No, I don’t mean the season finale of “House of the Dragon.” (Don’t tell me what happens, I haven’t seen it yet.) I mean your last chance to explore “Dragons & Mythical Creatures” at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Billed as an “immersive experience featuring over 60 life-size animatronic wonders.” Through Aug. 11. Not included with regular zoo admission. $9 ages 2 and up. Under 2 free. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Details here.

RHODE ISLAND FILM FEST

The 2024 Rhode Island Film Fest runs through Aug. 11 with plenty of options to catch indie features and shorts in some 10 venues throughout Rhode Island. Look for “Lost Nation,” directed by Jay Craven, “Golden Garden Takeout,” directed by Maggie Wong, “Anna Comes Home,” directed by Amber Paulette Suzor, and “WaterFire, Art & Soul of a City…The Story Continues,” from Rhode Island PBS and RocJo Productions, in cooperation with WaterFire, among others films. See a full schedule here.

JAZZ FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Jazz musician NALEDI, who moved from South Africa “to chase music in Boston” with a scholarship to New England Conservatory, performs Aug. 9 as part of Newport Live x Norman Bird Sanctuary Outdoor Summer Series.

NALEDI recently released her EP “BATHO” (meaning “people” in Sesotho), which she calls “a journey of finding belonging in a world that’s always changing, and a celebration of our shared humanity in the fight for social justice. 7 p.m. $35. 583 3rd Beach Road Middletown. Learn more about the artist here. Details here.

DOG FEST

Ummm, I love it. Hop in the car, Fido, because we’re headed to Dog Fest. RI Night Market — an open-air evening and nighttime marketplace presented by Dunkin’ — pops up at Mulligan’s Island Golf & Entertainment Aug. 10, 4-8 p.m, with “Dog Fest RI” (free). Expect a “Blessing of The Dogs,” dog vendors, activities, food trucks, “Kids Zone,” raffles, giveaways, Makers Market, Bounce Houses, Beer Garden, and more. There’s also a ticketed “Wicked Best Martini 2024″ tent, admission from $25, to benefit the Potter League. 1000 New London Ave., Cranston. Tickets and details here. Fest details here and here.

DRINK ALL THE BEER IN RHODE ISLAND

For real. Hop on it, hop-heads: Tickets are limited for the 8th Ocean State Brewers Fest, billed as “the only beer event in Rhode Island that features Rhode Island breweries exclusively.” Taste what your neighbors are brewing, from Apponaug Brewing Company to Origin Beer Project, Phantom Farms Brewing to Tapped Apple Cidery & Winery and dozens more at the Aug. 10 fest from Rhode Island Brewers Guild sponsored by BrewBox. Cheers, Rhody. $65. 21+ 3-6:30 p.m. at Farm Fresh RI, 10 Sims Ave, Providence. Details here.

GOOOOAL!

If the Olympics has you amped, it’s time to see a soccer match up close: Rhode Island’s pro men’s soccer team, Rhode Island FC, takes on Hartford Athletic Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary. At Beirne Stadium at Bryant University. 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield. Details here.

DOMINICAN PARADE & FESTIVAL

The annual Dominican Parade & Festival, presented by Quisqueya En Accion, steps off Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. in Providence at the intersection of Thurbers Avenue and Broad Street, followed by a music fest kicking off at noon at Roger Williams Park Temple to Music. This year’s theme is “Tributo a Nuestra Cultura” (“A Tribute to Our Culture.”) Details here and here.

ALPACA YOGA

The Lazy K Ranch in Foster hosts alpaca yoga Aug. 11, 10-11 a.m. Sorry goats, but alpacas are way cuter. If you see an alpaca smile, you have to smile back. Fact. BYO water, towel and mat. 10 East Killingly Road, Foster. $26. Details here.

WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR

With a pig obstacle course, a rabbit show, lawnmower racing, a pony pull and more, this week is the annual Washington County Fair, Aug. 14-18. Goals include “to promote our rural heritage… to be a venue for the FFA and 4H [and] to give families an affordable form of wholesome entertainment.” The fair, established in 1967, offers an overwhelming schedule of events jam-packed into four days in Richmond.

A few highlights: live music, antique car show, egg toss, tractor and truck pulls, live stock shows, poultry, sheep, swine and more; oxen pull, line-dancing, goat show, lawnmower races, milking contest, corn hole tournament, arm wrestling, “cow chip bingo” (IYKYK), senior pie-eating contest, jugglers, magicians and much more. Oh, and the food! Stuffed waffles, street tacos, gourmet grilled cheese, clam cakes, oysters, ice cream, apple crisp, shaved steak sandwiches, salted potatoes, barbecue ribs, gyros, corn fritters and more. Adults $12, kids 10 and under free. 78 Richmond Townhouse Road, Route 112, Richmond. Details here.

