PVDFest

        June 1-4, 2017 - Live music, dance, food, and visual art installations transform the city in a four-day, multi-arts take-over of public spaces, parks, and outdoor stages in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island.      

[pvdfestival]

First Look at The Avenue Concept’s New Mural

We love seeing more public art Downtown – especially just in time for PVDFest. Check out the latest large-scale mural from The Avenue Concept, which is going up at Orange and Friendship Streets (right behind Thee Red Fez). This will be the largest work yet from Avenue Concept resident artist Andrew Hem, an LA-based painter whose work reflect his Cambodian-American upbringing. Stop by this weekend and check it out. 

[pvdfestival]

Putting the PVD in PVDFest Your guide to the local talents on stage and in the streets

PVDFest showcases performers from around the country and all over the globe, including some of the biggest stars in world music. This year alone features musicians, dancers, and performance artists from Harlem, Miami, Detroit, Oakland, East LA, Montreal, Trinidad, and Honduras. Of course, there is no shortage of talent here in our own backyard, and many local performers will be sharing the stage with the national and international talent. Here’s a day-by-day guide to some of the highlights.

NOTE: This information is current as of Tuesday, May 30. Schedule and details are subject to change at any time. Visit pvdfest.com for schedule, maps, and the most up-to-date info.

THURSDAY, JUNE 1 See the next generation of local theater stars before they make it big at the Providence School District Drama Festival. 12:30-1:45pm. Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St.

Get a sneak preview of a work in progress as playwright Frank V. Toti, Jr. presents a staged reading of TRANS*, a dramatic interpretation of personal stories from the local trans community. 7:30pm, PAFF Auditorium at URI Providence, 80 Washington St. (There is a second performance at 7:30pm on Friday.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 2 Break in your dance shoes for the weekend with local Latin band Salsa y Gaitas, who will get the crowd warmed up for Miami’s Afro-Cuban funketeers PALO! 7pm, ALEX AND ANI City Center (skating rink) at Kennedy Plaza

Get your second line on as PVD’s own street marching band, Extraordinary Rendition Band (pictured above - photo by Erin X. Smithers), leads a procession from The Dorrance (60 Dorrance St.) to the Spectacle Stage (10 Dorrance St.). 7:45pm

Enjoy a special preview of Saturday’s highlight as local spoken word artist Christopher Johnson takes to the air along with the vertical dancers of BANDALOOP. 8pm, Spectacle Stage (10 Dorrance St.) (There will also be performances at 8pm and 10pm on Saturday.)

SATURDAY, JUNE 3 Embrace the more experimental side of theater with selections from FRINGEPVD, presented by the WIlbury Group. 12-4pm, 99 Adrian Hall Way

Hear the words and music of a variety of local talents at a showcase from the Rhode Island Songwriters Association. 12-4pm, Washington St. corridor (exact locations vary between Empire St. and Kennedy Plaza)

Bring the kids to The Ricky Rainbow Beard Show, where they’ll be dazzled by color, sound, and play. 1:30pm, Burnside Park (2 Kennedy Plaza)

Celebrate the sounds of America with The KC Moaners, a traditional blues/jazz/ragtime band. 1:30pm, Providence Public Library (150 Empire St.)

Follow a “movement-based journey” as contemporary dance duo Doppelganger Dance Collective (pictured above - photo by James Lastowski) performs The Trail We Left Behind. 2pm, The People’s Stage at City Hall (25 Dorrance St.)

Experience the culture of China as the RI Kung-Fu Lion Dancers perform with pounding drums and colorful costumes. 3pm, Burnside Park (2 Kennedy Plaza)

Or, travel to Southeast Asia with the traditional music and dancing of the Laotian Community Center Dancers. 3pm, The People’s Stage at City Hall (25 Dorrance St.)

Expect the unexpected from the modern vaudeville-style variety show of The Empire Revue. 3pm, Providence Public Library (150 Empire St.)

Hear oral history come alive through the music of the Eastern Medicine Singers, a Native American drum and vocal group. 3:30pm, FirstWorks Plaza Stage (27 Exchange St.)

Groove with extraterrestrials at the BIG NAZO Intergalactic Creature Dance Party (see video above), which marks the end of the parade. 4:30pm, FirstWorks Plaza Stage (27 Exchange St.)

Behold “a clash of art and music” as Trade Pop-up curates Art Bashment. 5pm, Mathewson St. Stage (75 Clemence St.)

Witness the Transformations as The Dark Lady puts on a fun and colorful drag show. 5pm & 9pm, Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage (63 Snow St.)

Travel to the bayou – at least musically – as Rhode Island’s own Magnolia brings the Cajun sounds of Louisiana up north. 5pm, Roger Williams Memorial National Park (282 North Main St.)

Rock out to the Americana-infused indie of The ‘Mericans. 5:30pm,  Washington St. corridor (exact locations vary between Empire St. and Kennedy Plaza)

Get inspired to start your own band as you enjoy a sampler session from the aspiring musicians of Girls Rock! RI. 6pm, Burnside Park (2 Kennedy Plaza)

Snap your fingers to the inspired, Spanglish-inflected poetry of Sussy Santana. 6:30pm, Grant’s Block (corner of Westminster St. & Union St.)

Listen to the haunting melodies and soulful vocals of singer-songwriter Sara Azriel. 7pm, Washington St. corridor (exact locations vary between Empire St. and Kennedy Plaza)

Trip out to the dark, cinematic sounds of local rockers Volcano Kings. Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage (63 Snow St.)

See two of the biggest names in local music – rapper Chachi Carvalho and master drummer Sidy Maiga (pictured at top of post - photo by James Lastowski) – combine forces with a powerhouse live band as the International Rebels. 8:30pm, FirstWorks Plaza Stage (27 Exchange St.)

Bang your head as local rockers Lolita Black share the stage with Arkansas metal band Pallbearer and Demolition Boys at a free show presented by Armageddon Shop. 9pm, AS220, 115 Empire St.

Fall head over heels for “a Providence love story” at Beauty in the Backstreets, a multi-media performance encompassing hip-hop, R&B, gospel, live theater, storytelling, and film footage. 9:15pm, Mathewson St. Stage (75 Clemence St.)

Jam to the schoolhouse rock of The Dirty Filthy Basement, Brown University’s premier faculty rock band. 10:30pm, Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage (63 Snow St.) 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

Witness Harlem-based composer/violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain lead local talents, including What Cheer? Brigade, Becky Bass, Girls Rock! RI, Christopher Johnson, Extraordinary Rendition Band and more, in the massive pop-up parade En Masse. 3pm, Dexter Park Training Grounds (65 Dexter St.)

Tour the West Side of Providence with writer/historian Taylor M. Polites and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, and learn more about the historic Cranston Street Armory. Sign up for tours at the WBNA booth in Dexter Park1:00-5:30pm

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of Rhode Island’s finest music programs, Community MusicWorks, featuring performances from faculty, students, alumni, and some very special guests. Time changed to 1PM, Dexter Park Training Grounds (65 Dexter St.)

[pvdfestival]

See, Hear, Do, Experience Your Family-Friendly #PVDFest Guide

As we gear up for the biggest and best free celebration of the summer on Saturday, June 3, many of you may find yourselves asking that important question: Should I bring the kids? 

The answer, in short, is absolutely. There will be plenty for kids and parents alike to see, hear, do, and experience. In fact, there’s so much happening that we thought you might need a handy guide. We’ve rounded up some of the highlights so you can make the most out of your day of family fun.

*NOTE: This information is current as of Friday, May 26. Schedule and details are subject to change at any time. Visit pvdfest.com for schedule, maps and the most up-to-date info.

