Can't miss events this Memorial Day weekend in Newport County and beyond

Will Richmond, Newport Daily News
·3 min read

Last weekend brought summer-like temperatures and now it's time to really start turning up the heat as Memorial Day weekend serves as the unofficial start to summer.

With the long weekend ahead, there's plenty to do beyond the cookouts, graduation parties and get-togethers that start to populate calendars this time of year.

If you're looking for something to do, check out these four can't-miss events right here in Newport County and one that might be worth leaving the region for.

Boots on the Ground memorial

For four days, the grounds of Fort Adams will be covered with 7,026 boots adorned with flags and name placards representing the lives of U.S. service members killed in action post-9/11 in the Global War on Terror.

The memorial will open to the public on Friday, May 27, starting at 8 a.m. and remain open from May 27, 28, and 29 from 8 am to 8 p.m. and on Memorial Day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a special ceremony for Rhode Island’s Gold Star Families to place the boots representing their fallen loved ones at 6:30 p.m. on May 28.

The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial will be on display at Fort Adams State Park from May 27-29.
The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial will be on display at Fort Adams State Park from May 27-29.

In addition to the Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial, the event will also feature the Invisible Scars of War Monument. This monument recognizes the pain and sacrifices of those Service Members who have succumbed to the invisible scars of war such as depression and PTSD and ultimately died by suicide.

Also, on Sunday from 5-6 p.m the Rhode Island National Guard’s 88th Army Band Patriotic Concert will take place. The concert is free of charge. Those looking to attend are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets.

Rogue Island Comedy Festival

Looking for a laugh after these past two crazy years? There will be plenty of opportunities to find one this weekend during the Rogue Island Comedy Festival

Doug Key is the founder of the Rogue Island Comedy Festival.
Doug Key is the founder of the Rogue Island Comedy Festival.

Beginning Thursday and running through Monday, 13 shows are scheduled to take place in venues including the Jane Pickens Theater, Reef Newport and Top of Pelham. Originally, the main venue was to be the Wayfinder Hotel, which was closed down after a fire Monday night, however those shows are expected to be relocated.

Wayfinder fire: Investigation begins following 'stubborn' blaze at renovated Wayfinder Hotel in Newport

Seats to all shows are general admission and can be purchased online only at rogueislandcomedyfest.com.

Go fishing

Expecting more people to come out to the state's ponds during the long weekend. The Department of Environmental Management announced plans to restock more than 20 freshwater sites across the state with hatchery-raised trout, including Eight Rod Farm Pond in Tiverton, Upper Melville Pond in Portsmouth and Simmons Mill Pond in Little Compton.

Daily updates on stocking locations can be found on DEM Facebook, the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Facebook, or by calling DFW at 401-789-0281.

Roam around Rough Point

Roam around the house and grounds of Rough Point Museum during this special after-hours event on Saturday, May 28 from 5-7 p.m. Here's your chance to explore the house of an unconventional heiress, then stroll the gardens and take in the seascape outside.

In addition to checking out the grounds, visitors can press flowers from the Rough Point Gardens to take home as a keepsake.

Tickets are $20 or free for Newport County residents.

Visit a historic R.I. cemetery

The RI Advisory Commission on Historical Cemeteries and the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission's RI Historical Cemeteries Awareness and Preservation Weeks two-month program wraps up this weekend.

Learn about Rhode Island’s historic cemeteries and burial grounds by participating in cleanups, tours, open houses, gravestone conservation workshops, and other programs All events are free and open to the public however some have limited capacity and may require registration.

Events are taking place this weekend in Bristol, Newport, North Kingstown and Westerly, among other locales. Visit https://preservation.ri.gov/ricw-calendar for full details.

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Events in Newport County RI during Memorial Day weekend