The Newport International Boat Show -- one of the five largest in-water boat shows in the country -- always has a diverse selection of vessels, from 16 feet to 85 feet. This year, however, the show will feature an entirely different kind of craft: an airplane.

The show is scheduled to run Sept. 11 to 14, on 15 acres of Newport's waterfront.

The airplane is a Cirrus. Its manufacturer makes three models, including a turbo with a 1,000-mile range.

The show will have more than 850 exhibitors with more than 700 boats, including express cruising yachts, ocean-going trawlers at PassageMaker magazine's TrawlerPort, a new Multihull Lagoon, Downeast styles, sport fishing boats, runabouts, kayaks, canoes and inflatables, said show organizers.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the final day. Tickets will cost $27 for Thursday; during the rest of the show, tickets will cost $18.

There will be limited VIP parking on the show grounds and free shuttle bus service from the parking lot at Newport's Easton Beach all four days. For more information, call 401-846-1115 or 800-582-7846, or visit the event's web site, www.newportboatshow.com.

Finding wild food

Russ Cohen, author of Wild Plants I Have Known and Eaten, the definitive guide to foraging wild foods in southern New England, is coming to Wrentham for a slide show and walk.

The Massachusetts naturalist will present a slide show Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Fiske Public Library in Wrentham, and he is scheduled to return Sept. 18 to lead a foraging walk starting at 4 p.m. at a site to be announced.

Cohen's book is a favorite of foragers because of the details he presents with recipes, and availability charts.

His website address is http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/.

Trail food for pooch

The Honest Kitchen, maker of holistic dehydrated raw pet food, has introduced a line of dog foods to take on the trail.

"Ten pounds of human-quality, gourmet, organic pet food (which will rehydrate to make forty pounds) can be packed in the same space as your name brand dog food with chemicals, fillers and by-products," says Kristen Kouk, a spokeswoman for the company. "Made from 100 percent all-natural ingredients, The Honest Kitchen uses only certified organic grains, hormone and antibiotic-free meats, non-genetically modified fruits and vegetables and certified fair-trade quinoa."

The company's web site is www.thehonestkitchen.com.

Tie one on

United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island will launch its 2008-09 season with a meeting and fly-tying session Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Impossible Dream, 575 Centerville Road, Warwick.

The group will tie saltwater and freshwater flies for all skill levels, including beginners.

For more information about the group, visit www.uftri.org, or call George Tillotson at 714-1491.

Field day fun

Wallum Lake Rod & Gun Club in the Burrillville Village of Harrisville, has scheduled its annual field day for Sept. 7 at the club grounds at 200 Brook Rd.

The club is known for its premier shooting grounds and service to the community. For more information, call the club at 568-7171.

Trout up north

The northern Rhode Island chapter of Trout Unlimited has scheduled its next meeting for Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. It will be held at the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Corridor office at 1 Depot Square in Woonsocket, says Ray Lippe, president of the group.

"We have 175 members, and we're still growing," he says.

The meeting will end at 9 p.m., he says.