YES, CHEFS

Rhode Island puts its more than 400 miles of coastline in the spotlight during several food festivals, where fishermen and chefs who specialize in seafood get a boost. Even if you’re not a seafood lover, there are plenty of other festivals to attend to sample plates and try out local beer and wine. Globe Rhode Island’s Alexa Gagosz has put together a list of 13 food festivals that run through the rest of this year, from dining inside one of the Newport mansions with chef Jacques Pépin, to the annual oyster festival, to the Farm Fresh Rhode Island Local Food Fest at Newport’s Castle Hill Inn Aug. 13. The Farm Fresh RI fundraiser “celebrates local growers and food producers — featuring dozens of local farms paired with chefs from some of the top restaurants,” according to billing. Advance tickets only. Rain or shine. Under age 12 free. 4-8 p.m. 590 Ocean Drive. From $25. Tickets and info. for Farm Fresh Rhode Island here.

JUDY COLLINS

The legend plays Newport’s Jane Pickens Theatre Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. Stay tuned for my interview. 49 Touro St. Tickets from $69. Details here.

GREEK FESTIVAL

It’s three days of peace, love and loukoumades. We’re approaching next week’s column-territory here, so I’ll just quickly say that Pawtucket’s Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church hosts its 97th annual Greek Festival Aug. 16-18. Expect live music, dance performances, authentic Greek food and pastries — thinks Greek rice pudding, Kourambiedes, baklava, Finikia, Koulourakia, Galaktoboureko, loukoumades — kafenio (coffee area), a Greek marketplace, Greek Pride Dance Troupe, vendors, baking demos and more, according to billing. Aug. 16, 5-10 p.m. 97 Walcott St., Pawtucket. Details here and here.

BLACK SHIPS FEST

The Japan-American Society of Rhode Island hosts the 41st Black Ships Fest in Bristol and Newport Aug. 16-18. You’ll learn about the “connection between Rhode Island and Japan” and explore Japanese culture, according to billing. You might try on kimonos, participate in tea ceremonies, learn calligraphy, step aboard the tall ship Aurora, dance to Taiko drumming, browse some 100 artisans, taste treats, see martial arts demos and ikebana flower arrangements, and more. Opening ceremonies Aug. 16 10 a.m. at Rockwell Park, Bristol. Details here.

DATE CHANGE FOR “TED LASSO” STAR

In last week’s column, I mentioned that “Ted Lasso’s” Brett Goldstein was headed to PVD this week. Well, you have more time to get tickets. He’s now coming Aug. 23 for two shows. On Wednesday, PPAC announced that shows were postponed due to Goldstein falling sick.

Whether you had tickets and need a refund, or you realize you now want tickets (from $46) — all details here. 220 Weybosset St., Providence.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: ONGOING FUN …

THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION: See a herd of some 100 life-size Indian elephant sculptures in Newport, presented by Art&Newport through Sept. 6. The Great Elephant Migration is a global fundraiser to amplify indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share space, according to its website. The sculptures were made by a community of 200 indigenous Indian artisans according to their website. Viewing is best along the Cliff Walk, where the 52-elephant display is taking place at Salve Regina University’s McAuley Hall, The Breakers, and Rough Point. Learn more here, here and here.

BLACK HISTORY WALKING TOUR: Until now, the personal narratives and experiences of enslaved individuals in late 18th-century Newport have been largely unknown. Their voices highlight a new tour and exhibit that illuminate “the untold history of early Black Americans” and its widespread, ongoing impact in Rhode Island. Tours Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays at 10 a.m. through Nov. 30. $20 adults; $10 kids 12 and under. Departs from the Pilot House at 13 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport. Details here.

ITALIAN FOOD FEST: Foodies, rev your engines. Federal Hill, Rhody’s own Little Italy, hosts its 5th Al Fresco on the Hill on Saturdays through Aug. 31 from 5 p.m. to midnight. People can stroll the avenue and sample food from local restaurants and shop at retailers set up outside. There will also be live entertainment and artistic performances. Providence. Details here.

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM: Beat the heat: We mapped a trail of 130 great spots to get ice cream in Rhode Island here. See some highlights here.

Until next week, Rhody: Keep rockin.’

The seven-figure price tag is the highest on record for a residential property in the city, according to Kerry Park, a senior vice president at the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, citing digital records dating back to 1988 available through the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service.

Notably, those records do not include private, off-market sales, according to Park.

Reynolds, however, wasn’t exactly surprised the listing fetched such a substantial figure given the “potential that the property has,” she said.

“It’s in such an amazing site, and waterfront properties in Rhode Island are very, very rare to find where it’s dry [and] you’re not in a really challenging flood zone,” Reynolds said.

She added: “For what it offers, you couldn’t touch that in Newport or Portsmouth or Narragansett. It just would be unheard of.”

The 3,144-square-foot property last sold in 2019 for $605,000 and now has a total assessed value of $804,500, city records show.

Reynolds said the seller invested heavily in the home since then, to address “extensive structural work.”

The eye-catching sales price is far above most homes in East Providence, where the median household income is $71,736, according to 2020 US Census data.

The median sales price for residential properties in the city is approximately $417,000, according to Realtor.com.

