Barrington

Garden Club activities: Barrington Garden Club members will prepare the town gardens for spring and summer blooms on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Members should bring rakes, gloves and clippers. The staff of Barrington Department of Public Works was treated to a recent luncheon provided by the graden club board in recognition of their assistance in maintaining the gardens and valuable help in decorating the town buildings for the winter holidays.

The club’s annual meeting and luncheon will be held Tuesday at Wannamoisett Country Club in East Providence.

Benefit road race: The Barrington Boosters Club will host the On Eagles’ Wings Fly Away 5K Road Race Sunday to raise money for scholarships and an artificial turf field at Barrington High School.

The race beings at 1 p.m. at Barrington Middle School, 261 Middle Highway. The runners will head south on Middle Highway, turn right on Nayatt Road, north on Washington Road and right on South Lake Drive. The race will finish at the Middle School. There will also be a two-mile walk that begins at the same time as the race.

The entry fee is $20 the day of the race, $15 for those under 18 years of age. Awards of $100, $75 and $50 will be given to the first, second and third male and female overall finishers. Entry forms and information can be found at www.oneagleswings5k.com.

Musical presentation: The musical story of Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev, will be performed by the Classic Winds Woodwind Quintet, with narration by Barrington Public Library director Deborah Barchi, Sunday at 2 p.m. at the library on County Road. This family program is funded by the Cronan Memorial Fund. For information, call 247-1920.

Bristol

Open for Gallery Night: The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, 48 Court St., will be open tomorrow from 5 to 9 p.m. as part of Bristol Gallery Night. The society will be holding a book sale featuring art/architecture/fashion books in addition to history, biography and novels and a large selection of paperbacks. In addition, maps (including a series of hand-colored Albert Finley maps as well as Rhode Island maps) will be available for purchase.

The society will also be open tomorrow afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., continuing with the book sale. Call 253-7223 for more information.

Wool and Fiber Festival: Coggeshall Farm Museum, 1 Colt Drive off Poppasquash Road, will hold a Wool and Fiber Festival Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

The festival will focus on the farm’s sheep shearing event, which provides an opportunity for fiber enthusiasts to connect with local fiber farms and vendors to replenish their “stash” of fiber or yarn. New fiber tools and supplies will be available for purchase, as well as fibers from different animals not normally seen except at events such as this festival. A highlight will be the kids’ tent where volunteers from the R.I. Spinners Guild, the weaving guild and 4-H groups will demonstrate and teach children of all ages the art of knitting, spinning and weaving. In the farmhouse, 18th-century techniques will be demonstrated, such as hearth cooking, spinning and weaving.

Admission will be $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and children ages 6 to 12, $3 for children under age 6 and free for museum members.

Anthropology Day: The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, 300 Tower St., will participate in Rhode Island Anthropology Day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the Outing Reservation Building, participants will hear local archaeologists discuss their most recent research and local findings. Also, from noon to 2 p.m. children can try their hand at digging and identifying artifacts in a simulated 17th-century New England Indian site. Programs for this event are free to all. For information, call 253-8388.

Community dinner: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse will host a community dinner Sunday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 237, 850 Hope St., to listen to local residents’ concerns and share news and ideas from Washington.

Since taking office in January 2007, Whitehouse has hosted community dinners and outdoor cookouts in Pawtucket, Cranston, East Providence, Wakefield, and Woonsocket. These town hall-style dinners are free to the public.

Little Compton

Ham and bean supper: Little Compton Grange will have a public ham and bean supper Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the IOOF hall, Little Compton. For reservations call 635-4749. Take-outs will be available.

Middletown

Benefit performance: The Middletown High School Drama Club will present Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the school cafetorium, Valley Road. The play is directed by junior Margaret Maurer, with sophomore Marnie Murray as stage manager and senior Amanda Tracy as technical director. The play features actors Rebecca Cunha, Tia Meneses, Amanda Wylly, Kevin Cruz, Zach Larusso, Connor Broderick, Jordan Gilletti, Anastasia Miller and Julia Chille. Tickets are $5 at the door. Part of the proceeds will go to the Mat Mello fund. Mat is a MHS grad and local theater fan who is battling a brain tumor. For information, contact Maureen Maurer, 846-0159.