If you want to see something…

…dance, theater, and dazzling sights abound.

1pm: Laugh along with improv comedy from some of Southern New England’s most talented teen performers, Trinity Zoo, on the Washington Street Stages. (See bottom of post for a location guide.)

2pm: Get some culture with ECAS Theater, Rhode Island’s leading Latino theater and performing arts organization, at the AS220 Black Box.

3pm: Be dazzled by the traditional Dominican and Caribbean dance styles of Grupo Arcoiris, a youth dance troupe, on the Washington Street Stages.

3:30: Watch Amy the Mime try to escape from an invisible box (and other classic mime bits) on the Washington Street Stage.

6:30pm: Imagine you’re on the islands of the South Pacific as the dance troupe Napua O’Polynesia takes you on a cultural tour on the Washington Street Stages.

7pm: Watch the hip-hop dancers of Project 401 pop, lock, break, and spin at Grant’s Block.

7:30pm: Support youth empowerment through the performing arts as Case Closed! brings hip-hop influenced dance and theater to the People’s Stage at City Hall.

12pm: Witness the next generation of local talent in dance, music, theater, and more during the Trinity Academy of the Performing Arts (TAPA) Showcase at the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage. You can also catch an encore performance at Grant’s Block at 8:30pm.

9:30pm: Check out seven short films from around the world with a special screening from the Providence Children’s Film Festival at Grant’s Block.

If you want to hear something…

…there’s music in the air from performers of all ages.

12pm: Check out some of Providence’s finest teen talents as Classical Gasoline, the Classical High School Band, takes the stage at Grant’s Block.

1pm: Dance, laugh, and sing along with the kid-centric songs and comedy of Keith Munslow at Grant’s Block.

3pm: Throw your hands in the air and wave ‘em like you just don’t care with Providence’s teen rap sensation, Kayciblu, on the People’s Stage at City Hall.

3:30pm: Try to spot the next big thing as Artist on the Rise showcases emerging rappers, singers, and bands from around New England on the People’s Stage at City Hall.

6:30pm: Get your groove on with the high energy funk and hip-hop of Funk Underground at the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage.

7:15pm: Witness a future pop star being born as Providence’s own Emeline sings her heart out on the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage.

If you want to do something…

…make, sing, bike, and shop your way through the day.

12pm: Browse the wares of 50+ local artists and designers at the PVDFest Marketplace at Craftland.

12-2:30pm: Make your voice heard in Mobile Stü, a portable hip-hop recording studio where kids can express themselves, on the Washington Street Stages.

12-4pm: Enjoy a day of two-wheeled fun – including BMX stunt riders, live entertainment, repair and safety demonstrations, and a bike expo – at BikeFest at the Mathewson Street Stage.

2-8pm: Get crafty with artists, techies, designers, and tinkerers from AS220 Labs, the Rhode Island Computer Museum, 3D Printing PVD, and more at the Mini Maker Faire at 110 Washington Street.

12-8pm: Try your hand at screen printing, giant ping-pong, paper making, and more with AS220 Industries at the AS220 Mercantile Block.

4:30pm: Show off your best ollies, kick-flips, and grinds at the Skateboarding Contest and Film at Adrian Hall Way.

If you want to experience something…

…check out family programming, virtual reality, a parade, and much more.

12-8pm: Step into another world when Dream Wanderer, the virtual reality truck, pulls up to the AS220 Mercantile Block.

12:30-7pm: Sing along with Miss Katie, bang a drum with Sidy Maiga, get hands on with the Girls Rock! RI “Instrument Petting Zoo,” and experience a full day of Family Fun courtesy of the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy at Burnside Park.

1:30-7pm: Hear live bluegrass from the Magnolia Cajun Band, see live theater from the Manton Avenue Project, and enjoy an afternoon of art, activities, food, and Del’s Lemonade at PVDYouth Fest at the Roger Williams Memorial National Park.

4pm: Put on your most colorful outfit and march joyously through the streets, or just watch from the sidelines, as the Parade Procession makes its way down Washington Street and into Kennedy Plaza.

4:30: Get your groove on with Providence’s favorite puppets from another planet during the BIG NAZO Intergalactic Creature Dance Party at the FirstWorks Plaza Stage.

8pm: Look up in the sky as vertical dance pioneers BANDALOOP and local poet/performer Christopher Johnson turn the air above Kennedy Plaza into a dance floor with #PVDPublicCanvas.

BONUS #1: Eat something…

…peruse a world of flavors from the Providence Cultural Equity Initiative’s Global Food Village at Biltmore Park or sample dozens of local food trucks throughout the festival footprint.

BONUS #2: Bring the family on Sunday, too…

…as Armory Animated by Art closes out PVDFest with an entire day of art, music, and food on the West Side.

Location Guide:

Adrian Hall Way:

Next to Trinity Rep, between Washington and Fountain Streets

AS220 Black Box: 95 Empire Street

AS220 Mercantile Block: 130 Washington Street

Biltmore Park: Intersection of Fountain and Eddy Streets

Burnside Park: 2 Kennedy Plaza

Craftland: 212 Westminster Street

Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage: 63 Snow Street

FirstWorks Plaza Stage: 27 Exchange Street

Grant’s Block: Corner of Westminster and Union Streets

Mathewson Street Stage: 75 Clemence Street

The People’s Stage at City Hall: 25 Dorrance Street

Providence Public Library: 150 Empire Street

Roger Williams Memorial National Park: 282 North Main Street

Spectacle Stage: 10 Dorrance Street

Washington Street Stages: Various locations along Washington Street between Empire Street and Kennedy Plaza

[pvdfestival]

Get Into the Groove Keep it moving with PVDFest’s best dance parties

Optional soundtrack for this post

PVDFest was never intended to be a spectator sport. The Creative Capital’s signature celebration is a participatory experience, an opportunity to actively engage with music, art, food, and culture. One of the easiest and most fun ways to do that (other than marching in the parade) is to simply dance. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best dancing-shoes-required events happening from June 1-4, so you know exactly how to get into the groove.

Afro-Cuban funk makes us wanna... 

PALO! (pictured at top right), an Afro-Cuban funk band from Miami, will provide the soundtrack for a high-energy dance party at the ALEX AND ANI City Center on Friday, June 2 that kicks off at 7pm with a performance by Providence’s own Salsa y Gaitas. 

At 8:30pm, PALO! will take the stage for their fourth appearance in Providence. This highly danceable band, featuring Latin Grammy-nominated vocalist Leslie Cartaya, is reinventing the Cuban sound for a new generation. Their signature Afro-Cuban funk sounds like salsa with a jazzy, soulful edge and is sure to get you moving.

The dance party is just part of an entire evening of Latin culture and PVD-Miami connections, courtesy of festival Founding Partner FirstWorks, the City of Providence Dept. of Art Culture + Tourism, and Richard Snyder, a Brown University professor and former director of the school’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS). He curated a screening and panel discussion of the film Ivy League Rumba, starting at 5pm at Aurora. This hourlong documentary about the contemporary Latin music scene was shot in Providence at the 2015 Brown University Latin Jazz and Pop Festival, and features interviews with locals like Mayor Jorge Elorza and percussionist Jesus Andujar. The documentary was directed by Miami-based, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Joe Cardona. 

Snyder and CLACS were involved in bringing PALO! to Providence for their previous performances, with the band appearing every year since 2013. “This is an ongoing relationship with PALO!,” he explains, “but it’s also part of a broader relationship between Providence and Miami to foster exchanges in the creative arts.” Members of the band will also participate in a Q&A session after the screening, along with Jesus Andujar. 

