Best things to do in Rhode Island: May 10-17

SPRING FEST WEEKEND ON THE BEACH

Summer vibes start now with Misquamicut’s SpringFest. The fun runs May 10-12 at Misquamicut State Beach. Think ferris wheel, bumper cars, fun house, and kiddie rides. Plus craft vendors, face-painting, food trucks, beer and wine garden, and more fun. On May 11, find a classic car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 57 Atlantic Ave., Westerly. $10 advance, $12 door. Kids under 7 free. See photos here. Details here.

FOOD AND ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR

Food, art, and architecture come together for Downcity Providence Food Tours, noon to 3:30 p.m., on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November.

During a tour lasting more than three hours over 1.7 miles, get an insider’s view of creative and lively Providence. Discover some of the city’s award-winning restaurants, its hidden art and historic architecture. Tickets $76-$94 per person. 1 Ship St., Providence. Details here.

GREEN ANIMALS

Watch out! It’s an elephant! And a bear! And an ostrich! … Sorry, they’re plants. Yup, the Preservation Society of Newport County’s Green Animals Topiary Garden opens for daily tours May 11, featuring some 80 topiaries in the shape of animals and designs — and loads of flowers — on the seven acres. BYO Picnic. 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth. Open daily 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Tickets sold in packages with house tours. Details here.

Meanwhile, it’s the annual Plant Sale at Green Animals Topiary Garden May 10-12 from 8 to 10 a.m. Find “a variety of flowers, vegetables, herbs and specialty plants,” according to the website. Details here.

A PUMPKIN, ASHES AND GLASS SLIPPERS

The timeless tale of a fatherless girl, a gourd and glass shoes. Ballet fans, don’t miss Ballet RI’s “Cinderella” at The Vets May 10-12. The production, by Yury Yanowsky, features Sergei Prokofiev’s well-known score. And yes, the fun will end before midnight. From $25. 1 Avenue of the Arts. Details here.

FIRST STRIKE FESTIVAL

Get your history on. Slater Mill will commemorate the nation’s first industrial worker’s strike on May 11 with tours and talks. The first wage workers strike occurred right here in Pawtucket 200 years ago.

Tour the Slater Mill with a ranger at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Meet in front of the Mill. The tour is limited to 25 people, tickets required. Tickets are free, and will be issued first-come, first serve, at the Old Slater Mill front desk, starting at 10 a.m.

A labor history talk with a ranger will be offered at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Meet at the Slater Mill Bell Tower.

A first Strike History open-air presentation with a ranger will be offered at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Performances, from acoustic folk music to dancers, will take place from noon to 2:45 p.m. 67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket. Details and First Strike history here.

BROWN’S ART WALKING TOURS

Brown University now offers free public art walking tours led by Brown students every weekend. Learn about Brown’s public art collection with a 40-minute student-curated tour, exploring six works of art. All tours are outdoors, rain or shine. No registration required. Meet up at 1 p.m. On Saturdays, meet at the Eli Harvey sculpture, Bronze Bruno, on the College Green (79 Waterman St.) On Sundays, meet at Tom Friedman’s Circle Dance, on the Campus Walk. Tours run weekends through Nov. 17. Map and all details here.

FARM FEST

Head to Seven Cedars Farm Spring Festival May 11 for local vendors selling honey, photography, paintings, handmade crafts, jewelry, baked goods and more, according to event billing. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 20 John Mowry Road, Smithfield. Details here.

FOOD TOURS

Foodies: Rhode Island Red Food Tours offers tours now through November. Wear your comfortable shoes for a 1.7-mile walking tour. ($76 per person, or $94 per person with alcohol.) As of this writing there are 12 spots left for the noon downcity tour on May 11. Or join a Newport Neighborhood Food Tour May 15-17, or Downcity Providence Food Tours May 16 and 17. All details here.

HIGH TEA

Attention lords and ladies: get your Bridgerton vibes on at the Regency Ball at the Reserve on Dorrance May 11 from 8 p.m to midnight. There will be live entertainment, performances, and a costume contest. You can buy ball-entry-only tickets, or food and drink tickets. Costume winners announced at 10 p.m. High Tea delicacies include tea sandwiches, deviled eggs, salmon rillettes, mini quiches, mini macarons, tarts, and assorted desserts, according to billing. Advance tickets only. $50 per person for ball only, $95 per person includes admission to the event, entertainment, Champagne toast upon arrival and hors d’oeuvres. An 8 percent sales tax and 20 percent service charge will be added to these tickets. 21+ 60 Dorrance St., Providence. Details here.

SUN DAY FUN ON SATURDAY

So the eclipse only got you wanting more sun-fun?

The Museum of Natural History and Planetarium hosts family sun fun May 11. Family-friendly activities at the SUNsational Saturday all celebrate the sun. The fun goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum admission 4+ $2, ages 3 and under free. 2 p.m. Planetarium show $5. (Ages 4 +) includes admission. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. All details here.

5,000 YEARS OF CULTURE

“Shen Yun” hits PPAC May 11. Shen Yun performers focus on classical Chinese dance and are accompanied by an orchestra and solo performers. Elaborate costumes and scenery blend together in each performance. Tickets from $95. 220 Weybosset St. Details here and here.

