Events of the Week for March 4-5 2006 weekend Blackstone River Valley MA & RI

Public Service Announcement
C a l e n d a r of Events
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor
Massachusetts & Rhode Island

ETHNIC DIVERSITY REFLECTED IN MAJOR CULTURAL EVENTS HAPPENING IN HISTORIC BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY!

The March 4-5 weekend offers a cultural tapestry of arts and entertainment related happenings inside the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, in the heart of Southern New England, between Worcester, MA & Pawtucket, RI.

Residents and visitors are welcomed to enjoying a wonderful potpourri of signature ethnic celebrations. Besides cultural diversity, come and experience the great outdoors by learning about how the environment is essential to the Valley’s quality of life.

Highlighting the weekend events are two annual and colorful events in Rhode Island’s Blackstone River Valley major cities noted for their festive display of their traditions, which are still ingrained in the area today.

These festivals reflect two of Rhode Island’s largest ethnic groups, French/French-Canadian and Irish that make up 17 percent and 15 percent respectively, with a majority residing in the Blackstone River Valley.

2006 Woonsocket Mardi Gras Parties

Saturday evening, March 4, Woonsocket, RI dresses up in costumes, beads and extravagance, as the city celebrates its annual Mardi Gras festivities at four simultaneous locations.

Each venue will offer delicious buffet from 6-8 pm, followed at 8 pm on with a great evening of live Cajun themed entertainment! Free shuttles will travel after 8 pm to all four party locations.

The Mardi Gras Balls are at the following locations with featured entertainment:

CYO Center, 53 Federal Street, with Roy Carrier & the Night Riders and the Slippery Sneaker Zydeco Band

Elk’s Club, Social Street, with Jesse Lege and Planet Zydeco

Holiday Inn Express, 194 Fortin Drive, with The Regents of New York and Jeff Gamache & Cool Water Blues

The Coachman’s Lounge, (nearby Bellingham, MA,) with The John Jeski Band

Tickets are $30/person and event organizers note that partygoers should make their reservations now, due to the popularity of this annual event. Call the Northern RI Council on the Arts at 401-762-9072, by e-mail at info@nrica.com, or at the website www.NRICA.com.

Pawtucket’s Irish Heritage – St. Patrick’s Parade

Saturday, March 4, at 12 noon, the City of Pawtucket ushers in the region’s celebration of Irish heritage with the annual Pawtucket St. Patrick’s Parade.

See this always exciting parade complete with marchers, floats, dignitaries and local personalities and parade goers in their variations of green fashion!

Step off is from the Jenks Junior High School, located at Division Street (across from McCoy Stadium) Marchers proceed to South Bend Street then westerly on Walcott Street to Main Street, over the Blackstone River Bridge, and turn northerly on Roosevelt Avenue, past Slater Mill Historic Site, to end in front of City Hall.

Call Pawtucket City Hall for more details at 401-728-0500, extension 281 or go to the web at www.pawtucketri.com.

International Music Performances

Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester, MA will host two world class concerts from two renowned groups, part of the ongoing Music Worcester series.

Wednesday, March 1, at 8 pm, don’t miss a special evening concert with the world famous Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

The internationally acclaimed 105-member Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is the premiere orchestra in Israel’s capital city and has been dedicated to presenting masterpieces from the baroque to the contemporary period. Conductor Maestro Leon Botstein is recognized for his tireless creative approach to programming and his inspired performances.

Saturday evening, March 4, at 8 pm, the Italian ensemble group I MUSICI of Rome performs.

Their masterful interpretation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which is featured on the program, is a perennial best seller. They have received critical acclaim world wide for “playing like musical aristocrats with an unaffected elegance.”

For tickets to these concerts and other upcoming performances contact Music Worcester at 508-754-3231 or go to the web at www.musicworcester.org.

Weekends at Interpretive State Park – Maple Sugar Days

With springtime around the corner, discover how real maple syrup is made with the Fifth Annual Maple Sugar Days, presented weekends between March 4-19, from 11 am-3 pm, inside Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, at the River Bend Farm Visitor Center, 287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA.

See a live demonstration of how maple sap is gathered and made into syrup. Visitors may also actively participate in tapping trees at the park, and gathering sap to be made into syrup.

The State Park and Visitor Center showcase the significance of agriculture and the environment. This portion of the park was one the former Voss Dairy Farm and straddles a panoramic view of a wild stretch of the Blackstone River and a very well preserved portion of the Blackstone Canal and adjacent towpath, which served as the prime transportation route between the bustling cities of Providence, RI & Worcester, MA from 1828-1848.

For more about the Maple Sugar Days contact the Park Ranger Office at 508-278-7604.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL INFORMATION ON ALL EVENTS, DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS AND DETAILS ON EACH EVENT ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANYTIME WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE. PLEASE CALL EACH EVENT CONTACT DIRECTLY FOR THE MOST LATEST UPDATES!

Also, visit www.tourblackstone.com for more daily events and visitor information.

For a complete listing of all events happening throughout the year in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, visit our Calendar of Events on the web at www.eventblackstone.com This interactive website is freshly updated daily and offers direct links to detailed information on each public event posted in the Calendar of Events.

Additional information on events, attractions, interests and activities are available from the following agencies:

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
One Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI 02895
Telephone 401-762-0440

Blackstone River Valley Visitor Bureau
110 Church Street, Whitinsville, MA 01588
Telephone 508-234-9090 (toll free outside MA 1-800-841-0919)

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
175 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Telephone 401-724-2200 (toll free outside RI 1-800-454-2882)

The Blackstone River is an American Heritage River located within the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. In 1999, the United States Congress named the National Heritage Corridor in honor of the late United States Senator John H. Chafee of Rhode Island, who co-sponsored legislation creating the region in 1986.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Events of the Week is e-mailed as a public service to provide information on travel and leisure happenings throughout the Blackstone River Valley.

Please contact us should you no longer be interested in receiving this e-mail.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL EVENTS, DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS AND INFORMATION LISTED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANYTIME WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE. CONTACT EACH EVENT DIRECTLY FOR CURRENT DETAILS.

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS, OR OMISSIONS. INFORMATION ON EVENTS PROVIDED BY VARIOUS SOURCES.

EVENTS LISTED MAY BE POSTPONED, DELAYED OR CANCELLED AT ANYTIME WITHOUT PUBLIC NOTICE AND DETAILS ON EVENTS MAY CHANGE AT ANYTIME WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE.

EVENT LISTINGS SUBMITTED ARE OFTEN RE-WRITTEN FOR BREVITY AND SPACE CONSIDERATIONS. INQUIRIES ON THE SPECIFICS OF EVENTS LISTED SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO EACH EVENT CONTACT AT THE TELEPHONE LISTED ON EACH EVENT.

INFORMATION IS UPDATED DAILY, AS ALL EVENTS ARE ADDED, CHANGED OR CANCELLED. ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THESE SUGGESTED EVENTS HIGHLIGHTED, THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS OCCURING. CONTACT TELEPHONES AND CHECK WEB SITES LISTED FOR THE LATEST DETAILS.

PLEASE CONTACT THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS OR WEB SITES LISTED FOR ANY CORRECTIONS AND TO OBTAIN THE MOST CURRENT AND EXACT DETAILS ON ANY AND ALL EVENTS, AS INFORMATION CONTAINED IS CONSTANTLY REVISED ON A DAILY BASIS BY MANY OF THE EVENT ORGANIZERS AND SPONSORS.