BIG NAZO Intergalactic Creature Dance Party makes us wanna...

Providence’s favorite puppets from another planet, The BIG NAZO Intergalactic Creature Band, will touch down at PVDFest for an extraterrestrial public spectacle and space-funk dance party. These mutant musicians, alien go-go dancers, and rowdy robots combine stand-up comedy, sci-fi, dancing, daredevil stunts, soap opera hysterics, and professional wrestling with live rock and funk music and audience-interactive improvisation. If it sounds crazy now, just wait until you’re dancing alongside them. You’ll have your chance for a close encounter on Saturday, June 4 as the parade, which begins at 4pm, melts its way from Washington Street into the crowd at Kennedy Plaza, where BIG NAZO will get the dance party started at 4:30pm. 

Two days of dance parties at The Dean Hotel make us wanna...

Providence’s coolest hotel, The Dean, will keep the party rocking both Friday and Saturday. They’ll kick off the weekend at happy hour (5pm) on Friday with a Quarter Moon Market featuring local makers, creators, and, of course, DJs. You might feel the urge to move your feet while you browse an artfully curated night market, enjoy local food and drink, and maybe even get lei’d at a bespoke Tiki Experience presented by Plantation Rum. 

On Saturday, it’s 12 full hours of art, kitsch, and soulful grooves. Starting at noon, AS220 and local artists like Kelly C. Knapp and Rebecca Volynsky will display public art, functional works, and installations. You can also dance to local DJs and explore a “kitsch lounge” all afternoon. But when the sun goes down, things get even hotter as DJ Ty Jesso and the Soul Power DJs take over. They’ll spin deep funk and soul classics while the ladies of Chifferobe go-go dance the night away. The party goes until midnight.

The Steel Yard’s Kick-off After Party makes us wanna...

The four-day multi-arts takeover that is PVDFest begins on Thursday, June 1 with a variety of afternoon and early evening events, but then the Steel Yard gives you a chance to get the weekend started early. They’re hosting a nighttime dance party in Providence’s coolest industrial space from 8-11pm. It’s the perfect way to get warmed up for the moving and shaking you’ll be doing all weekend long.

[pvdfestival]

A Castle for the People Artists, performers and community groups unite for a PVDFest grand finale at the iconic Cranston Street Armory

Part of the mission of PVDFest is to activate Providence’s public spaces and neighborhoods – and that means all neighborhoods. That’s why after the biggest party of the year happens Downtown on Saturday, June 3, the festival will go west for a special grand finale. On Sunday, June 4, artists, performers, and community groups will come together to celebrate Providence’s “castle for the people,” the iconic Cranston Street Armory with music, art, food trucks, and a pop-up parade.

Armory Animated by Art is an exciting collaborative project that will use art-making and performance to enliven this historic building and the adjacent Dexter Street Parade Grounds. This celebratory finale to the City’s signature summer festival begins in the afternoon with mobile, Armory-themed art and ends in the evening with an epic swell of joyful noise. It’s a unique collaboration to generate new ideas for the Armory’s re-use, convened by the Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and FirstWorks, along with poet/performer Christopher Johnson, the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, the Providence Preservation Society, Community MusicWorks, the RISD Museum, the Rhode Island Department of Administration, and the Providence Department of Planning and Development. 

"This is a really cool thing for the festival, but it's also part of a larger project to reframe old conversations and reimagine the Armory's future," said FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher. "It's exciting to combine creative and community thinking in this way. It's really the tip of the iceberg in terms of neighborhood outreach and stakeholder engagement in the future of this historic building."

So what should you expect for the grand finale? Here’s a quick overview:

Art Trucks & Food Trucks At 1pm, the RISD Museum will roll onto Hollywood Road, directly across from the Armory, with five repurposed box trucks. Each one will be an interactive “mini-Armory” skinned to exaggerate and highlight the unique architectural features of the building. They’ll be on display for engagement throughout the afternoon as a fleet of food trucks peddle their culinary wares along Parade Street.

A Pop-up Parade At 3pm, Haitian-born, Harlem-based violinist/composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) returns to PVDFest for a massive musical spectacle. (Check him out in the highlights from last year’s Fest.) En Masse is a large-scale composition created for up to 500 musicians that is entirely new every time it is performed. This collective musical celebration – a cross between a flash mob and a processional – will feature marching bands, street musicians, and music students from across Rhode Island. What will that look like? Something like this...

A Very Special Anniversary At 1pm (note time change!), the venerated Providence youth music program Community MusicWorks (CMW) celebrates its 20th anniversary with a special performance featuring CMW students, alumni, and faculty. They’ll join composer Gonzalo Grau, and his salsa band La Clave Secreta, along with Johnny Gandelsman and other special guests, for a reprise of "Fantasia con Guyaba Habanera,” a piece that CMW and Gandelsman premiered at John Hope Settlement House in May 2013. Here’s a look back at that original performance...

A Sunset Encore Weather permitting, DBR and his friends will return to the stage for an encore sing-along. Audiences will join in song with their neighbors from the West End, Elmwood, Upper South Providence, Federal Hill, and across the city and state, to celebrate 110 years of history, creativity, and community engagement at the Cranston Street Armory. We can’t think of a better way to close out the best weekend of the summer, so grab your family and friends, a blanket and some folding chairs and join us on the Dexter Street Training Ground (aka "Armory Park") on June 4.

[pvdfestival]

An Insider’s Guide to PVDFest Musical Headliners for Saturday, June 3: Side B

On Saturday, June 3, PVDFest 2017 will once again turn the heart of the city into Providence’s biggest free party of the year. Festival Founding Partner FirstWorks will bring in musicians from around the globe and around the corner to converge on Kennedy Plaza with the artists of the Creative Capital for an all-day extravaganza. Here’s the second half of our introduction to some names you need to know before the party starts…

Aurelio Martinez One of Honduras’ most gifted performers, singer/songwriter/guitarist Aurelio Martinez has bringing the Afro-Caribbean musical traditions of his native Garifuna culture to the world for nearly 30 years.

Etienne Charles If any one artist of this generation can embody the eclectic influences of the many Caribbean musical traditions, it is the master of Creole Soul, Etienne Charles.

Betty Bonifassi After gaining international acclaim as the singing voice behind the animated film characters Les Triplettes de Belleville (2004) this Canadian songstress now mixes modern electronics with early Delta blues music and her sultry contralto vocals for a powerful, unique sound (think Tom Waits meets Shirley Bassey at the Tomorrowland music festival...)

CLICK HERE FOR SIDE A

[pvdfestival]

An Insider’s Guide to PVDFest Musical Headliners for Saturday, June 3: Side A

On Saturday, June 3, PVDFest 2017 will once again turn the heart of the city into Providence’s biggest free party of the year. Festival Founding Partner FirstWorks will bring in musicians from around the globe and around the corner to converge on Kennedy Plaza with the artists of the Creative Capital for an all-day extravaganza. Here’s a quick introduction to some names you need to know before the party starts...

Chachi Carvalho & Sidy Maiga: International Rebels What do you get when you combine Rhode Island’s favorite hometown rapper, Providence’s own Malian master drummer, and a 16-piece band? A high-energy, percussive, Afro-beat-based dance party!

Las Cafeteras One of the hottest bands in alternative Latin music, Las Cafeteras sounds like what would happen if Mexican folk music and pounding Afro-Caribbean rhythms met on the streets of East Los Angeles.

Bettye LaVette A true legend of blues and soul, Bettye LaVette has a career spanning more than 50 years – but it’s only within the last decade that she has truly earned her recognition as what The Huffington Post called “The High Priestess of R&B.”

