Regional

Celiac Sprue support meeting: The Celiac Support Group of Southeastern New England will hold an informational meeting Sunday at St. Theresa Church hall in Tiverton. Registration is at 1:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 2. For information and to make reservations, call Kathi Thiboutot at 624-8888. Celiac Sprue is a disorder of the small intestines caused by sensitivity to the protein gluten.

Women in Business After Hours: The Newport County Chamber of Commerce will host the semiannual Women In Business After Hours Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Blithewold Mansion Gardens and Arboretum, Ferry Road, Bristol. The Women In Business networking event brings together several hundred Rhode Island professional women to recognize women in local and state government.

The event is free to Newport County Chamber members and $10 for non-members. RSVP by calling 847-1608 or e-mailing kathleen@newportchamber.com

Hunter Pace Event: The Aquidneck Island Horseman’s Association will host its 20th annual Hunter Pace Event Oct. 5 at Glen Park, Glen Road, Portsmouth. No ride times are assigned, however check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. The course will open at 8 a.m. and close at noon. Prizes will be awarded around 3 p.m. Eight ribbons will be awarded in each division.

Dress is informal attire, boots and ASTM/SEI approved helmets are required for all riders. Water and bathroom facilities are available and there is plenty of trailer parking. The entry fee is $30 for AIHA members, $35 for non-members. Registration forms can be downloaded by visiting www.orgsites.com/ri/aiha

This year, AIHA will use the Sakonnet Greenway as the course, which eliminates road riding. A hunter pace is a cross-country ride with a partner over a marked course of various terrain. It will include jumps, all optional with go-arounds. The distance is about eight to 10 miles.

Make checks payable to Aquidneck Island Horseman’s Association Inc. and mail them to Aquidneck Island Horseman’s Association Inc., c/o Barbara L. Plante, 228 Indian Ave., Portsmouth, RI 02871. Advanced registration is encouraged, primarily for planning the size of the lunch, and must be postmarked by Sept. 29. Entries are limited to 250 riders (riders — not teams) For information, call 846-8445 or e-mail PlanteBL@aol.com.

Bristol

Open for visitors: The Bristol Historical and Preservation Society, 48 Court St., will be open tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the Downtown Business Merchants Association State Street Fair. The book sale, with a large selection of books and special maps, the museum corner and the Society collections will be open for the day.

The Society will also offer two walking tours starting at the clock on the corner of Hope and State Street. The first tour will start at 10:30 a.m. and cover downtown houses, with a focus on Russell Warren buildings. This tour will be led by Society historian Ray Battcher. The second tour, at 1:30 p.m., will be led by Kevin Jordan and will cover the downtown business history of Bristol, including the slave trade. Each of the walking tours is $5 and will last about an hour and a half.

Call 253-7223 for more information. Membership is open to all. There is adequate parking and the Society is wheelchair accessible.

East Providence

Student scholarship concert: The New England Tougaloo Alumni Chapter will host a benefit concert Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. at Haven United Methodist Church, 200 Taunton Ave. Featured will be baritone Robert Honeysucker, recognized internationally for his opera, concert and recital performances, and local church groups. A reception will follow the performance.

Admission will be by donation. All proceeds will go to the Student Scholarship Fund at Tougaloo College. Donations are tax deductible and checks should be made out to Tougaloo College, with Student Scholarship Fund in the memo line. For information, contact Donald Cunnigen, donaldcunnigen@cox.net, at 874-1000 or Earnest Cox, earnestcox@cox.net, at 351-8933.

Tougaloo College, in Mississippi, was founded by the American Missionary Association in 1869 to educate the sons and daughters of former slaves. Ninety-five percent of the students at Tougaloo College receive some form of financial assistance.

Little Compton

Writing class: The Brownell Library, the Commons, will host a memoir-writing class on Thursdays beginning Sept. 25. The class will run weekly from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., through Nov. 13. There will be a number of writing exercises designed to stimulate memories. The class will be led by Raya Goff. To register, call the library at 635-8562.

Newport

Anniversary exhibit: An exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Newport Restoration Foundation opens tomorrow and continues until Jan. 4 at the Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave. Entitled “The Eloquence of Place,” the exhibition traces the development of the NRF and includes photography, drawings, objects and maps, sharing highlights from the collection of more than 80 historic homes restored and maintained by the NRF. For more information, call (401) 848-8200 or visit www.newportartmuseum.org

Food drive: A food collection drive to benefit the St. Joseph Church Food Pantry will continue through Sept. 30. Items can be dropped off at BankNewport’s Wellington Square branch, 580 Thames St. The branch is a collection location for donations of non-perishable food items that are most in need at the local pantry, including canned meats, soups, fruits and vegetables, along with rice, cereals, peanut butter, beans and pasta.

Donations will be accepted during banking hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more than 35 years, the St. Joseph food pantry, located at 5 Mann Ave., has been serving individuals and families in need. The pantry is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, along with a soup kitchen operating on Mondays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information, call the rectory at 847-0065.

Fall activities: The Newport Recreation Department offers programs such as fall baseball for children ages 6 through 11 and tennis lessons for ages 4 through high school. There are also specialty programs such as acting classes, basketball skills clinics and surfing lessons.

The Recreation Department also hosts adult tennis programs, from beginner lessons through weekend tournaments, and a women’s doubles league. New this year is adult recreational horseback riding.

The program flier is available online at www.cityofnewport.com under the Department of Recreation page. It is also available at the Recreation Office. Registration can be done in person or by mail, and credit cards are accepted. Space is limited in some programs and some have a minimum in order to be held.

For more information, contact the department at 845-5800 or sign up at the Recreation Office, at 35 Golden Hill St.

Exhibit to open: An exhibit of works by Dan McManus, the 2007 winner of best in show at the Newport Art Museum’s annual members juried exhibition, will open tomorrow with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the museum, 76 Bellevue Ave.

Entitled “Daniel McManus: New Work,” his recent mixed media works, ceramics and photographs will be featured. Admission to the reception is $10, or free for museum members. Also, museum visitors can meet and speak with McManus during an informal gallery talk on Newport Gallery Night, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

Musical program: Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Rd., will present a musical journey around the world with Lindsey Adler and Ray Price Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The musical duo blend ancient and contemporary stringed instruments, original songs and poetry. This program is sponsored by the North Family Trust, and is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so call the library at 683-9457 or stop by to register.

Tiverton

Youth drama and art classes: The Sakonnet Arts Network will offer an eight-week series of drama and art classes for children beginning Sept. 29. Classes are open to all schoolchildren, including home-schooled and private school students.

Third and fourth grade drama will be held at the new Ranger School from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 29. The cost is $40.

Fifth and sixth grade coed drama will be held at Tiverton Middle School from 2:30 to 4 p.m. beginning Sept. 30. The cost is $25.

REELGirls, a seventh and eighth grade drama and film program for girls, will begin Oct. 2, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. The cost is $25.

Comedy and improv for seventh and eighth grade boys will begin Oct. 2, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. The cost is $25.

Drawing and painting for children in grades five to eight will begin Sept. 29, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. The cost is $25.

Class sizes are limited and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students must register in advance. Scholarships are available. To register, or for more information, visit www.SakonnetArts.org or call Gloria Crist at 749-1203.

Warren

Concert: A free concert by Boston-based singer/songwriter Jenee Halstead will be held tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Yes Gallery and Studio, 146 Water St. Although the concert is free, reservations are required and can be made by calling 245-7174.