So often we focus on what’s not working in Rhode Island—and certainly the challenges we face are real. But I’d like to take a moment to celebrate what’s going right in downtown Providence at the moment.
If you’ve walked around downtown in the past few days, you’ve felt the palpable buzz. With the NCAA tournament in town for a few days, we have an opportunity to showcase what’s best and unique about Rhode Island and Providence—our great restaurants, cultural events, charming cityscape and right now, great weather—and we’re doing so to excellent effect. It’s a perfect Buy Local RI moment!
Tonight there will be a WaterFire, our one-of-a-kind outdoor public celebration along the Providence River. Saturday evening is a block party on Westminster Street that will close the streets to car traffic to allow pedestrians to take in the galleries, shops and restaurants along the way. And Trinity Rep is staging “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” a new play by Sarah Ruhl, who got her start in Providence.
Take advantage of this early taste of spring and get out and see our state through the eyes of a visitor—we have so much to offer.