CLICK HERE FOR SIDE B

[pvdfestival]

A Voice from On High

#PVDPublicCanvas elevates community conversation at #PVDFest

What do Providence poet Christopher Johnson, Oakland-based vertical dancers BANDALOOP, and the Cranston Street Armory all have in common?

Well, in many ways, both literal and figurative, they are towering presences. But more importantly, each will play a role in the creation of #PVDPublicCanvas, a site-specific performance that will be the centerpiece of PVDFest 2017.

On Friday June 2 and Saturday, June 3, FirstWorks featured performers BANDALOOP will scale the side of a Downtown high-rise for a dazzling display of aerial choreography. This internationally renowned collective has staged innovative activations of public space in locations ranging from the Kennedy Center to the Sierra Nevada mountains to an office tower in Seoul, Korea. They previously performed in Providence at FirstWorks Festival on the Plaza in 2012 (pictured above), delighting crowds as they flipped, twirled, and flew through the air above Kennedy Plaza.

When they return to the Providence skyline this time, BANDALOOP will join forces with a special guest artist: local poet and performer Christopher Johnson. Suffice it to say, Johnson is used to performing with his feet planted more firmly on the ground. “Just like that I was 30 feet in the air, parallel to the ground and hanging on to every instruction [they] gave me,” he recalled in a recent blog post about his trip to Oakland to begin working on #PVDPublicCanvas.

This unique collaboration will provide the show-stopping moment for PVDFest 2017, the one everyone will be talking about the next day. As the dancers of BANDALOOP perform their intricate, graceful choreography, Christopher Johnson will literally walk down the side of a 10-story building while reciting a poem inspired by Providence’s creative communities.

That inspiration will come out of a special community forum hosted by Rhode Island Black Storytellers' Val Tutson and Rudy "Rudacious" Cabrera and featuring Johnson and BANDALOOP founder/artistic director Amelia Rudolph. The RIBS Community Flavors Dinner and Town Hall Discussion on May 10 will gather artists, activists, and community members from all the neighborhoods surrounding the iconic Cranston Street Armory to talk about the past, present, and future of the Armory District. This dovetails with a multi-platform FirstWorks / Providence Dept. of Art Culture + Tourism Armory Animated by Art initiative, and the building itself will provide a backdrop for the PVDFest finale on June 4th. Johnson will use that conversation and the community input that comes from it as the building blocks of the three-minute spoken word poem he will recite during #PVDPublicCanvas – literally elevating the voice of the community high above the city.

This idea of incorporating community discourse into public performance is integral to both the previous work of the participants and the mission of PVDFest. BANDALOOP staged a similar work, titled #SFPublicCanvas, in the group’s native Bay Area last year; and at last year’s PVDFest, Johnson was part of another dance/poetry collaboration, The Freedom Project, with Everett dance company. And FirstWorks is consistently focused on bringing world-class artists into Providence and connecting them with local audiences, students, and collaborators through performances, residencies, workshops, and community forums.

“BANDALOOP is serving as a megaphone to broaden the scale of what’s going on in Providence,” says Johnson. “We’re going to try to erase boundaries, build communities, and use art as a public canvas.”

“Gazing up to music, stunning dance, and now poetry will be an amazing experience for festival-goers,” adds FirstWorks executive artistic director Kathleen Pletcher. “For years people have asked when we are bringing BANDALOOP back and now, with #PVDPublicCanvas, we are able to couple their inspired aerial dance artistry with this moment in time for Providence.”

#PVDPublicCanvas will be performed Friday, June 2 at 8 PM and Saturday, June 3 at 8 and 10 PM at 10 Dorrance Street in Downtown Providence. Visit PVDFest.com for artist and schedule updates.

A limited number of tickets to the May 10 RIBS Community Flavors Dinner and Town Hall will be available by reservation only – CLICK HERE to request a seat at the table.

Photo at top: BANDALOOP performing high above Kennedy Plaza at FirstWorks Festival on the Plaza in 2012 - credit Erin X. Smithers

[pvdfestival]

PVDFest is coming back June 1-4, and this year it won’t just be the streets of Providence that are activated as part of the Creative Capital’s signature celebration – the sky above will be, too! Produced by the City of Providence with Founding Partner FirstWorks, the third annual PVDFest will continue a Creative Capital tradition: a four-day, multi-arts takeover of public spaces, parks, and outdoor spaces featuring artists and performers from around the globe and around the world. But this year, it will also expand to encompass new partners, events and offerings.

Vertical dancers BANDALOOP will transform the side of a Downtown building into a dance floor, and renowned composer Daniel Bernard Roumain will turn the Cranston Street Armory into the backdrop for a massive, musical pop-up parade. The Dean Hotel, the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, and AS220 will continue to program public spaces with art and events, while Maker Faire and the Providence Cultural Equity Initiative’s Global Food Village will join the party for the first time.

Are you even ready for this? There are so many more exciting updates to come between now and June 1, so stay tuned. But in the meantime, start getting yourself into party mode with the above look back at last year’s festival via Steer Films.

[pvdfestival]

PVDFest Highlights for Sunday, June 5: shopping and style, concerts in unexpected places (and how about last night!)

It has been an incredible weekend of PVDFest so far, and we’ve still got another whole day to celebrate. First, we wanted to share with you the above highlight from last night's downtown celebration, when Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars lit up the dancing feet of thousands of revelers at the PVDFest FirstWorks Plaza Stage.

So what’s on the schedule for the final day? We’re glad you asked. Here are some of the key events:

*All festival programming – including times and locations – is subject to change. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for updates and schedule.

The Providence Flea 10am-4pm, Providence River Greenway - Rain or shine! The Providence Flea is a juried, urban market of vintage finds, furniture, art, fashion, upcycled crafts, curiosities, live music, food trucks & more.

Art & Style Stroll 12-5pm, The Arcade (65 Westminster St.) America’s oldest indoor mall hosts a special stroll featuring vintage clothing, art, locally made goods, a weird pop-up art gallery by the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council and much more!

Level Exchange Presents: Eric And The Nothing | Allison & Kevin Guiliano 6pm, Flip Hair Salon (38 Transit St.) $20 | $35 (Ticket to both Level Exchange shows + transportation between venues) Level Exchange welcomes Eric and the Nothing and Allison & Kevin Guiliano to Flip Hair Salon. Ticket price includes a Borealis Coffee and cookies/empanadas from Hola Baked Goods! Level Exchange builds community by connecting local bands, brands and fans to local music experiences hosted in unique spaces.

Level Exchange Presents: Shannon Corey | Katie & Brad Kleyla 2pm, Hatch Entrepreneurial Center (224 Weybosset St.) $12 | $35 (Ticket to both Level Exchange shows + transporation between venues) Level Exchange welcomes Shannon Corey and Katie & Brad Kleyla to Hatch Entrepreneurial Center. Ticket price includes a Granny Squibb’s Iced Tea! Level Exchange builds community by connecting local bands, brands and fans to local music experiences hosted in unique spaces.

Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra 3pm, Providence College Smith Center For The Arts (1 Cunningham Sq.) $15 Adults | $5 Students & Seniors The Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra will present the final concert of their season featuring W.A. Mozart’s brilliant Overture to “The Impresario” and the warm and lyrical Symphony No. 4 by Gustav Mahler.

Plus, you've got another chance to catch highlights from previous days, like Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway at PPAC, Trinity Rep's Oklahoma! and Late Night Catechism, and the Providence Public Library's Portals: The History of the Future exhibition. Also, bars and restaurants Downtown will be participating in the festivities. Find the full list here and contact the restaurants directly for more info.

