Spring is here: Get outside and enjoy these weekend events in Newport County

Will Richmond, Newport Daily News
·3 min read

Spring is in the air and it's time to step outside and enjoy some fresh air.

This weekend there's plenty to do that will let you do just that. Whether you're looking to go for a long run or dance you'll find events that are just right across Newport County.

You can also enjoy a little history if that's more your speed.

Check out these events happening this weekend and start making your plans.

Dancing at the Forty Steps

Couples dance at Forty Steps along Newport's Cliff Walk in 2022.
Couples dance at Forty Steps along Newport's Cliff Walk in 2022.

Commemorating the informal dances held there by the Irish who made Newport their home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sponsored by the Museum of Newport Irish History, the annual event will feature live traditional Irish music, demonstrations of Irish set dancing led by Donal and Mary Lehane, and the Ancient Order of Hibernian Men Singers. The free, outdoor event on the Cliff Walk, east end of Narragansett Avenue, takes place Sunday at 3 p.m., weather permitting. To learn about the event, photos and videos of past “Dancing” events, visit: https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/dancing-at-the-forty-steps/

Southcoast Health Aquidneck 10k

Looking to get some exercise this weekend. On Sunday the Southcoast Health Aquidneck 10k, presented by NPT HealthWorks and Fitzpatrick Team will take runners alongside beach grass and sand dunes, around a wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary, showcasing the beauty of Aquidneck Island. A portion of every registration fee collected for the event will be donated to the Norman Bird Sanctuary!

The event is open to runners of all speeds and starts at 9 a.m.

Participants can register online until Thursday at midnight.

Onsite registration is also available on

Saturday, March 25: 11 a.m–1 p.m. at Ragged Island BrewingSunday, March 26: 7:30–8:50 a.m. at Second Beach, Middletown

For more information visit https://aquidneck10k.com/

Concert at the Meeting House

The 40 will be bringing its brand of R&B with a dose of rock n roll to the Meeting House in Tiverton Four Corners! The 40 band is comprised of veteran players from around Rhode Island and Massachusetts who honed their skills playing professionally in Dallas and Austin, Texas, the Boston area, Cleveland, Ohio, and RI in some very popular bands.

The band consists of Nick Manousos on guitar, Christopher Gonsalves on drums, Kevin Simon on keyboards, Tom Shaheen on harmonica and vocals and Ray Davis on bass and vocals and this formed group delivers a powerful mix of blues rock and R&B with tasty arrangements and a heavy dose of rock n roll.

Advance tickets are encouraged but tickets will be available at the door. Visit FourCornersArts.org to purchase tickets. General Admission Tickets: $15, $20 at the door

Visit the site of Kennedy-Bouvier wedding

Visit St. Mary’s Church, Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard West, Newport on Saturday or Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

Scenes from the wedding of Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier, who were married on Sept. 12, 1953 at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island.
Scenes from the wedding of Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier, who were married on Sept. 12, 1953 at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island.

The Gothic Revival-style church is home to R.I.’s oldest Catholic parish, established in 1828 to serve Newport's growing Irish immigrant population, many of whom worked on the construction of Fort Adams. The present church was designed by Irish-born architect, Patrick C. Keely and dedicated in 1852 to "The Holy Name of Mary, Our Lady of the Isle."

The church was also the site of the 1953 wedding of the future president, John F. Kennedy, and Jaqueline Lee Bouvier and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Things to do in Newport County March 25-26: Dancing at Forty Steps