With each week just a bit warmer than the last, the days stretching longer, the birds chirping and one million daffodils blooming, The Classic Coast has fully embraced the triumphant arrival of spring. The season of awakening brings a host of experiences to the events calendar:
Newport Daffodil Days Festival, through April 21: Celebrates the over one million daffodils planted in the city over the past 12 years. Enjoy trolley tours, music and dance events, a classic car parade, a private garden tour, garden parties and more. newportdaffydays.com
John James Audubon: Obsession Untamed at the galleries at Rosecliff: The Preservation Society of Newport County's new exhibition features more 20 masterpieces created by naturalist John James Audubon and his life’s work as “portraitist of all the birds of America.” The exhibit parlays seamlessly with June’s Newport Flower Show theme, Audubon Artistic Adventures. On display through Nov. 3. newportmansions.org
Gourmet Peanut Butter Jelly & Wine Pop-Up Lounge, through May 19: The Terrace at The Chanler hosts this seasonal pop-up lounge dedicated to classic American PB&J sandwich and featuring five savory selections with pairings from their award-winning wine list. thechanler.com/dining/special-events
Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch at Rosecliff, April 20: The Easter Bunny will charm children as they search for candy-filled eggs on the mansion’s oceanfront lawn. Immediately following, enjoy brunch in Rosecliff’s legendary ballroom. newportmansions.org/events
Rough Point has opened for the season with its new exhibit, Beyond Fortune: The Life & Legacy of Doris Duke. See historical documents, photographs, fashion and fine arts while taking a closer look at Doris’s interests, complexities and eccentricities to see beyond the myth and legend often associated with her life. Rough Point will also host unique programming this season including a closet tour of Miss Duke’s fashions, Rosé with the Roses in the manicured gardens, jazz on the lawn and more. Exhibit open through Nov. 17. newportrestoration.org/roughpoint
Blithewold: The Gateway to Spring, April & May: The season unfurls with Blithewold Mansion, Museum & Arboretum’s well-known daffodil display which blankets this 33-acre seaside estate with more than 50,000 blooms. blithewold.org
Spring Lecture, Book Club, Garden Walk and more: A lecture on interior design by one of the world's most respected and influential decorators, a closer look at Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, a colloquium for students and young professionals in the fields of decorative arts and historic preservation and a walk with the chief horticulturist at Green Animals Topiary Garden are just some of the springtime events organized by the Preservation Society of Newport County. newportmansions.org/learn/adult-programs
Newport Art Museum’s Spring Exhibitions, starting April 27: Three new shows open at the galleries this season including Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney: Sculpture, showcasing an assortment of work from private collections dating back to some of her earliest pieces (opens April 19), Jodie Mim Goodnough: Biophilia, which brings together multiple works expressing the effect of the environment on mental health, and Avant Gardens, a variety of works by contemporary artists whose themes are linked to nature. newportartmuseum.org
Newport Craft Beer Festival, April 27: Sample craft beers from 35 area breweries and converse with the folks who make them. Restaurants from downtown Newport will serve up local fare and live music will get the joint jumping. newportcraftbeer.com
Opening Day at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, April 28: Celebrate opening day with free museum admission, family activities, new exhibits, guided tours, arts and crafts and educational activities. herreshoff.org/events
Cars & Coffee, starts May 4: Audrain Automobile Museum’s popular program returns select Saturday mornings at spectacular locations including the Newport Mansions, Fort Adams State Park and Salve Regina University. Start your day with a cup of joe while taking in (or showing your own) classic car. audrainautomuseum.org/cars-coffee-2019
Shakespeare in the Barn at Mount Hope Farm, May 4-5: See Romeo & Juliet performed by one of the area’s longest running Shakespeare companies via modern costumes, simple scenery and topical references for the whole family to enjoy at this historic venue. mounthopefarm.org
17th Annual Spring Festival Weekend at Newport Vineyards, May 4-5: Two days of grape stomping, wine tasting, beer tasting with Taproot Brewing Co., from-scratch food, potato sack races and live music. newportvineyards.com/events
Rail Explorers, beginning May 11: “Ride the rails” on pedal powered bike/vehicle hybrids which ride on railroad tracks along Narragansett Bay! All explorers leave at the same time with guides in the lead and last position. Enjoy the freedom of the outdoors at your own pace. Easy to ride and fun for all ages. railexplorers.net/book/rhode-island
4th Annual Bowen’s Wharf Newport Waterfront Oyster Festival, May 17-19: Taste your way around Rhode Island with oysters from more than 45 local oyster farms. Growers will be shucking alongside local restaurants and vendors serving up dishes from land and sea. bowenswharf.com/events
Newport Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival, May 18: This new family friendly event organized by the Food Truck Festivals of American unfolds at Fort Adams State Park with dozens of regional craft breweries in addition to 30 food trucks with a diverse spectrum of cuisine. foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com/newport-ri
Newport Pride Weekend, May 31-June 2: NewportOUT, an organization promoting Newport as a travel destination to the LGBT+ community, has organized a weekend of events including yoga on the beach at sunset, an afternoon sail on Narragansett bay, a Pride Party, Pride Ride, and an Equality Fest. newportout.com
International Polo Series, begins June 1: The 2019 season’s 18-week run will be highlighted with team debuts, venue upgrades, special engagements, après polo events and robust polo action from start to finish. nptpolo.com
The 2019 British Motorcar Festival, June 7-8: Begins with an evening road tour featuring vintage British motorcars, followed by a street party in downtown Bristol and festive weekend including a Concours d’Elegance, British Car Corral, marketplace, the arrival of “the Queen” marked with a cannon salute as well as a ladies hat competition, British attire competition and more at Colt State Park. britishmotorcarfestival.com
2019 Secret Garden Tour, June 14-16: Take a self-guided walking tour through Newport’s historic Point section and explore the private gardens of homes in this charming, centuries-old neighborhood. secretgardentours.org
ABOUT DISCOVER NEWPORT
Discover Newport is the official destination management organization (DMO) dedicated to promoting the City of Newport and the eight surrounding coastal townships in Newport and Bristol counties, Rhode Island. These include Barrington, Bristol, Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton and Warren. As a non-profit organization, Discover Newport partners with stakeholders throughout our tourism and hospitality industry to market the region as a premier destination for business and leisure travel. DiscoverNewport.org