Video footage courtesy of Erin X. Smithers

[pvdfestival]

Downtown Providence is Officially the Only Place to Be Today Your visitor’s guide to the biggest celebration of the summer

It’s all happening! The big day is finally upon us and PVDFest takes over Downtown with a full day of art, music, food, dance, theatre, parties, spectacles, and a special surprise guest (more on that later). Here’s what you need to know before you head Downtown.

Schedule There’s a full slate of events kicking off at noon with a Marketplace of over 70 artisans and merchants at Grant’s Block and along Westminster Street, and continuing past midnight at the Festival Rink Stage, FirstWorks Plaza Stage, and the One Providence Experience.

Various performance stages and venues activate throughout the day: • Noon: Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage (63 Snow St.), ACT Stage (78 Washington St.), Burnside Park (Kennedy Plaza), Grant’s Block (Union and Westminster Streets), and The Dean Hotel parking lot (149 Washington St.) • 12:30pm: Providence Public Library (150 Empire St.) • 2pm: Mathewson Street Stage (between Mathewson and Clemence Streets) • 3:30pm: Festival Rink Stage (Alex and Ani City Center) • 3:30pm: FirstWorks Plaza Stage (Kennedy Plaza at Exchange St.) • 6pm: One Providence Experience (35 Weybosset St.)

The Procession departs from 444 Washington Street at 4:30pm, with check-ins beginning at 3:30pm. It will end at the FirstWorks Plaza Stage at approximately 5pm.

Check pvdfest.com for the full schedule and most updated information.

Headline Performances from FirstWorks and One Providence Experience • Close-Act Theatre: Street theater featuring 18-foot tall dinosaurs. Kennedy Plaza, 5:30pm, 7:15pm, 9:15pm • Rocky Dawuni: Grammy-nominated reggae artist from Ghana. FirstWorks Plaza Stage, 5:45pm • Chachi Carvalho: Rhode Island’s own hip-hop hero. FirstWorks Plaza Stage, 7:30pm • Red Baraat: India-by-way-of-Brooklyn “Bhangra funk” band. Festival Rink Stage, 8pm • Afro-Cuban All Stars: Legendary Cuban jazz orchestra. FirstWorks Plaza Stage, 9pm • Newpoli: Traditional southern Italian folk with modern flair. Grant’s Block, 9:15pm • Plena Libre: traditional Puerto Rican rhythms with modern Afro-Caribbean influences. Festival Rink Stage, 9:30pm • Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens: Poweful soul/gospel combo from Brooklyn’s Daptone Records. One Providence Experience, 9:45pm • What Cheer? Brigade: Providence’ favorite punk rock marching band. One Providence Experience, 10:40pm • Arc Iris: Critically acclaimed Providence indie folk-rockers. Grant’s Block, 10:45pm • Lakou Mizik: Multi-generational band representing the past, present, and future of Haitian music. Festival Rink Stage, 11pm • Screaming Females: Hard-rocking indie trio with DIY aesthetic. One Providence Experience, 11pm • Sidy Maiga and Afrimanding: Rhode Island’s own master drummer with his band. FirstWorks Plaza Stage, 11pm

SURPRISE! To cap Saturday evening, Sidy Maiga & AfriManding will be joined by a special guest, Grammy Award winner Oumou Sangaré. Mali’s great diva is renowned for her spellbinding vocals and powerful songs that strike deep in the heart. Known as “Sangaré the Songbird,” she carries on a Malian vocal tradition that, when combined with Maiga’s passionate drumming, will evoke the spirit of Africa and amaze the crowd.

Parking Washington Street and Kennedy Plaza will be closed to traffic, but a number of parking garages that will remain accessible. Check out the Park Downtown Providence website for more information. Check pvdfest.com for street closures.

Public Transportation RIPTA will run its normal Saturday schedule; however, bus stops will temporarily be relocated away from Kennedy Plaza. Check ripta.com for more information.

Food There will be 18 food trucks positioned in four groups throughout the festival grounds, including the Washington Street corridor and Kennedy Plaza, from noon to midnight. Most food trucks accept credit cards, but we cannot guarantee that all will. Find food truck maps here.

Alcohol There will be six bars throughout the festival serving anyone 21+ with a valid photo ID.

Children Kids are welcome at the festival and there will be a wide variety of family friendly programming. Check out our blog post on family fun for some highlights.

What to Expect …To be amazed. We couldn’t even begin to do justice to all the sights, sounds, and spectacles this festival will encompass in a single blog post – or even several. However, we have tried to provide you handy, themed guides to some of the highlights over the past few weeks. Here are some of the previous posts you might have missed: Meet the Global Stars of PVDFest Get to Know the Local Talents Your PVDFest Family Fun Checklist Get into Party Mode at PVDFest Art for Everyone

Now stop reading, gather your family and friends, put on your dancing shoes, and get Downtown!

[pvdfestival]

PVDFest Day 2 Highlights: Summer music, walking tours and white wings

PVDFest weekend is finally here. Tomorrow is the main event, but there’s plenty to see, do, and experience today – starting with Close-Act Theatre's Saurus and White Wings spectacle in Kennedy Plaza (12pm rehearsal/2pm performance). Read on for tonight's roundup:

*Festival programming – including event locations and times – is subject to change. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for the most current schedules and visitor info.

MUSIC WBRU Summer Concert Series 7pm, The Festival Rink Stage at the Alex and Ani City Center Free Kick off another great summer of free concerts from WBRU and the City of Providence. The first installment of 2016 features Brit rockers The Heavy, indie darlings Ra Ra Riot, and local favorites VulGarrity.

ART Art Tour: Meet the Creative Mile 4:45pm, City Hall Free Take a guided tour of 10 art installations in the I-195 Redevelopment District.

INFLUX Art Walk 5:30pm, Biltmore Park Free Take a stroll with the Avenue Concept to explore the public art pieces they’ve installed Downtown. Also, get a sneak preview of FirstWorks featured artists Close-Act Theatre's White Wings (pictured above) and Saurus creatures as they kick off the tour with a procession accompanied by drummer Sidy Maiga.

Art Tour & Salon: Mary Beth Meehan 5:30pm, Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage Free As part of last year’s festival, eight large-scale prints of photographer Mary Beth Meehan’s Providence portrait project Seen/Unseen were displayed on buildings downtown. Join her for a salon-style artist’s talk hosted by the Athenaeum and guided walking tour of her work.

The City’s Ephemeral Gestures 4pm-midnight, Grant’s Block Free Experience an outdoor multimedia installation by design collective Pneuhaus, a trio of animated films by Dennis Hlynsky, and videos by Ziyang Wu and Annie German, all curated [Providence Implantations].

ETC Food Trucks at City Hall 5-8pm, Eddy and Fulton Streets $

Block parties at Union Street, Mathewson Street, and Adrian Hall Way 5pm Free

Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway 7:30pm, Providence Performing Arts Center $ - Tickets required This hilarious musical comedy follows the story of a young playwright who gets mixed up with the mob to finance his next show.

Oklahoma! and Late Night Catechism 7:30pm, Trinity Rep Tickets required Trinity Rep presents the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical along with an interactive comedy show about the days of Latin mass, meatless Fridays, and rulers across the knuckles.

[pvdfestival]

PVDFest Day 1 News & Notes: Tonight’s highlights, artist talks, and only two more days until the big event

PVDFest begins The weekend starts early with the official PVDFest Opening Night Party this evening at the Providence G. Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the long-term sustainability of PVDFest. Check out video above for a behind the scenes look at AS220’s Mural Arts Artist John Bhogal painting one of 14 one-of-a-kind, Providence-themed tablecloth murals that will be available for purchase at the event. Also today, artists Keri King and Grace Ludmer will launch art installations that continue through the weekend.

