Festivals, fast cars, St. Patrick's and more: Check out these Newport County weekend events

The fall shoulder season is upon us and hopefully, the rain that washed out last weekend is behind us, leaving a weekend ahead full of things to do and fun to be had.

While the annual Audrain Concours and Motor Week and Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair will garner lots of attention there are plenty of options if you're looking for something else to do or want to really fill out the weekend plans.

There's the opportunity to celebrate your Chinese, Italian or Irish roots, take in short films, listen to poetry and other live readings and more.

So check out everything that's happening and start making your plans.

Festival in the Park

For one day, Touro Park in Newport will become it's own Little Italy as the Festa Italiana Festival in the Park fills the grounds on Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. with Italian food and novelties, assorted vendors, children’s activities, Elmo, dancing, raffles and music by the Italian folk band Calabria Bella and Italian Crooner Jake Kambo.

Admission is free and for more information about the festival and other Festa Italiana events visit newportfesta.org

Halfway to St. Patrick's Day

Getting withdrawals from celebrating all things Irish?

The Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Party returns to the Hibernian Hall on Saturday with entertainment from The McMurphy's and DJ Murph, St. Edmond's Pipes and Drums, and Bristol County Fifes and Drums.

Doors open at noon and a $10 suggested donation is sought.

An Evening of Poetry, Performance & Art

Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center is hosting “Creating A New Story: An Evening of Poetry, Performance & Art” at the Meeting House on Saturday from 7:30-9 p.m. The event will offer a community conversation to close the evening.

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The Four Corners event will include curated presentations by local poets, artists and students and an open conversation with the community that could lead to…. something new.

Readings by Barbara Schweitzer, Dave Heckman, Dan George, Bill Braun will be featured along with "FEELING PLANKTON" A short play starring Alyn Carlson and Michael Thibeault; the Origami Poetry Project: Free micro-chapbooks; WILLAMAYA: Digital collage portraits of modern female hunter-gatherers by Alyn Carlson and a Children Presentation from Our Sisters' School in, New Bedford, Massachusetts.

There's a suggested donation of $10 cash or check at the door. Advanced Reservations are strongly encouraged as space is limited. Visit FourCornersArts.org to make your reservation.

Manhattan Short Film Festival

The global cinematic experience is back at the Jamestown Arts Center. Join with film enthusiasts from around the region for the screening of the 26th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 29 to Oct. 7.

Held simultaneously in more than 500 locations across six continents, the Manhattan Short Film Festival is a beloved tradition for cinephiles worldwide–and the JAC is the only location for the event in Rhode Island.

The Jamestown Arts Center will host four screenings: Friday, Sept. 29; Saturday, Sept. 30; Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 7, each at 7 p.m. The same program of short films will run each date.

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Audience members are the judges in this global film-festival and JAC movie-goers will be given a ballot to cast their vote for Best Film and Best Actor Awards. Votes are sent back to Manhattan Short headquarters and winners will be announced in October.

To attend, purchase $10 tickets online at jamestownartcenter.org/events. Advance tickets purchased online are recommended as this event sells out.

Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu Jie), also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a time-honored celebration from China dating back more than 3,000 years.

Traditions include family gatherings, the lighting of lanterns, moon gazing and the sharing “mooncakes,” typically round pastries often cut into pieces equal to the number of family members, reinforcing family togetherness. It is also considered a harvest festival because fruit, vegetables and grain have been harvested by the time of the celebration.

On Friday, The Preservation Society of Newport County will host this family-friendly event on the grounds of Marble House and in the Chinese Tea House from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Activities will include a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, a lion dance performance by the Rhode Island Kung Fu and Lion Dance Club, eating mooncakes and participating in various crafts such as lantern decorating, paper folding, book readings and more.

Complimentary admission to the Mid-Autumn Festival is available to Preservation Society Family-Level members, but advance registration is required. The price for non-members is $10 per person. Children under 2 can attend for free.

To learn more and purchase tickets, click newportmansions.org/events/mid-autumn-festival

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Things to do in Newport Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Audrain, festivals, St. Patrick's