Happy Tuesday, Providence. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let The PVD Current serve up this week’s What’s Good Edition featuring five things that’ll help you live better, stay ahead, stress less, and enjoy more ☕️
In this week’s edition:
Good beer 🍻
Lots of laughing 😆
Downtown chaos 🏀
Free stuff 📑
A quick tip 🥕
Let’s get to it.
🍺 Toast to the local beer scene
RI Craft Beer Week kicks off on Friday, offering the perfect excuse to explore our beer scene while supporting local businesses. With 40+ breweries across Rhode island, this 10-day celebration gives you plenty of time to try them all (or at least find a few new favorites).
Some of the participating locations include Long Live Beerworks, Narragansett, Phantom Farms, and Moniker Brewery.
As you explore, you’ll collect stamps in your passport to earn prizes (including a classic RIBG beanie). The app also includes weekly deals, events, and a social element to help you connect with other beer fans.
From trivia and charcuterie to pizza, food trucks, comedy shows, and live music, there’s a whole lot more to this celebration than beer. Grab your passport and start planning →
Looking for more? The Newport Beer Festival is April 19th and will have 45+ breweries and more than 100 beers to choose from at Fort Adams State Park →
😂 Enjoy laughing? This is for you
The inaugural Lil Rhody Laugh Riot comedy festival is going down March 27th to the 30th. This four-day humor extravaganza brings comedy royalty to our doorstep – Kevin Hart at PPAC, Leslie Jones and Chris Distefano at The VETS, and Aziz Ansari delivering his observational brilliance to name a few.
The festival strategically spreads across multiple venues throughout the city, creating a buzzing atmosphere beyond the shows themselves.
Check out the full line up and grab your tickets before it’s too late →
🏀 Like it or not, March Madness is comin’ in hot
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship is bringing its high-energy first and second rounds to Providence on March 20 and 22. Even though tickets are sold out, you can check out the NCAA Fan Experience or keep an eye on the ticket exchange if you’re interested in seeing it first hand.
Prefer to enjoy it somewhere else? The tournament buzz extends throughout the city with special viewing parties and game-day specials (we like What Cheer, Murphy’s, The Abbey, and Lucky Enough).
On top of that, families can experience the excitement at free open practices on March 19, where your littles may be able to snag player autographs in a more relaxed setting.
Practice schedules will appear here (click “Providence” then scroll down to “Open Practice Schedule” section) about a week before the event.
Wanna skip the traffic and chaos altogether? Skeff’s Pub in East Providence, PJ’s Pub, and Grid Iron Ale House are more off the beaten path.
📚 Your library card has secret super powers
Your library card might be the most underutilized tool in your wallet. Don’t have one? You should get one! Both CLPVD (online registration available) and PPL (in-person registration only) are free for residents.
Beyond free books (which is a huge win if we’re being honest), our libraries have evolved into community resource centers with benefits that make premium subscriptions jealous.
From documentaries and free online courses to audio books, eBooks, tv shows, movies, and music, your card gives you immediate access to a whole lot of stuff.
On top of that, you can check out free museum passes.
Most branches offer free programs for understanding the tech in your pocket, play groups, story time, teen hangouts, homework help, educational workshops, craft circles, scavenger hunts, free tax preparation, and more.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check out your neighborhood library, this is it.
CLPVD calendar → | PPL calendar →
🥗 A quick tip for healthier eats
Finding nutritious food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. The secret weapon? Establishing a rotation of healthy local spots for those "I can't even" days.
It’s not always easy to find places with transparent ingredients and balanced meals featuring actual vegetables. But when you find one, make a mental note, start a list in your notes app, or write it down on paper.
This way, you always have a go-to when you don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.
I started my own list a few weeks ago and let me tell you… it’s a whole lot easier to make smart choices amidst the chaos.
Top of my list? Plant City — it’s so tasty you’ll have to remind yourself it’s healthy.
🧩 Extra fun & games
This week’s word search features the most fun, unique, or Providence-esque words from this edition.
See ya Friday (with a fresh batch of 20+ things going on next week)!
P.S. Know of any good things around Providence we should share or want to ask a question? Feel free to reply (or email us) any time.