Meet the Artists Both Friday and Saturday offer the chance to get up close with a PVDFest performer or artist, and learn a bit more about what drives their creativity.

Friday is about visual art: photographer Mary Beth Meehan hosts a walking tour of her eight large-scale portraits that adorn buildings Downtown. The tour runs from 5:30-6:30pm, after which there will be a salon-style discussion of her work and its impact co-presented by The Providence Athenaeum and Rhode Island Council for the Humanities in the Coastway Community Bank lot (63 Snow St.).

Go behind the music on Saturday with Afro-Cuban All Stars bandleader Juan de Marcos González hosted by FirstWorks at AS220’s Main Stage (115 Empire St.). He will host an informal Q&A with FirstWorks Arts Learning students from Providence's Central High School and around the state from 12:45-1:30pm. A limited number seats are available to the public; contact Kathleen McAreavey at FirstWorks to register: kathleenm[at]first-works[dot]org. More info here

Get Ready for PVDFest Weekend The festivities ramp up tomorrow night with art tours, food trucks at City Hall, and the first installment of the WBRU Summer Concert Series on the Festival Rink Stage at the Alex and Ani City Center from 7-11pm. Things really explode on Saturday as PVDFest takes over Downtown for an epic celebration. Be sure to check back to this blog tomorrow and Saturday so we can prep you with upcoming highlights and all the info you need to have great festival experience.

In the meantime, find the latest participating artists list, schedule, and food truck line-up at PVDFest.com

Also, be sure to like PVDFest on Facebook and follow on Twitter. Post your photos, videos, and check-ins all weekend long using the hashtag #PVDFest.

Get ready for the biggest weekend in Providence.

[pvdfestival]

Festival Countdown: 4 days to the big event Art for Everybody

PVDFest will transform Downtown in many ways: the city will become a festival ground, performance space, and block party all at once. But perhaps no transformation is more distinctly Providence than the artistic one, as our city center becomes a giant, free outdoor art gallery. With over 500 artists participating, we can’t possibly take you through all the sights and sounds, but here is a day-by-day guide to some of your best opportunities to see, experience, interact with, or learn about local creativity.

*Festival programming – including locations and times – is subject to change. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for updates, maps, schedules, and exact locations of installations and tours.

Thursday, June 2 The festival opens will two local artists creating installations-in-progress. Providence artist Keri King will present Spectacles & Spectators behind 66 Fountain Street, a 2-D mural project that will playfully invite viewers to consider their dynamic relationships with the visual art, performances, and architecture. Grace Ludmer will create duct tape murals around Downtown, meant to inspire self-love and joy in those who pass by.

Friday, June 3 The Providence Public Library’s Portals: The History of the Future will be open for viewing during the day. This exhibit uses imaginative visions of futures that never came to pass, illustrations of fantastical contraptions, and other artifacts to examine the way people of the past looked into the future.

In the evening, [Providence Implantations] (formerly the Providence Biennial of Contemporary Art) takes over Grant’s Block with The City’s Ephemeral Gestures, an outdoor multimedia installation. This immersive pavilion by design collective Pneuhaus will be constructed from countless inflated balls, dramatically lit in red, blue and, green, and be accompanied by a trio of animated films by Dennis Hlynsky, and videos by Ziyang Wu and Annie German running from dusk-midnight.

If you want to learn a bit about the creative process, there will be three guided walking tours Friday evening. Meeting at City Hall at 4:45pm, The Creative Mile walking tour will showcase 10 art installations in the I-195 Redevelopment District. Photographer Mary Beth Meehan will host a walking tour of eight large-scale prints drawn from her portrait series, Seen/Unseen Providence, which were installed around Downtown as part of last year’s festival. That tour kicks off with a 5pm artist reception at the Coastway Stage at 63 Snow Street, commences at 5:30, and is followed by a Salon conversation at 6:30pm. Finally, The Avenue Concept presents the INFLUX Art Walk, a guided look at the various sculptures and murals this nonprofit public art program has installed Downtown over the past year. That event begins at Biltmore Park at 5:30pm with a procession led by Close-Act Theatre’s White Wings and Saurus creatures, accompanied by drummer Sidy Maiga.

King and Ludmer’s installations will continue from the previous night, along with live spraypainting of PVD-inspired designs by artists from Overspray Studios at Adrian Hall Way.

Saturday, June 4 We can’t even begin to tell you about all the creativity that will be exploding around the city all day and night as hundreds of artists take to the streets with performances, art installations, interactive exhibits, pop-ups and more.

The Washington Street corridor from the Providence Public Library to Kennedy Plaza will be closed to traffic and filled with creativity in motion. At the AC+T Stage (78 Washington St.), Artists Alex Braunstein and Kristin Moe will create a space for public narratives called StoryCityPVD, where participants can pause, have intimate and unplanned interactions with strangers, and map their personal stories. At the corner of Washington and Beverly Streets, The Steel Yard will demonstrate blacksmithing using a mobile, 100-year-old coal forge. The Friends of Adrian Hall will host an informal skateboarding contest followed by a skateboard-themed film festival. Mid-Ocean Studios will create An Eclipse of Moths, displaying vibrantly colored, light-reflective moths on the historic Arnold Building at the corner of Washington and Mathewson streets. That’s just a sampling.

Take a stroll around Washington and Empire Streets to explore the AS220 Window Project. The windows of AS220’s Mercantile, Dreyfus, and Empire Street Complex buildings will serve as clear canvases for their resident artists, who will create pieces that reflect the medium usually produced in each respective studio. Live performance, video projections, and choreography are just a sampling of what to expect. You can also visit AS220 Industries for an Open House of their print shop, labs, and media arts studios.

The Dean Hotel, which we mentioned in yesterday’s post on block parties, will activate its parking lot with photography by Terry Manning, art installations by Kelly Knapp, and interactive stations by AS220.

Over at The Arcade, America’s oldest indoor shopping mall will host an Art and Style Stroll featuring “sidewalk” sales, lots of cool vintage stuff, and pop-up art exhibits. Wildlife photographer Peter Green will display Providence Raptors, his images of the birds of prey that call Downtown home, and the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council presents Love and Monsters, featuring paintings, prints, and sculpture inspired by Providence’s beloved master of horror.

Sunday, June 5 If you missed it on Friday (or Saturday), you’ll have another chance to check out the Providence Public Library’s exhibit Portals: The History of the Future.

There will be art everywhere, and for everyone, all weekend long. Get out and enjoy everything that makes our city the Creative Capital.

Photos (L-R): Mary Beth Meehan's "Seen/Unseen Providence," "Wheels with Wings" from the Avenue Concept's INFLUX, and "The Motorcar of the Future" from the Providence Public Library's Portals exhibit.

[pvdfestival]

Festival Countdown: 5 days until the big event Get into party mode at PVDFest

PVDFest culminates on Saturday, June 4 with the biggest and best free celebration Downtown has ever seen. The heart of the action will be Greater Kennedy Plaza, where FirstWorks headliners like Haiti’s Lakou Mizik, festival veterans Red Baraat, and Rhode Island’s own Sidy Maiga will take the stage, but the festival covers so much more ground. There’s lots of fun to be had around the fringes as block parties, satellite events, and mini-music festivals pop up all around Downtown. Here are some of the highlights:

*Festival programming – including performer locations and times – is subject to change. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for updates, maps and schedules.