But there are pockets of East Providence where homes have sold for more than $1 million this summer, Reynolds said.

“I think there are sections of East Providence that are fabulous for first-time buyers or for people looking to downsize,” she said. “But there’s also a lot of people from the East Side of Providence and from other communities [who] are finding that they can buy a tremendous house with lower taxes and at a better price than maybe some of what the other communities are able to offer.”

Across the Ocean State, the housing market remains tight: In June the median price of a single-family home hit $494,000, a new record, as sales dropped by more than 19 percent, the Rhode Island Association of Realtors reported last month.

The Riverside Drive residence has what Reynolds described as a unique layout: The primary house dates back to 1920 and boasts three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, records available through the city’s assessor’s office show.

An attached “cottage” with a separate entrance was added sometime later and houses two bedrooms and a bathroom, Reynolds said. The residence includes access to a private beach and was listed as both a single-family and a multi-family home, though it has been used primarily as the former for the past two decades, Reynolds said.

Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.

Rhode Island is the only state in the nation that observes a holiday to commemorate the victory over Japan in World War II. Now there’s a fierce debate about the holiday.

Victory Day, the second Monday in August, honors the estimated 92,000 Rhode Islanders who served in the war and the more than 2,200 of them who were killed. Rhode Island first adopted the holiday in 1948. Arkansas adopted Victory Day as a state holiday in 1949 but abandoned it 1975, choosing to give state workers a day off for their birthdays instead.

A Democratic state lawmaker in Rhode Island, Jennifer Stewart, introduced legislation this year to change Victory Day to Peace and Remembrance Day. She has been accused of dishonoring World War II veterans. “I think this is an atrocity that you’re taking away the honor and bravery that those men and women deserve,” state Representative Patricia Morgan said at a State House hearing. “What they did was honorable and not something that should be criticized.”

Stewart counters that she wants to honor the sacrifices of the past while establishing a more peaceful future. The holiday’s association with victory over Japan “belies the harsh truth that military victories are often built on civilian injury and death,” Stewart says.

As a Rhode Island native, I’ve lived on both sides of the debate.

I came of age marching in V-J Day parades in downtown Providence with my dad, a World War II Army veteran who advanced to the rank of major after serving four years in the China-India-Burma theater. Every August he’d wear his military uniform, I my Boy Scout khakis. The atomic bombs that the United States used to decimate Hiroshima and Nagasaki meant my father’s life had been spared from being summoned into further combat. It meant we had won against Japanese aggressors who had masterminded the murderous attack on Pearl Harbor. When I marched alongside my dad on Victory Day, I was convinced the Japanese got what they deserved.

But as an adult and a newspaper editor, my opinion changed: I met Sakue Shimohira, who was an 8-year-old girl when the second atomic bomb fell on Nagasaki and still suffered from radiation sickness as an adult.

“I remember how the houses were all blown to bits,” she said at a lecture in Providence. “In the river, the water was gone and there were many dead bodies. I found my eldest sister dead under the rubble. My mother was missing. I found her later that day. I recognized her body by her gold tooth. I touched her body and it disintegrated into ashes.”

After I reported on her speech, she asked me to mail her a copy. A month later she wrote to me, urging me to apply for a journalism fellowship, a 10-week residence in Japan to interview survivors like her, known in Japan as “hibakusha.” The fellowship was sponsored by the Hiroshima region’s daily newspaper, Chugoku Shimbun, and named the Akiba Project after Tad Akiba, a Tufts University professor who was later elected mayor of Hiroshima.

I was selected for the fellowship. One of the members of the selection panel was the author John Hersey, whose first-person account of traveling to Hiroshima appeared in The New Yorker in 1946. He told me his life had been forever changed when he interviewed the survivors. He said that I should expect the same.

Hersey was right. I am still haunted, especially when Victory Day rolls around each year, by the testimonies I heard during my 10-week residency in Japan. Even if I believed Japan’s leaders had brought on the carnage and hellfires that consumed Japanese civilians, how could I ever come to terms with the radiation sickness that plagued people like Sakue Shimohira throughout their lives?

Yet it is not only what the survivors told me they witnessed that continues to disturb me. It’s the fact that nuclear weapons still exist — and more are being developed by rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea. As Tad Akiba has argued, the only way to prevent a nuclear attack “is the total abolition of nuclear weapons.”

This level of awareness is what Stewart hopes to promote by renaming Victory Day. Her bill failed to pass in the 2024 legislative session, but she says she will keep pushing the bill if she wins reelection this fall.

“I intend to play the long game. Rhode Island is a forward-thinking state. We changed the name of our state four years ago,” she told me, referring to the 2020 referendum in which Rhode Islanders voted to remove “and Providence Plantations” from the state’s name.

“We can do that again with V-J Day. What happens here can influence our nation. Judging on the positive responses I’ve received, I believe we will succeed.”

Robert Israel is a Boston-based writer and a contributor to Harvard University’s Divinity School Bulletin. He can be reached at risrael_97@yahoo.com.