Weekend Best Best

Weekend Best Bets

Providence's event of the season and more this weekend

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Providence International Arts Festival

Without a doubt this is the event of the weekend. With performances, art galleries, street art exhibitions, talks and just about everybody in the immediate radius of downtown Providence getting involved one way or another there’s enough for a dozen weekends worth of Best Bets to list. Festival events are happening all weekend with the bulk of activities behind held on Saturday. Check out our coverage of the some of the artists and organizations involved, and for a full listing of PIAF events, visit FirstWorks.org.

Friday

Hop in a time machine and travel back to a 1970s and 1980s heavy metal show Friday night. Holy Driver, a Dio tribute band, and Stormbringer, New England’s Deep Purple tribute band, will melt faces in Fete’s interment setting. Prepare for a night of moshing and headbanging. $10. 7pm. 103 Dike St, Providence. More Info…

If throwbacks aren’t your Jam, there’s some contemporary music to check out Friday night too. Math the Band, a local synthesizer punk collective, will headline on AS220’s main stage, and Weakwick, a two-piece band from St. Paul, Minnesota, will lead a four-band show at AS220’s Psychic Readings. $6 for Weakwick, and $7 for Math the Band. Both shows at 9pm. More Info…

Start your weekend off with some dramatic MMA cage fighting at Twin River Casino. There will be multiple contests, but the premier fight will feature Chuck “Cold Steel” O’Neil versus Dominique “Non-Stop Action Packed” Steele. Both fighters have won six of their last seven matches, which should make for a competitive fight. $40-125. 7pm. 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln. More Info…

Saturday

The word “kickoff” does not do WBRU’s Summer Kickoff justice. If it were up to me, the event would a summer 360-triple-karate-kick off. Matt and Kim and The Kooks would be great headliners alone, but lucky for us, they are both performing Saturday night. Both acts have released albums in the last year, and are sure to play some of their classics too. $25. 6:30pm. 79 Washington St, Providence. More Info…

Don’t worry, there’s even more music to check out this weekend; the fourth annual New Bedford JazzFest is Saturday. In addition to the many local jazz artists performing, there will be local crafts on display, beer from local breweries and, of course, food trucks. Last year, more than 700 people attended the festival, and this year promises to be another top-notch festival. $20. 1:30-7pm. Pier 3, New Bedford, MA. More Info…

Not that a typical WaterFire lighting ever disappoints, but this weekend’s lightning will be more grand than usual. Why? The Providence International Arts Festival, of course. Downtown Providence will be popping Saturday, as artists and guests from all over will swarm the city. Conclude what will be a fantastic day with one of Providence’s greatest staples. It’s fun to showoff sometimes. Lighting is scheduled for 8:46pm. More Info…  

Sunday

Symposium Books Sizzlin' Hot Summer Poetry Series starts with three Rhode Island poets Sunday. Ira Schaeffer, Bill Carpenter and Lawrence Krips will lead the event, but others will get involved; the events is open mic, so make sure to bring your favorite poem. 3-5pm. 1000 Division Street, East Greenwich. More Info… 

● Anchors Down, Rhode Island’s European car show, returns for the third year, and is hoping to build on its momentum from last year. Last year, more than 1,500 people attended and there were more than 200 cars on display. Come check out some of the most fascinating cars in the area. 10am-4pm. 342 Compass Circle, North Kingstown. More Info…

If Providence won’t have enough art to satisfy you this weekend, make sure to head over to the Barrington Art Festival. The all-day event will include booths with wide arrays of crafts along the Town Hall grounds, live music, children’s activities and – you guessed it! – food tucks. 10am-5pm. 283 County Rd, Barrington. More Info…

All Weekend

● Gina Brillion has specialized in making people laugh since she was 17, and she will pour her energy in drawing laughter from Rhode Islanders this weekend. Gina, who has appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham and E!’s Chelsea Lately, will perform stand-up sets at Comedy Connection Friday and Saturday night. $15. 8pm. 39 Warren Ave, East Providence. More Info… 

Hey Rhode Island, you have just one weekend to see Kinky Boots, a Broadway hit that includes songs from Grammy and Tony award-winner Cyndi Lauper, at the Providence Performing Arts Center. The show, which 6 Broadway Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography, tells the story of a struggling young man who is saved by Lola, a grand performer. $56-$93. Show times vary. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. More Info…

● The British Motorcar Festival is not any ole car show; it is “a weekend celebration of the British lifestyle and all great British motor cars.” The three-day festival will include hundreds of cars to view, judge competitions and other events. One rule: no touching of the cars. That’s it! Friday 10am-9:30pm, Saturday 8:30am-7pm, Sunday 8:30am-3:30pm. Asylum Road, Bristol. More Info…

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