The One Providence Experience Returns Last year the folks behind the Columbus Theatre revival breathed new life into another historic Providence space by turning the façade of the former Providence National Bank (aka “The Ruins” at 35 Weybosset St.) into the backdrop for a unique festival-within-a-festival. The One Providence Experience returns this year with a jam-packed line-up including local heroes (What Cheer? Brigade, Last Good Tooth), national touring bands (Screaming Females, Rough Francis), and special performances inspired by the ruins (The Low Anthem, Black Pus). The free Experience kicks off at 6pm, ends with an after-midnight dance party by Music Please, and features celebratory toasts between bands.

Get a Taste of Downtown on Opening Night The weekend officially begins on Thursday night with a special kick-off event. Several of Downtown’s best restaurants will converge at the Providence G ballroom with special plates for this PVDFest fundraiser and exclusive VIP rooftop pre-party. With live performances by Doppelganger Dance Collective and Becky Bass Band, plus works by some of Providence's premiere fine artists for sale, it’s your chance top get a head start on the festival and help ensure its future. Get your tickets while they last!.

Rocking the Block One of Downtown’s most popular outdoor spaces, Grant’s Block (corner of Westminster and Union Streets) will activate for this year’s festival, with a full day of art, music, poetry, dance, and more. First, on Friday night [Providence Implantations] (formerly The Providence Biennial of Contemporary Art) takes over with an immersive multimedia pavilion and interactive installation, accompanied by a trio of animated films. Saturday features a diverse array of programming, including the Providence Poetry Slam hosting a regional competition with teams from around New England; breakdancing by Project 401; performances and films by students from the Trinity Academy of the Performing Arts; and DJ dance parties. Stick around after nightfall for headline performances by Newpoli, an eight-piece world beat outfit playing sounds from the south of Italy, and local luminaries Arc Iris, a critically acclaimed folk-rock band with an experimental edge and stage show surprises.

See. Make. Do. at The Dean Providence’s hippest hotel, The Dean, will turn its parking lot into a tribute to the creative muses in the form of art, music, food, drink, crafts, and all manner of cool stuff. AS220 will curate interactive art displays. The Boombox will set up an outdoor tiki bar and Faust will host a biergarten for summer sipping. The soon-to-open Shelter Arcade bar will do a pop-up with video games and pinball machines. And local DJs will create a dance party vibe for 12 full hours from noon to midnight.

AS220 Gets Evil If you prefer dark and foreboding to fun and festive, AS220 has just the thing for you. They’re pairing up with Armageddon Shop for a “metal show for the ones who prefer to sway in the dark side” at the 115 Empire Street stage. Doomriders, Churchburn, and Queen Elephantine will blow minds and melt faces starting at 9pm. Despite all the doom and gloom, they’re keeping with the spirit of PVDFest in one very important way: the show is free.

WBRU Summer Kick-off A new season of the free WBRU Summer Concert Series kicks off on Friday night at the Festival Rink Stage at the Alex and Ani City Center. Local brother-sister rock duo VulGarrity opens the show, followed by indie rockers Ra Ra Riot, and buzzy, funky Brit rockers The Heavy.

Block Parties, Block Parties, Block Parties Throughout the weekend, local DJs and party people will take over a variety of Downtown spaces for free outdoor block parties; check Union Street, Mathewson Street, and Adrian Hall Way on Friday night. The parties continue on Saturday at all three locations, as well as participating bars and restaurants around the festival footprint. Meanwhile, DJ collective Stay Silent PVD hosts two parties: Fair Trade is a celebration of hip-hop and its impact on pop culture at the Mathewson Street Stage, with DJs exploring different themes and artist discographies through their playlists from 2-10pm. At 10pm they’ll transition over to Aurora for Homegrown, a showcase of upcoming local hip-hop acts featuring Big Leano, Hil Holla, Khary, and OG Swaggerdrick.

PVDFest is taking over Downtown Providence in a very big way. Be sure to wander and all weekend because there will be fun and excitement around every corner.

Photo credit (top): Last year's One Providence Experience. Photo by Christian Scully.

[pvdfestival]

Your PVDFest Family Fun Checklist There’s plenty for the kiddos at the Creative Capital’s signature celebration June 4

With PVDFest quickly approaching (only 6 days away from the kickoff events on June 2!), you may find yourself thinking, I really want to go to the big, free celebration in Downtown Providence on Saturday, but what am I going to do with the kids?

The answer is easy: bring them. There will be plenty of family-friendly fun to keep festival-goers of all ages entertained (while mom and dad enjoy an adult beverage from one of six bars).

We know how much goes into planning your day when the kids are in tow, so we’ve devised this simple family fun checklist for you. As you can see, we’ve covered all the bases that any kid could want.

*All festival programming—including performers, locations and times—is subject to change. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for updates, maps and schedules.

Play ✓ No family fun day is complete without a chance for the little ones to get active and engaged. The Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy has a whole day of fun and festivities planned at Burnside Park in Kennedy Plaza. Miss Katie from playSCIENCE will show kids how to make their own “up-cycled” musical instruments and lead a parade around the park. Master drummer Sidy Maiga (who will close out the FirstWorks Plaza Stage later that night) will lead an all-ages open drum circle. The Imagination Playground will be open so kids can play and build with Big Blue Blocks. The Imagination Play Project will invite people of all ages to create interactive sculptures using found objects and colorful sculptural materials. Performers Ricky Rainbow Beard and Dr. Sound will host a celebration of color, sound, play, and outfits, along with an interactive family activity featuring a visual digital sound booth. And down along the Washington Street corridor, AS220 Industries will demonstrate “The Giant Spirograph” along with interactive children’s programming.

Dance ✓ What’s a party without dancing? In addition to enough live music to keep everyone moving all day long, PVDFest will include a number of dance performances and workshops that kids will love. Down at Burnside Park, the RI Kung Fu Club will perform a traditional Chinese lion dance to cultivate positive energy and ward off the negative. Eleanor Borge of Ocean State Soul will teach line-dancing to get everyone from novices to experienced dancers stepping. Napua O’Polynesia will bring some Pacific flair to the festival with their Polynesian dance routines. Meanwhile, over at Grant’s Block, Project 401/Case Closed will show off some head-spinning breakdance moves.

Other Kids ✓ Kids won’t just be in the audience at PVDFest – they’ll be showcasing their talents up on stage, too. See the next generation of Rhode Island jazz as the RI Philharmonic Music School’s Paul Murphy Touring Ensemble takes the Festival Rink Stage. Some of the best high school talents from around the state will perform a mix of contemporary jazz and originals.

Trinity Academy of the Performing Arts (TAPA) will pop up in several places throughout the festival. They’ll team up with students from the JMW School for the Performing & Visual Arts on the Festival Rink Stage for student dance performances. TAPA’s music program will show their stuff at Grant’s Block, where they’ll also be screening student films. The TAPA musical ensemble will also collaborate with internationally renowned performer/composer Daniel Bernard Roumain for his acclaimed "Redemption Songs" program at the Festival Rink Stage. These flourishing young students are participants in the FirstWorks Arts Learning program. This initiative by the PVDFest Founding Creative Partner brings world-class artists into Rhode Island schools to help students experience the arts, develop broader world-perspective, better collaboration skills, and an expanded vision for their futures.

Girls Rock! RI, a nonprofit music camp for women and girls, will rock out at Burnside Park for a Camper Spotlight, featuring performances by alumni from their music education program.