WATERFIRE

It’s a partial lighting but I’ll take it. May 11′s WaterFire includes a a display of torches carried by Rhode Island high school and college students.“ Plus food trucks on Finance Way, an educational Resource Fair starting at 6:30 p.m., live music at 7 p.m. Sunset is 7:55 p.m. Fun lasts until 10 p.m. Details here.

TALKIN’ OSPREYS

I recently wrote about my love of birds — ospreys in particular, and specifically, the osprey pairs I watch along the Westport River — when I interviewed naturalist/educator Clare Walker Leslie on her nature-inspired art and book. Audubon RI hosts a lecture on them this week.

“Nature Inspired Art: ‘My Summer with Ospreys” with Pamela Lowell” is May 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol. According to event billing, Lowell, author of “My Summer with Ospreys: A Therapist’s Journey Toward Hope, Community, and Healing our Planet” began painting large watercolors of ospreys in 2022. Last year she started to accompany Mass Audubon on their osprey next monitoring on the Westport River. 1401 Hope St. Bristol. $14 non-member. Ages 14 and up. Details and register here.

FIDDLE FADDLE

Celtic music fans, don’t miss Boston-based fiddle star Hanneke Cassel with fellow Berklee College alum/ fiddler Jenna Moynihan and Newfoundland-born/ Vermont resident guitarist Keith Murphy — at Cumberland’s Blackstone River Theatre May 11 at 8 p.m. $25. 549 Broad St. Details here and here.

SOCCER MOMS

Rhode Island FC, the Ocean State’s new professional soccer team, play Sacramento Republic May 11, in a Mother’s Day match. Recognizing mother figures in everyone’s lives, the team offers a Mother’s Day bundle: two tickets, a limited-edition Mother’s Day T-shirt, and two drink vouchers, for $65. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Beirne Stadium, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield. Details and tickets here.

DAVID FOSTER AND KATHARINE MCPHEE

You probably have David Foster songs on your Spotify playlists and don’t know it. “The Hitman” has helped create hits for a Who’s Who of A-listers: Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Seal, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, ‘N Sync, Mary J. Blige, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole… I’ll stop there.

On May 12, PPAC hosts “An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee.” Foster, a 16-time Grammy award winning writer/producer performs songs with singer/”American Idol” alum and wife McPhee. According to billing, expect songs “he wrote or produced from his four decades…storytelling,” and a selection of McPhee-fan faves. 220 Weybosset St., Providence. Details here.

QUAHOG WEEK

It’s a “Family Guy” reference for a reason — Rhody loves quahogs. Foodies, we dive into the 8th Annual Quahog Week May 11-18. The week aims to highlight “the many restaurants, markets, fishermen, and food-based businesses committed to growing Rhode Island’s local food economy, with special emphasis on wild harvest clams,” according to its website. As of this writing, 33 restaurants and 24 markets are participating in what organizers are calling a “shell-ebration.”

For example: PVD’s Pizza Marvin serves up a “Chowdah Pie — Littlenecks, Potatoes, Bacon, Herb Salad.” Newport Chowder Company offers a “Super Stuffie,” a large baked quahog with seafood or corn chowder on top. Hemenway’s offers Beer Battered Quahog Fritters with Horseradish Remoulade. And Iggy’s offers Stuffed Quahog with a breadcrumb stuffing of chopped clams, red and green peppers, onion, and seasonings. All details here.

CHEERS TO SHELLS

It’s American Craft Beer Week May 13-19. And because the stars have aligned to give us Quahog Week and American Craft Beer Week at once, we have events that combine both:

PVD’s Narragansett Brewery and Taproom hosts a free-admission Quahog Night on May 15. Harvesters from the RI Shellfishermen’s Association will shuck and serve complimentary little necks. Plus “small bites” from Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Matunuck Oyster Bar, and Dune Brothers, and Fearless Fish. 5-7 p.m. 271 Tockwotton St. Details here.

On May 16, Warren’s The Guild hosts a similar free-admission event: Harvesters from the RI Shellfishermen’s Association will be shucking and serving complimentary little necks. Small bites will be provided by Matunuck Oyster Bar and Blount’s Clam Shack. 5-7 p.m. 101 Water St., Warren. Details here.

ONGOING FUN

DRAGONS AT THE ZOO: Kids can explore “Dragons & Mythical Creatures” at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Billed as an “immersive experience featuring over 60 life-size animatronic wonders.” Through Aug. 11. Not included with regular zoo admission. $9 ages 2 and up. Under 2 free. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Details here.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS: Weather permitting, some 15 local food trucks park at Roger Williams Park at 5 p.m. each Friday through Sept. 27. Bring a chair or blanket and soak up live tunes from local artists, jump on the carousel, hop the train ride. Free admission; pay for what you eat. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. Details here.

ERIK ROCK, GRETA GRANITE AND THE THUNDERSTONE: In case you missed the unveiling last weekend, it’s officially Troll Time in Rhode Island. Renowned trash artist and recycle activist Thomas Dambo’s two trolls in Ninigret Park are now open to the public. And as of this week, they’ve been named: Erik Rock and Greta Granite. 5 Park Lane, Charlestown.

Until next week, Rhody: Keep rockin.’

Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.