Plant sale and gardening workshop: Blenheim-Newport Senior Living, 303 Valley Rd., will host “Blenheim in Bloom,” a plant and flower sale, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Moore Blooms Nursery will provide a variety of plants for sale and offer a free small container gardening workshop at 11 a.m. The event and workshop are open to the public. A free barbecue lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Reservations are requested for those attending the lunch and can be made by calling 849-0031.

Colonial Day: Whitehall on Berkeley Avenue will celebrate spring on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. with Colonial Day. The event will include craft demonstrations, colonial activities and jonnycakes.

Whitehall was the home of Dean George Berkley, philosopher and scholar. For directions and information visit www.whitehallmuseumhouse.org.

Newport

Spring boat show: The 34th annual Newport Spring Boat Show will be held tomorrow through Sunday at the Newport Yachting Center, America’s Cup Avenue at Commercial Wharf.

New this year will be a marine consignment tent with used items from boaters and boat dealers. Partial proceeds from the sale of consignment items will benefit the Seaman’s Church Institute. Highlights during the show include a visit by Capt. Sig Hansen from the Emmy-nominated television series Deadliest Catch, who will sign autographs from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Helly Hansen Tent, and a casting competition for children ages 7 to 14 hosted by Bassmaster’s Casting Kids Program, nationally known for promoting encouraging young people to fish. Also, Sail Newport will give attendees a chance to experience sailing on Saturday and Sunday around the harbor. Advance tickets are now available online. Tomorrow “first dibs” benefit preview day, tickets are $13 if purchased online in advance, $15 at the gate. Partial proceeds go to the Bassmaster Casting Kids Scholarship Program. Saturday and Sunday tickets are $8 if purchased on line in advance, $10 at the gate. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult all three days. Sunday is Military Day, tickets are half price with proper photo identification.

For more information contact Newport Exhibition Group, 846-1115 or visit www.newportspringboatshow.com.

International Museum Day: The Newport Art Museum celebrates International Museum Day Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. with free admission and a complementary tour of the museum’s John N. A. Griswold House at 1 p.m. Museum membership renewals on Sunday will receive a 10 percent discount on dues.

For information call 848-8200 or visit www.newportartmuseum.org.

Artists reception: Several artists in the community have been painting pictures of church steeples as part of a “Steeple Chase” exhibition, which will open Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the parish hall at Channing Church, 135 Pelham St. There will be more than 25 artists represented, including the Grosvenor family, Nancy Bredbeck, and Susan Kieronski. Guests attending the opening may view the paintings and vote on their favorite. The top 12 will be included in a 2009 calendar, to be sold locally. There will also be a silent auction.

ArtsFest: St. Michael’s Country Day School will celebrate its ninth annual ArtsFest tomorrow from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Aside from the school’s performing arts center, the hallways, classrooms, common rooms — even the library — will become art galleries and performance areas. Admission and parking is free, and the public is welcome.

Mystery Month event: In recognition of May as Mystery Month, the Redwood Library, 50 Bellevue Ave., will host the L. Eugene Rankin Mystery Lecture tonight at 6 p.m. with a writers’ panel discussion. Included will be such topics as the difference between mysteries and thrillers, keys to writing and reading mysteries and developing a detective character. Participating on the panel are Sam Coale, professor of American literature at Wheaton College and a book reviewer for The Journal; Jon Land, writer of 25 thrillers; and Vincent O’Neil, writer of three mysteries and creator of Frank Cole, a detective with a penchant for trouble.

The event is open to the public and free of charge.

Portsmouth

Dinner dance: The Portuguese American Citizens Club will holding the kick-off dinner dance for its 80th annual Feast of St. Anthony Saturday at 7 p.m. at the club, 35 Power St. Dinner of surf and turf, prime rib or baked stuffed shrimp, will be served at 8 p.m. followed by dancing to the music of DJ Vic B.

Tickets, which are $25 each, are on sale at the PPACC, Saint Anthony Church Office, Carlone’s Florist and Allen’s Wine and Spirits. For information call the club, 683-9858 or feast chairman, Len Silva, 683-6220.

Tiverton

Blood drive: The Rhode Island Blood Center will conduct a blood drive tomorrow from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Community Center at Countryview Estates, 213 Hurst Lane. Walk-ins are welcome.