Stories ✓ Everybody loves a good story, whether it’s on a page, spoken aloud, or just in our imaginations. PVDFest offers all kinds of stories to captivate the kids. At Burnside Park, the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy’s Open Air Reading Room will feature five years of books from KidoInfo Storytime for those who’d rather curl up with a book than dance in the streets. They’ll also be opening up their Story Rooms, allowing kids to step into life-sized recreations of pages from Where the Wild Things Are, Goodnight Moon, and Oh, The Places You'll Go! Acclaimed local storytellers/performers Valerie Tutson and Sylvia Ann Soares will be on hand to tell tales and sing songs reflecting Rhode Island’s multicultural traditions. The Association of Rhode Island Writers will bring together local authors to share poetry, prose, and kids’ stories. And Elizabeth Keiser will host Family Fairy Tale Theater, where fairy tales are told from different angles and have surprise endings.

Puppets ✓ The fantastical creatures of our imaginations (or ancient history) will come to life on the streets of Providence. The Big Nazo Intergalactic Creature Band will create an “extraterrestrial creature spectacle/space-funk dance party” at the AC+T Stage, featuring appearances by alien go-go dancers, rowdy robots and a cast of bizarre and unusual beings. Those who prefer to create rather than spectate can head over to Burnside Park for a puppet-making workshop with Mark Koher. Of course, the can’t-miss puppets of the whole festival will be Close-Act Theatre’s “Saurus” – and we mean that you literally can’t miss is them, as three 18-foot dinosaurs will be roaming Kennedy Plaza in search of food. But don’t worry, these dinosaurs are vegetarians.

Parade ✓ The Procession is your turn to be a part of the celebration as PVDFest culminates with a parade through the heart of Downtown. Community groups, cultural organizations, artists, performers, dancers, neighbors and you are invited to help us showcase our PVD Pride with music, dance, floats, and all kinds of carnival flair.

Activities for Teens ✓ Kids who are too old (or too cool) to hang out with mom and dad will find plenty to keep them occupied throughout the festival. The Dean Hotel will host an all-day outdoor party in their parking lot featuring music, food, and interactive pop-up installations from Shelter Arcade Bar and AS220 Industries. Over at Adrian Hall Way (next to Trinity Rep), there will be outdoor screenings of skateboarding films. And all along the Washington Street corridor there will be interactive art installations, pop-up theater performances, and DJ dance parties to explore.

Phew… That’s a lot of options for a fun Saturday. Of course, there will be plenty of amenities to get you through the day, too: dozens of food trucks, info booths, restrooms, first aid tents, and everything you might need for a family outing. See you at the festival.

[pvdfestival]

Putting the #PVD in #PVDFest Get to know the local talents who will take the stage at the Creative Capital’s signature celebration PVDFest is about bringing the world to Providence, in the form of a global roster of performers, but it’s also about bringing the Creative Capital to the world, as many of the brightest local talents share the stage alongside those international acts. It’s an opportunity to showcase and celebrate all the local creativity that makes this city a vibrant arts hub all year round.

With 13 stages and over 500 artists, you might be overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of what PVDFest offers. Never fear, as we’re always here to help you get ready for the party. Here is your bite-sized sampler of just some of the local luminaries ready to rock the city. Be sure to check pvdfest.com for an updated list of performers and schedule.

Chachi Carvalho (pictured above right) Who he is: One of the most prolific and enduring artists on the local hip-hop scene. What he sounds like: Classic hip-hop with a live band and a positive, working class hero vibe. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the FirstWorks Plaza Stage*

Sidy Maiga & AfriManding Who he is: Malian born master drummer and former RISCA Folk Arts Fellow. What he sounds like: The best of West African percussion traditions with the modern rhythms of the Caribbean and hip-hop. Think complex, polyrhythmic dance grooves. WATCH Where and when: Saturday at the FirstWorks Plaza Stage*

VulGarrity Who they are: Multi-instrumentalist brother/sister duo with a flair for horror movie-inspired theatrics and dark sense of humor. What they sound like: DIY rock with lots of foot-stomping beats, fuzzed-out guitars, and layers of sound created by loop pedals and samplers. LISTEN Where and when: Friday at the WBRU Summer Concert Series Kick-off at the Festival Rink Stage*

Last Good Tooth Who they are: Blues and rhythm & blues revivalists with one foot in Providence and another in NYC. What they sound like: Classic Americana that colors outside the lines. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the One Providence Experience*

Arc Iris (pictured above left) Who they are: Critically acclaimed folk rockers led by fearlessly engaging frontwoman Jocie Adams (formerly of the Low Anthem). What they sound like: Classic folk-rock in the Joni Mitchel/’70s era Dylan vein, but with a restlessly experimental side. WATCH Where and when: Saturday at Grant’s Block*

Fair Trade/Stay Silent PVD Who they are: Stay Silent PVD is a DJ collective that hosts unique events like daytime dance parties and themed brunches set to curated soundtracks. What they sound like: Fair Trade is a daylong celebration of DJs and hip-hop’s influence on music curated by Stay Silent PVD and Trade Pop-Up. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the Mathewson Street Stage*

Math the Band Who they are: Synth-punk duo that has expanded into a six-piece band. What they sound like: Not math, fortunately. Think more along the lines of analog synths, vintage drum machines, grungy guitars, and a dash of video game sounds. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage*

Black Pus Who “they” are: One-man band of Lightning Bolt’s Brian Chippendale, who recently placed #91 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time.” What “they” sound like: An unholy polyrhythmic racket of pounding drums, distorted vocals, and noise squalls. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the One Providence Experience*

Grupo Afincao (pictured above center) Who they are: Eight-member ensemble led by Latin music veterans Gabriel “El Cantante” (“The Singer”) and George “El Productor” (“The Producer”). What they sound like: Modern merengue for a new generation. Where and when: Saturday at the Festival Rink Stage*

Kayciblu Who she is: Thirteen-year-old hip-hop wunderkind. What she sounds like: Club bangers for people who are too young to get into clubs. WATCH Where and when: TBA*

What Cheer? Brigade Who they are: Raucous 19-piece brass band. What they sound like: A classic marching band with a punk rock edge. WATCH Where and when: Saturday at the One Providence Experience*

Doppelgänger Dance Collective Who they are: Dancers Shura Baryshnikov and Danielle Davidson teamed up to present original, contemporary choreographic works for duet performances. What they look like: Two agile, flexible bodies in fluid motion and perfect synch orbiting around each other. WATCH Where and when: Saturday at the Festival Rink Stage*

Medusah Black Who she is: Hip-hop renaissance woman who raps, dances, educates, and works as a studio engineer. What she sounds like: Raw, aggressive hip-hop that’s also smart and poetic. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage*

Queen Elephantine Who they are: Shape-shifting avant-garde rock collective. What they sound like: Experimental psychedelia equally influenced by Sonic Youth and Sun Ra. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at AS220*

Salsa y Gaitas Who they are: Twelve-member band playing a multicultural blend of music from around the Caribbean and Latin America. What they sound like: An eclectic mix of salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, and gaita. Where and when: Saturday at the FirstWorks Plaza Stage*

Eastern Medicine Singers Who they are: Algonquin drum group dedicated to keeping the eastern woodlands Native American culture alive. What they sound like: An elemental experience of traditional rhythms and chants. WATCH Where and when: TBA*

Triangle Forest Who they are: Synth rockers and former WBRU Rock Hunt winners. What they sound like: An un-ironic ‘80s dance party with great hooks and infectious melodies. LISTEN Where and when: Saturday at the Coastway Community Bank Cultural Stage*

Extraordinary Rendition Band Who they are: A sprawling, democratically organized collection of over 30 street musicians decked out in their signature “red, white, and shiny.” What they sound like: A mix of New Orleans jazz, European klezmer, Spanish revolutionary songs, and good, old fashioned funk parading through the streets. WATCH Where and when: Saturday in the streets.*

*All information subject to change. Check pvdfest.com for updates and complete schedules.