fees question, Sullivan had concluded that the Trucking Associations’ outside counsel had overbilled and overstaffed the case.
But she had recommended that the industry be reimbursed $2.7 million for its bills, while McConnell’s ruling gives it nothing.
Here are five ways how you can save some money when food shopping.
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Your household can earn more than $160,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Rhode Island, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.
Rhode Island is the state with the 17th-highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.
According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”
Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Rhode Island.
How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in RI?
In Rhode Island, households would need to earn between $55,669 and $167,008 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Ocean State has the 17th-highest income range in the country for middle-class households.
The state’s median household income is $83,504.
How do other New England states compare?
Rhode Island has the fourth-highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:
- Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
- New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
- Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
- Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
- Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
- Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442
Which state has the highest middle-class income range?
Massachusetts ranks as the state with the highest income range to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually. The state’s median household income is $104,828.
Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?
Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.
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