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8 Ways to Spend the First Weekend of Spring

East Side Monthly Magazine ·

Friday, March 24- Friday, March 25

Get ready, college hockey fans, the Dunkin Donuts Center will be hosting the NCAA 2017 Division 1 Hockey East Regional. Grab your trusty foam finger and head to the ice for some of the best hockey this side of the NHL. 1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700.

Imagine 80 classic arcade games. Plenty of pinball machines. Oh, yea, there’s also booze. How could your night get any better? Hit up AR2: Arcade Revival 2, which will bring a collection of your favorite old school games out to play. The revival will be happening at the Colosseum, and the best part? It’s free play, so leave your quarters at home. 180 Pine Street, Providence.

Friday, March 24

It’s time to rock your Celtic socks off with the The Young Dubliners at the Greenwich Odeum. This group of Celtic rockers have opened for big name acts all over the country and now are headed to South County to headline a show of their own. Known as the hardest working band in Celtic rock, the band features a new show every time they perform and their nine albums makes sure they have plenty of material to draw from. 59 Main Street, East Greenwich. 885-4000.

Former The Voice contestant and Rhode Island’s own Sarah Potenza will hit The Met with Joshua Davis and Cowboy & Lady. The all-ages show will feature Sarah’s beautiful music, heartfelt lyrics and serious soul. Her new album, Monster, is a powerful, bluesy anthem of empowerment that will make you proud to say that she’s a Rhode Islander. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005.

Saturday, March 25:

In might be a week after St. Patrick’s Day, but the celebrations keep on running through the month. Sign up for the South County leg of the annual Guinness Tour de Patrick, a three-race series of 5ks that happens every March in Providence, Pawtucket and North Kingstown. The Shamrock Shuffle starts and finishes at North Kingstown High, and is a great way to run off all that green beer and Irish soda bread you had the weekend before. 150 Fairway Drive, North Kingstown. 952-6333.

Catch The Honey Dewdrops at the Stone Church Coffee House in Bristol for some good ‘ole folk and bluegrass tunes. The Baltimore-based duo consisting of Virginia natives Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish share their collective experiences of being on the open road in their fourth and latest album, Tangled Country. The married couple comes together with an unmatchable musical chemistry. Both share vocals and guitar, and their sound is complemented by each other’s unique skills, incorporating elements of harmonica, banjo and mandolin. Their live performances have earned descriptions like “evocative” and “mesmerizing.” The music from their latest project comes straight from personal experience and the heart. 300 High Street, Bristol. 253-4813.

Sunday, March 27

Sunday is the day for film lovers as The Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (MNFF) pulls into Providence. Aimed at promoting the creations of up and coming filmmakers, MNFF will showcase six films throughout the day at Avon Cinema including The Guys Next Door and Walk With Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith. Who knows-the next Spielberg could be right around the corner. 260 Thayer Street, Providence. 421-2866.

Calling all wine enthusiasts. Leave your passport at home and sample the wines of France without even leaving the state. Sponsored by Town Wines & Spirits, The Wines of France Feature Tasting at the Italo-American club gives Rhode Islanders the chance to taste of over 40 wines including dark Bordeaux reds, soft and crisp whites and plenty of other tantalizing tastes. C'est magnifique! 477 Broadway, Providence. 434-4563.

things to do this weekend, NCAA 2017 Division 1 Hockey East Regional, AR2: Arcade Revival 2, The Young Dubliners, Sarah Potenza, The Shamrock Shuffle, The Honey Dewdrops, Stone Church Coffee House, The Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, The Wines of France, Avon Cinema, best bets, calendar, things to do