Above: The view from Scalloptown Park, May 1, 2022. Credit: Ron Tibbetts

If you have an event you want to share, send it to [email protected].

Monday, May 2

Blood Drive – The Town of East Greenwich is hosting a blood drive at Swift Community Center, 121 Peirce St., from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Appointments preferred; walk-in donors will be taken if there is time. You can make an appointment at www.ribc.org/drives. Use the sponsor code 0474. Donation tips: make sure you drink plenty of water beforehand (makes it easier to find a vein!) and eat something before donating. Bring identification. Masks optional. 

Tuesday, May 3

School Committee meeting – The panel will be considering a memorandum of understanding with the town outlining ongoing responsibilities for maintenance of the artificial turf field at the high school, then turning to how to the turf’s replacement this summer – something already approved by the Town Council with the hope the School Committee will pony up half the $780,000 cost. They will also be reviewing contract renewals for Director of Administration Maggie Baker, Director of Student Services Lisa Hughes, Director of Facilities Bob Wilmarth, and Network Systems Director Chris Scheib. They meet at Cole Middle School in the library at 7 p.m. – find a Zoom link HERE. 

East Greenwich Art Club meeting – A panel of three talented individuals – Sarah Hale Folger, Susan Brescia, and Luke Labriola – will play their music and show some of their visual art creations. They will discuss how they became both musicians and artists. The meeting is free, and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. At the East Greenwich United Methodist Church, 1558 South County Trail, at 7p.m. For more information contact the club at: [email protected] or at the website: www.eastgreenwichartclub.org.

Wednesday, May 4

Cole Middle School Art & Music Night – The event will feature artwork and murals as well as music performances. Free and open to all. From 6 to 8 p.m. 

Thursday, May 5

Active EG Transportation Meeting – Active EG is an informal group interested in supporting walking and biking around East Greenwich (join their Facebook page HERE). If you are interested in active transportation, have thoughts about where there are safety issues or want to be able to bike to a certain spot, help brainstorm priorities and solutions. At the EG Free Library on Peirce Street at 6 p.m. Join Active EG on Facebook or attend the workshop.

Town Council Budget Hearing – Town Manager Andy Nota released his budget for the town (including the school appropriation) last Friday. This will be a formal hearing on the budget. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Town Hall at 7 p.m. Find the agenda (including the Zoom link) HERE. 

Saturday, May 7

May Breakfast – The First Baptist Church’s annual May Breakfast will be takeout only this year, but that still means a delicious meal – including their famous Johnny cakes! Tickets are $10; order a May Basket for an additional $5. From 8 to 11 a.m. at 30 Peirce St. To reserve tickets or if you have any questions, contact Randy Yorston ([email protected]).

Cindy-Wood Plant Sale – Everything’s coming up roses and lots of other blooms at the annual Cindy-Wood Garden Club plant sale from 9 am to noon, is in the parking lot at St. Luke’s Church, 99 Peirce Street. Come early for bargain prices on small trees, shrubs, perennials, succulents, herbs and Mother’s Day gift arrangements. Gently used garden tools, decorative planters and accessories will be available, all donated or culled from our member’s gardens. The annual sale goes from 9 to noon, in the parking lot of St. Luke’s Church. 

Slave Medallion Installation Ceremony – R.I. Slave History Medallions will be installing a slave history medallion at Rocky Hill Country Day School, 530 Ives Rd. The medallion project is a statewide public awareness program committed to mark historic sites connected to the history of slavery in Rhode Island. There will be a land acknowledgement, guest speakers, Indigenous Indian dancers, African drummers, stories from the Rocky Hill’s Junior Historians and much more. From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Neighborhood Clean Up – The Hill & Harbour Neighborhood Association (HHNA) is hosting a cleanup. Meet at Academy Field at 1 p.m. Bags provided. 

Looking Ahead

Monday, May 9

Town Council meeting – The Town Council will continue discussing the FY2023 budget, this time with all the department heads, as well as the head of the EG Free Library, in attendance. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Town Hall at 7 p.m. The agenda (including the Zoom link) has not yet been released – we will add it when it becomes available. 

Thursday, May 12

Community Services & Parks Master Plan Workshop – The Town of East Greenwich is holding a public workshop on its Community Services & Parks Master Plan and residents are encouraged to attend. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Swift Community Center. Read more HERE.

Saturday, May 14

Town Clean Up! – The Town of East Greenwich is excited to announce that we are partnering with the Hill & Harbor Neighborhood Association and the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce in organizing a town wide cleanup.. Meet at Academy Field or Frenchtown School at 10 to grab a bag, gloves and direction on what route you’ll be heading out to. After our clean up we will all meet at Academy Field at noon to celebrate our work with hot dogs and refreshments. Registration for this event is suggested, please visit EGRecreation.recdesk.com or call 401-886-8626 Ext. 2 for more information.  

URI Master Gardener Program plant sale – The University of Rhode Island Master Gardener Program will hold its annual spring plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon in the URI Botanical Gardens on the Kingston Campus. This will be the first in-person public event the URI Cooperative Extension has hosted since 2019. The event will be held rain or shine. Over 6,000 plants will be available for sale, all raised primarily from seed in the greenhouses at URI’s East Farm in Kingston by volunteers. Plants will include herbs, annuals, perennials and vegetable seedlings, including Juliet tomatoes, which were voted the 2022 Master Gardener Program plant of the year for its disease resistance and prolific production. Plants range in price from $4 to $12 each, and the revenue generated enables the program to host its free soil pH testing service, a gardening and environmental hotline. More information is available at the event webpage.

Sunday, May 15

Plant Swap – The Hill & Harbour Neighborhood Association is holding its fourth annual plant swap at Academy Field along Rector Street at 10 a.m. Rumor has it, there will be a lot of dahlia tubers available, among lots of other beautiful perennials and some annuals too.

Monday, May 16

Joint Town Council-School Committee meeting – The two panels will be discussing the FY 2023 budget. 

Thursday, May 19

Arts on Main Stroll & Chalk the Block – The first of the EG Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Main Street Strolls. Artists will line Main Street, along with a bit of live music. Over by Town Hall, the annual chalk art competition takes place next. More details to come. 5 p.m. Sign up for Chalk the Block HERE. 

Saturday, May 21

Community Yard Sale – The Hill & Harbour Neighborhood Association (HHNA)’s annual community-wide yard sale, with dozens of houses holding sales and additional vendors at Academy Field. From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Follow HHNA’s Facebook page for more information.)