Regional

Local writers’ publication: The fourth volume of Balancing the Tides — A Newport Journal, with a theme of “architecture and neighborhoods,” in now available for purchase. The publication is a nonprofit effort put together by local artists.

This volume highlights favorite buildings, places and significant people in the writer’s lives. The publication presents essays, short fiction and nonfiction works, poetry, photographs and artistic representations of island experiences.

This issue contains works from Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post book editor and former Middletown resident; Rockwell Stensrud, local resident and author of Newport — A Lively Experiment, 1639-1969; and Margot Datz, author, artist and illustrator of many Carly Simon books. Artwork included is by Judy Chaves, John MacGowan, Bettie Sarantos, Carol Strause Fitz Simonds, Jeanne Tangney, Dana Pearson, Onne van der Wal, Chris Wyllie and newcomer Nick King.

Balancing the Tides, a bound book, retails for $20 with gift sets and subscriptions available. Visit www.balancingthetides.com for more information and a complete list of sites where it is for sale.

Bristol

Annual senior citizens picnic: Tomorrow is the deadline to purchase tickets for the annual senior citizens picnic. Sponsored by the elderly nutrition program, the picnic will be held Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Colt State Park. The menu will include lemonade, boneless barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, three-bean salad, whole wheat roll, hot dog bun, brownie and watermelon. There will also be musical entertainment.

Tickets, which are $3 each, are available at the Benjamin Church Senior Center weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seating is limited. In case of rain, the dinner will be served at the Benjamin Church Senior Center at noon. Free transportation will be available upon request.

East Providence

Summer Reading Program event: Ronald McDonald will entertain with 30 minutes of reading fun tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the Riverside Branch Library, 475 Bullocks Point Ave. This program is for families with children ages 4 and older. Arrive early, as space is limited. Call 433-4877 for information.

Little Compton

Documentary screening: Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. the Little Compton Community Center will present a film, Toxic Bust, which explores the relationship of exposure to environmental toxins and breast cancer. Cheryl Osimo, co-founder of Silent Spring Institute and Outreach Coordinator of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, will be available to answer questions following the film. A $10 donation will be collected at the door and all proceeds support Silent Spring and the MBCC.

Summer camp: The Little Compton Historical Society continues its one-day summer camp opportunities for kids and teenagers.

A Day in the Life of Martha Wilbour — 1700 will be offered Aug. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For ages 7 to 13, the day will focus on what it was like to be one of the first English girls in Little Compton. Children will follow Martha through her day. They will sew a Pilgrim Poppet doll, bake gingerbread in a Dutch oven, make braided cord with a lucet and try to spin fleece into wool. The cost is $30 for members, $35 for nonmembers.

Young Pilgrims will be offered Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 5 to 7 p.m. Children will learn what it was like in Little Compton 300 years ago, writing their lessons with a feather pen, baking a berry cobbler in a Dutch oven and creating playthings from simple materials. The cost is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers

Archaelogy Camp for ages 10 and up will be offered Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Instructor Kate Johnson and her friends from UMass/Boston’s graduate program in historical archaeology will help to excavate a portion of the Wilbor House yard. Children will dig and screen for artifacts and learn how to clean and catalogue what they find. They will also take a break for hand-churned ice cream. The cost is $30 for members, $35 for nonmembers

Marjory O’Toole, the society’s managing director, will lead the camps unless otherwise noted. A limited number of camperships are available upon request. To register for a camp or to request a camp scholarship, 635-4035.

Newport

PM Musical Picnic: The Newport Art Museum’s PM Musical Picnics continue tonight with Mike Walsh + the Blitz at 6:30 p.m. Attendees can bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic to enjoy on the museum grounds: 76 Bellevue Ave. Admission is free for museum members, $5 for nonmembers or $10 for nonmember families. Children under age 5 will be admitted free. Picnics are held weather permitting. Listen to WADK 1540 AM for cancellation notices. Visit www.NewportArtMuseum.org or call 848-8200 for general information.

Summer bazaar: Jesus Saviour Church, Broadway at Vernon Avenue, will hold its annual summer bazaar on the church grounds tomorrow through Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. Featured will be bingo, pull-tabs and booths. Homemade malassadas, fava, chourico sandwiches and pastries will be offered each night. Also each night, there will be raffles at 11 p.m. The grand cash prizes, money doll and fruit basket drawings will be held on Saturday night.

Children’s Night Series: The City of Newport’s Children’s Night Series will continue tomorrow with singer Jay Mankita. Shows are held at 6 p.m. at Easton’s Beach, Memorial Boulevard. Parking is free after 5 p.m. and the carousel and snack bar are open during the show. Call 845-5810 after 4 p.m. for information on rain cancellations.

Concerts: The Friends of Ballard Park will host two free concerts tomorrow. First, the Toe Jam Puppet Band will perform from 10 to 11 a.m. Then the KIPP String & Rhythm Orchestra will play from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Both groups will perform in Ballard Park’s quarry meadow.

The Toe Jam Puppet Band is a children’s musical group that offers a interactive entertainment. The Bronx-based KIPP Academy String & Rhythm Orchestra has played up and down the east coast, including performances in Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater. Rogers High School graduate Frank Corcoran has been involved with the program for over 13 years and will lead the group to Newport.

Seating for both concerts is on the grass and guests are welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Parking is available in the Rogers High School parking lot and entry to Ballard Park is directly across from the school at the corner of Hazard and Wickham Roads. Guests are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of each concert to allow time for parking and making their way down to the quarry meadow. For more information, call 619-3377 or visit www.ballardpark.org.

Tiverton

Circus performances: The Walker Brother Circus will perform four shows to benefit the Tiverton Lions Club Friday and Saturday at the Ponta Patriot Club Field, 70 Shove St. Friday’s shows will be held at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Saturday’s will be held at 3 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults in advance or $15 at the door; two children age 14 and under will be admitted free with one paying adult. For tickets and information, call 625-5821 or 624-9875.

Performing arts camp: Theater Direct, an arts enrichment organization in Tiverton, will offer a week of performing arts Aug. 4 to 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the auditorium at the Ranger School, 278 North Brayton Rd. The camp, for young performers ages 9 to 16, will include acting techniques for theater, film and performing as well as improvisational techniques.

Gloria Crist will run the camp along with guest artists. Class size is limited and registration is open until Aug. 1. Tuition is $215, which includes all supplies, a daily snack, water and a t-shirt to take home. Register through Theater Direct by e-mailing Crist, glosoul@cheerful.com, or call 749-1203 for information.

Arts network formed: The Sakonnet Arts Network is a new nonprofit organization based in Tiverton that will provide a spectrum of arts resources to the community. Offerings include a summer arts enrichment program this month for children entering second through fifth grades at the new Ranger School and a series of workshops for adults in the fall.

The Network has developed over the past year as a collaborative effort among Friends of Arts in Tiverton, the Tiverton Arts Council, ArtsExpress, Theater Direct and representatives of the Tiverton Schools. A grant of $45,000 from the Rhode Island Foundation is supporting this process. Information is also available by contacting Carolyn Winter, 316-8272, or by visiting www.SakonnetArts.org.