Fools' Rules Regatta, Washington letter reading top weekend events in Newport County

Sure some of summer's biggest events are behind us, but a couple of the season's most cherished local events are here to keep us busy this weekend.

A mix of light-hearted fun and history provides the backdrop to one of the summer's unofficial last weekends, with an opportunity to hit the water in a homemade craft, tour historic locales or relive a portion of George Washington's visit to Newport.

Take a look at these events happening across Newport County and start making your weekend plans.

Fools' Rules Regatta

The 45th Fools’ Rules Regatta will be held on Saturday on the Town Beach, East Ferry in Jamestown, with the rain date the following day. The cannon will be fired at 9 a.m. to begin construction of the “vessels.” Entrants are allowed two hours to construct a sailing craft (course is down-wind) on the beach, which must be made of non-marine items only. The craft may be pre-constructed, but must be disassembled and built again on the beach. Races begin at 11 a.m. with the firing of a cannon marking the start of the Class 1 race.

Vessels compete for first, second and third place in each class. Classes are determined by the number of participants on each vessel: Class One, Two, Three, Four, and then five or more participants delineate the Unlimited Class. Coveted awards include The Karl Smith Most Ingenious Design, The Worst Example of Naval Architecture, and the Frank Newman Judges’ Award.

The event is open to anyone who likes to have fun and be foolish.  There is no entry fee.

Life jackets are required for each participant and an anchoring device is needed for each vessel. Complete information, rules, and entry form can be found on the Jamestown Yacht Club’s website: www.jyc.org.

Butts Hill Fort commemoration

On Saturday at 10:00 am, the Battle of Rhode Island Association in partnership with the Portsmouth Historical Society will mark 100 years since Dr. Roderick Terry, then president of the Newport Historical Society, bought the land on which Butts Hill Fort sits, saving it from being developed. BoRIA and PHS invite the public to the Fort to commemorate this event. Paul Revere cannons will be demonstrated by the Artillery Company of Newport who participated in the inaugural event in 1923. The Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums will be on hand to provide the sounds of the event. The 54th Regiment of Foot and the Kingston Reds will give musket demonstrations and colors presentations will be made by the Henry Knox Color Guard from the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution.

Speakers include historian Michael J. Simpson who researched Terry's life and conservation efforts via funding from the BoRIA and the Redwood Library and Atheneum; Portsmouth’s Town Historian Jim Garman will discuss the Battle of RI and BHF; state Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa and Portsmouth’s Town Council Member Charles J. Levesque will speak and lead the rededication. Tours of the fort will be given after the speeches and demonstrations are complete. For a complete schedule of the day’s events go to battleofrhodeisland.org.

Parking will be available at Portsmouth High School’s tennis courts. From there it is a short walk to the Fort’s entrance. No parking is allowed on Butts Street or in the Fort. For those with physical or mobility challenges, use Butts Hill Street and check in at the top with a volunteer.

Newport Performing Arts Center tours

The Newport Performing Arts Center, 19 Touro St. is holding an Open House to see first-hand the amazing work that has already been done and speak with NPAC staff & Board members to learn more about what lies ahead as the facility is rebuilt.

The theater will be open Saturdays in August, between 10 a.m.–noon.

For more information visit npacri.org.

George Washington Letter Reading

Touro Synagogue Foundation will partner with Congregation Jeshuat Israel to host the George Washington Letter Reading, an event honoring our nation’s heritage of religious freedom at 1 p.m. on Sunday, at Touro Synagogue, 85 Touro St. In-person seating is limited, but all may attend virtually via a link on the Touro Synagogue Facebook page: facebook.com/TouroSynagogue

George Washington’s August 1790 letter to “To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport” was written during his first trip to Rhode Island as President and affirmed the new national government’s absolute commitment to the free exercise of religion, which he regarded as an “inherent natural right.” The federal government, he stated, “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” The annual event has a long tradition of distinguished keynote speakers and letter readers, including Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The theme of this year’s event is public service.

Nellie Gorbea, a former Rhode Island Secretary of State and a visiting senior fellow in democracy and cybersecurity at Salve Regina University, has been selected for this honor this year, the 76th reading of the famous letter.

Angela Johnson, a social studies teacher at Rogers High School and the 2021-2022 Newport Public Schools Teacher of the Year, will read the letter that Moses Seixas of Newport’s Hebrew Congregation sent to President Washington, which inspired Washington’s famous response.

David Cicilline, former longtime Rhode Island United States Congressman and the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, will deliver the keynote address.

For more information or to inquire about in-person attendance, please email meryle@tourosynagogue.org or phone (401) 847-4794 ext. 207.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport events Aug. 18-20: Fools' Rules Regatta, Washington letter