in America’ s oldest lending library and the meeting place for the Colonial legislature( the Colony House!). Come for the culture, stay for the vibe. pudding stonemusic. org
FUN EVENT VENUE
The Event Factory Event venues can be tough to find in Rhode Island unless it’ s for a wedding. Thankfully, the Event Factory has everything you need to host a memorable moment like a birthday party, shower, or food- or drink-related event. The space is equipped with a large stage for presentations and live music, large bars in the front and back and several private rooms for smaller affairs. It also provides on-site catering for the complete package. Test it out on a Freestyle Friday or Beats and Brunch with live music. 144 Metro Center Blvd., Warwick, 384-7921, theeventfactoryri. com
CREATIVE COCKTAIL POP-UPS
Machines with Magnets In addition to serving as a music venue, this spot is also a playground for local mixologists to test out their own bar concepts. From Michael Silva of BĀS and Parker Luthman of Play it Cool, MWM gives bartenders the liberty of making the space their own for a night using decor, music and lighting, while serving up specially crafted cocktails that align with the vision and brand for their own bar. 400 Main St., Pawtucket, 753-4049, machineswithmagnets. com
VINEYARD ESCAPE
Gooseneck Vineyards Stop in at Gooseneck’ s new digs inside a historic barn in North Kingstown on your way to or from the beach. The tasting room pays tribute to its previous life as a horse barn with oval stalls converted into cubbies, a beautiful bar and cozy nooks for friends to gather. The outdoor patio has lots of seating and a little trailer for drinks and bites. Try the bottles it produces using grapes from European and West Coast wine regions, including Rhody Red from Portugal and the rose from France. Special events include charcuterie workshops and chef dinners while we wait for the vines to produce enough fruit for their own wines. 1340 Tower Hill Rd., North Kingstown, 229-9862, gooseneckvineyards. com
HOLLYWOOD HYPE
IN LITTLE RHODY
Rhode Island Film & Television Office It’ s high time we acknowledge how many films and television shows the Rhode Island Film & Television Office has recruited in the form of traveling camera crews scouting locations and famous actors praising our local businesses. From Hocus Pocus 2 and Ella McCay to“ The Gilded Age” and“ The Real Housewives of Rhode Island,” this team, led by Executive Director Steven Feinberg, has brought glitz and glamour, hundreds of jobs and an economic boost to Little Rhody. film. ri. gov
FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY
Verdi Productions We all know you gotta know a guy in Rhode Island, and it turns out Chad A. Verdi of Verdi Productions knows more than a few. From teaming up with Martin Scorsese on several films, including The Irishman starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, and the upcoming Carthage Must Be Destroyed with Leonardo DiCaprio, to filming Bleed for This, the Vinny Paz story starring Miles Teller, Verdi has proven Rhode Island punches way above its weight in the film scene, coming up victorious every time. verdifilms. com
COLLABORATIVE ART GALLERY
Angell Street Galleries Housed in an old dental office, Angell Street Galleries is democratizing art in a novel way: At each show’ s opening, founder Tom Petrosino picks two artists at random to show their work in an upcoming exhibit. The newly renovated space has seven“ micro galleries” fashioned from old dental examination rooms. Its spring / summer exhibit featured mixed-media works by John Trainor, abstract paintings by S. W. Dinge and black and white photography and intaglios by Vienna Gambol. Open up and say“ ahhht.” 324 Angell St., Providence, 263-4104, angellstreet galleries. com
CHILD’ S PLAY
The best businesses and spots for playdates and birthday parties.
Caregivers can feel like a clown in a juggling act when it comes to planning playdates, fun activities and birthday parties in between day-to-day responsibilities like work, school and sports. Outsource the job to one of these fun places, including the kids’ party headquarters The Luxe Lemon and Slime Bar in East Greenwich, where kids can sip frozen lemonade and craft their own slime( complete with glitter, sparkles and scents!). Hire The Sparkle Spa to come to you in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts in a party bus that provides DIY lip gloss supplies, pampering props and mini mocktails bedecked with cotton candy, followed by an LED karaoke dance party. Meanwhile, adults can escape for a few hours by hitting up the Play Town in Bristol for drop-in child care hours that are filled with fun activities for kids. Or schedule a playdate with a friend and head to Smithfield’ s The Sensory Play Place, which hosts open play sessions, classes and activities that encourage imagination and develop fine motor and social skills. It takes a village. The Luxe Lemon and Slime Bar, 187 Main St., East Greenwich, instagram. com / theluxelemon andslimebar; The Sparkle Spa, 345-1205, thesparklespari. com; Play Town, 433 Hope St., Bristol, 203-3004, playtownri. com; The Sensory Play Place, 115 Pleasant View Ave., Smithfield, 203-3157, sensoryplayplace. com
94 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY I AUGUST 2025