The Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, in conjunction with the City of Providence’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism, and FirstWorks invites you to Burnside Park during PVDFest for a celebration of local arts, culture and play designed to entertain and engage all ages.
For the third year in a row, Providence’s signature art festival brings our city’s world-renowned art, culture and culinary communities together with artists from around the world for a uniquely Providence experience. Please join us in Burnside Park as we transform your public park into a center for family friendly activities that stimulate and inspire.
Performances include family-friendly theater, storytelling, music and dance, as well as an open drum circle, a Chinese Lion Dance parade and a special sampler from Girls Rock! Rhode Island.
The schedule for 2017 PVDFest, Burnside Park performances and activities:
12:30 – 1:00: Our first performance starts, Read ‘n Ring with Ricky Rainbow Beard. Mr. Beard will read to you from his favorite book and Rota Ree will be on hand to answer the phone, so prepare all of your questions in advance! Examples include: What is this? Will there be songs? Is this kid-appropriate? Is this supposed to be funny? Are you a magician? Have I ever heard of you before? Is your beard real? Stay tuned.
1:00 – 1:30: A regular at our popular summer event Play in the Park, Miss Katie, founder of playSCIENCE RI, will be performing songs to get kids moving and singing, as well as releasing her brand new CD.
1:30 – 2:00: A self-made artist, actress, and teacher from the South Side of Providence, Raffini has long been committed to the community. She teaches Black History and theatre, and tells stories that nurture the spiritual and creative abilities of youth. She will join us with storytelling from Africa and beyond.
2:00 – 3:00: Malian percussionist and 2016 PVDFest headliner, Sidy Maiga, hosts an open drum circle. Originally from Mali, Maiga is based in Rhode Island and has traveled the world drumming and teaching. He combines the best of West African percussion traditions with the modern rhythms of the Caribbean and hip-hop. Bring your own djembe or any musical instrument or sit in on one of Maiga’s to participate in an open drum circle with one of Rhode Island’s musical treasures.
3:00 – 3:30: The Rhode Island Kung Fu & Lion Dance Club is a non-profit martial & cultural arts group practicing kung fu & Chinese lion dance. Lion dance is a festive, cultural performance combining the movement and spirit of kung fu with drumming, and symbolizing good luck and positive energy.
3:30 – 4:00: Miss Katie, founder of playSCIENCE RI, is back for a second performance of fun sing & dance-along guaranteed to get kids moving.
4:00 – 5:30: Girls Rock! Rhode Island hosts an Instrument Petting Zoo while DJ RED DAWN spins some tunes.
5:30 – 6:00: Providence Ballet Theater is dedicated to cultivating, developing and inspiring dancers and will be bringing their art to Burnside Park.
6:00 – 6:30: Girls Rock! Rhode Island is back with a special songwriting workshop.
6:30 – 8:00: Girls Rock! Rhode Island turns up the volume with Youth and Lady Camp rockers with performances of original music.
In addition to performances, there are many activities to explore throughout the park.
12:00 – 6:00: Our open air reading room jumps out of the pages of our children’s books! Explore the Imaginary Worlds of Art in the Park with our Storybook Rooms! Dr Seuss, Maurice Sendak’s Wild World, GREAT GREEN ROOM from Goodnight Moon, Moon Man, and Wonky World of Roald Dahl.
12:00 – 5:00: Make beards with Ricky Rainbow Beard.
12:00 – 5:00: Build and play with instruments with Miss Katie.
12:00 – 8:00: Work with Princes to Kings, a youth male mentoring program, as they work with a professional photographer to photograph park events throughout the day.Help create a larger than life “Remix” photo collage at the Remix Collage Workshop by reassembling hundreds of photographs of real people’s faces previously taken in Kennedy Plaza, hosted by artist Scott Lapham.
4:00 – 8:00: Free face painting for kids.
12:00 – 8:00: Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth with Kate Schapira.
12:00 – 8:00: Play with the Big Blue Blocks of the Imagination Playground, as well as plenty of bubbles, hula hoops and sidewalk chalk.
This year we’re excited to introduce our new Burnside Passports! Earn passport stamps for doing activities in the park and earn prizes! We’ll also have a fun scavenger hunt around the park. For details, visit the info table set up near the Imagination Center.
If you join us in the park, please tag us in your photos @KennedyPlazaPVD or use the hashtag #BurnsideParkPVD so we can find you! Let us know you’re coming over on our FB event, and invite your friends! Have a great time at PVDFest!
