Hey Rhody

09/14/2026

Reggae by the river, Jamaican food in hand, molten glass glowing inside the studio, and fire dancers taking over after sunset.

Island Night at Blackstone River Glass Center packed a lot into one Friday night, with Nena Belen & The GreenTree Band setting the soundtrack, Ja Patty keeping everyone fed, and glassblowing demos making it very hard to just “stop by for a minute.”

Add in tropical-inspired glass projects, dancing, and the Blackstone River in the background, and this was one of those local nights that made the unexpected plan look pretty good.

Safe to say we’ll be keeping an eye on what Blackstone River Glass Center does next. 🔥

09/10/2026

Packing list for logging off for a little while:

A notebook you actually want to write in. A pen that works. A camera that won’t ask you to post anything. Some watercolors if you’re feeling ambitious. A flower press if you spot something worth keeping. And a Rhode Island-made tote to throw it all in.

That’s probably enough.

Our September issue has plenty of local finds for anyone craving a little more analog time and a little less screen time.

Save this for the next afternoon you feel like putting your phone away and seeing where you end up.

09/08/2026

Rhode Island is running three very different weekend plans at once, and frankly, we respect the range.

🦞 Rhode Island Seafood Festival takes over India Point Park Saturday and Sunday, September 12–13, with lobster rolls, oysters, clam cakes, chowder, calamari, live music, and waterfront views doing most of the convincing.

🎶 Down in Wakefield, the first South County Folk Festival lands at Birch & Bay’s Sunset Stage on Sunday, September 13, bringing Brad Barr, Nic Panken, Lefty Parker, and more to Main Street for an afternoon and evening of folk, blues, food, and drinks.

🎡 Up in Centredale, the North Providence Village Festival runs Friday through Sunday, September 11–13, filling Smith Street around Town Hall with 40+ vendors, live local music, kids’ activities, and the festival-food classics Rhode Islanders require very little explanation for.

Seafood by the bay. Folk songs in Wakefield. Sausage and peppers on Smith Street.

Three towns, three completely different moods, one very Rhode Island weekend. Save this for your weekend planning, then tell us which stop is first!

09/05/2026

“Touch grass” is easy advice. Rhode Island has the better part covered: what to do once you get there.

This fall, that might mean volunteering on a Smithfield farm, watching for migrating birds on Block Island, learning which wild plants are edible, or riding 15 miles through Newport beneath the Corn Moon.

Prefer something a little slower? Try plein air painting, book a no-frills campground cabin, head out on a wildlife walk, or take tree pose somewhere that actually has trees.

Our September cover story rounds up 12+ ways to reconnect with the outdoors across Rhode Island, with ideas for getting moving, learning something new, making something, or simply spending a little less time staring at a screen.

Your next free day could probably use a plan.

Click the link below to read the full September cover story and find all 12+ ideas.

https://heyrhody.com/stories/ways-to-reconnect-with-nature-across-rhode-island,109600?

Put the phone away, we’re going outside

09/01/2026

Rhode Island summer may be winding down, but we’re definitely not heading inside yet. 🌿

The September issue of Hey Rhody is our annual Outdoors Issue, packed with reasons to keep exploring the Ocean State as the season starts to shift.

We’re heading into Arcadia Management Area, putting together a field guide of outdoor activities around the state, and getting to know Rhode Island’s small farming scene. Back in town, there’s late-summer dining to enjoy, local fashion designers to meet, and a little help for anyone currently staring down the back-to-school checklist.

Consider it your field guide to September in Rhode Island, whether you’re hitting the trail, grabbing a table outside, or figuring out where the kids left their backpacks.

Read the issue online, or pick up a free copy at your favorite local retailer.



https://issuu.com/providencemedia/docs/hey_rhody_september_2026

08/31/2026

Bought the house. Inherited the yard. Now what? 🌿

That overgrown corner, mystery tree, or patch of lawn you keep imagining as a meadow might already be telling you what it needs.

Astrodime helps Rhode Island homeowners make sense of what’s growing, what needs attention, and what the space could become through yard assessments, coaching, and permaculture design.

Fall is a smart time to start thinking ahead about planting, trees, meadows, and the bigger picture for your outdoor space.

So the next time “we should really do something with the yard” comes up, you’ll know where to start.

08/29/2026

Pizza chips or pizza strips? Rhode Island, choose your fighter. 🍕👀

This week on Hey Rhody Weekly, we’re digging into one of the Ocean State’s most wonderfully confusing food traditions: the saucy, bakery-born pizza strip, and its crispier cousin, the pizza chip.

If you grew up here, you probably have opinions. If you didn’t, you probably have questions.

Watch the new episode on YouTube, then tell us: chips or strips?

Some Rhode Island foods need a little explanation before the first ...

08/26/2026

For Lisa Marie Lyckland, inspiration often starts with a good latte. ☕🎨

The North Kingstown-based watercolor artist behind Fleetwood Studios has built a creative practice around the places, flavors, and small details that make Rhode Island feel like home. Her illustrations of cafe scenes, croissants, specialty drinks, and local businesses have grown into prints, note cards, commissions, workshops, and even travel-size watercolor kits.

Her work can be found at spots including Ellie’s in Providence, CafBar in South Kingstown, and Bucket and the Bean in North Kingstown, where art and coffee culture meet in a very Rhody way.

Read our latest Meet the Maker to learn more about Fleetwood Studios and the artist putting Rhode Island on paper, one brushstroke at a time.

Coffee brews inspiration for North Kingstown-based watercolor artist