There’s always a lot happening in the Blackstone Valley. Below is a list of upcoming events and things to know in the region.
Panera delivery
LINCOLN – If you use services Doordash, Grubhub and Uber Eats to get food delivered from local restaurants, now you can get Panera.
The company announced that in addition to being able to order from Panera’s own app and website, consumers will now be able to use all three apps to order Panera for lunch or dinner.
Howley Bread Group, a Panera Bread Franchisee, offers delivery at 15 local cafes across Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including nearby Lincoln.
Autumnfest buttons, bands
WOONSOCKET – Autumnfest buttons – which serve as fundraiser for the popular Columbus Day weekend event, as both a souvenir and a raffle ticket – are now on sale. Buttons cost $1 and the Grand Prize is a trip for two to Orlando, Florida that includes air fare or train fare and hotel accommodations for 4 days and 3 nights. The Grand Prize is donated by WNRI Radio. First prize is $300; second prize is $200 and third prize is $100.
Organizers have also announced headline bands for the popular festival. Gypsy, celebrating the music of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, will be the headline act at Autumnfest on Saturday Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 13, America’s Premier Jimmy Buffet Tribute Show – Changes In Latitudes will take the Autumnfest stage at 7:30 p.m.
Register a scarecrow
GLOCESTER – Registration is now open for the Glocester Scarecrow Festival, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19. The event, which was first held in 2017, will take place on Main Street in the Village of Chepachet. Scarecrows will remain in place until November 3. Over 60 scarecrows lined the Village of Chepachet last year.
Register your scarecrow now by downloading the form here.
Wildlife outreach
The Department of Environmental Management has announced that registrations are full for its Wildlife Outreach Program for the upcoming school year. More than 100 school programs will be presented throughout Rhode Island during the 2019-2020 school year. Sponsored by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, the program offers a wide range of interactive, one-hour programs that introduce students to the state’s wildlife resources and increase awareness of environmental conservation.
The K-8 classroom programs cover a variety of topics that connect students to what is happening in nature outside their window during each session. Provided with grade-appropriate information, students participate in fun, educational activities related to the history of wildlife management, current conservation projects, and Rhode Island’s diverse wildlife. Program topics correspond with the seasons, with different offerings in the fall, winter, and spring. Topics covered during the fall session include bobcats, bats, beavers, wildlife habitat, deer, and turkeys. Winter topics include coyotes, furbearers, deer, New England cottontail rabbits, vernal pools, and winter waterfowl. In spring, programs will be offered on bears, snakes, birds, pollinators, vernal pools, timberdoodles, and turtles. An in-depth classroom session, “Wildlife Management 101,” is offered for high school environmental science and biology classes. Students will take away information about local conservation and gain insight into what it’s like to work in the field of wildlife conservation.
In addition to the classroom programs, field trips to state parks and wildlife management areas are offered for grades 4-12; buses and a preliminary classroom visit are included with all field trips. For students in grades K-3, DEM instructors use local parks or the school yard to create outdoor learning experiences. Registration is available for field trips, although spaces are filling up quickly. To sign up for a field trip, contact Mary Gannon, Wildlife Outreach Coordinator, at Mary.Gannon@dem.ri.gov.
To view the 2019-2020 fall, winter, and spring program offerings, click here.
High surf
DEM also issued an advisory warning the public to use caution along shoreline areas today and over the next few days because of high surf generated by a tropical storm in the western Atlantic Ocean. DEM reminds the public of the preventable tragedy that occurred in October, when a couple was fishing on a rock too close to rough surf, swept away by a large wave, and quickly drowned at Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown.
Although Tropical Storm Erin is projected to remain well offshore of New England, the National Weather Service is forecasting that it will bring large swells and dangerous rip currents to ocean-exposed south-facing shorelines, including the beaches in Narragansett, Charlestown, and Westerly, over the next several days. Breakers ranging from 3 feet to 5 feet high are expected in Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound. Individual waves, however, may be more than twice the average wave height.
DEM urges Rhode Islanders to stay safe by remaining far away from areas where waves might splash over. Waves possess enormous force and can easily sweep a person into the water from what seems to be a safe viewing area. In addition, swells entering some inlets and harbor entrances could cause difficult navigation for operators of small craft.
Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM for more information on boating in Rhode Island as well as other timely updates.
