January 1

Discover Newport Presents:
Newport Polar Bear Plunge

175 Memorial Boulevard
Newport, RI
401-846-0028
discovernewport.org

Celebrate the New Year with a plunge into the waters at Easton’s Beach at 12-Noon. Every New Year's Day for charity the Newport Polar Bears invite anyone crazy enough to join them for a swim in the Frosty North Atlantic Ocean. The charity this year is as last year, A Wish Come True. All proceeds from the swim and at the after swim party at the Atlantic Beach Club at the east end of Easton's Beach.

January 6, 13, 20, 27

ICCNE Presents:
Set Dancing with Cait Bracken

Irish Cultural Centre of New England
200 New Boston Drive, Canton
7:30-9:30 pm |
$5 donation at the door | Adults (16 & up)
781 821-8291
irishculture.org

Every Monday throughout the year (except Holidays), the ICC presents set dancing with Cait Bracken from 7:30-9:30pm. Set dancing is a form of social dancing which has been popular in Ireland for over 150 years. Sets are danced by four couples in a square.  No previous dancing experience or partner required! No registration required for this class.

January 10 - March 27

Boston Harbor Hotel Presents: Boston Wine Festival

Boston Harbor Hotel
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston
888-660-WINE or 617-330-9355
bhh.com | bostonwinefestival.net

The Boston Wine Festival is surely one of Boston’s finest winter traditions. Now in its 31st year, the festival is led by founder and master chef Daniel Bruce of the hotel’s Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar, known for its excellence in wine and food pairings. The festival features an all-star line up of wine makers from some of the world’s best wineries, plus top chefs and sommeliers. Activities range from walk-around receptions, featuring over 40 wines of a particular theme along with food buffets and dishes created by Chef Bruce; to intimate, four-course dinners hosted by winemakers or winery owners. The Boston Harbor Hotel offers special overnight stay packages for festival guests.

January 11

Blackstone River Theatre Presents:
Fellswater

Blackstone River Theatre
549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI
8:00 p.m. | $16 advance, $20 night of show
riverfolk.org

Fellswater is Boston’s dynamic Celtic music ensemble. The ensemble plays a wide range of music from Traditional to modern compositions that draws from the heritage of all the Celtic nations, especially Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Canada. Instrumentation includes vocals, whistle, Irish flute, guitar, octave mandolin, violin, cello, Celtic harp, Scottish smallpipes, border pipes, acoustic bass guitar and percussion.

January 18

Blackstone River Theatre Presents:
Windborne

Blackstone River Theatre
549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI
7:00 p.m. | riverfolk.org

Expect stunningly, powerful vocal harmonies from Windborne's Lynn Mahoney Rowan, Will Thomas Rowan, Lauren Breunig, and Jeremy Carter-Gordon as they share a vibrant onstage energy– their connection to each other and to the music clearly evident. They educate as they entertain, telling stories about the music and explaining the characteristics and stylistic elements of the traditions in which they sing.
“Vocal virtuosity such as you rarely see on any folk stage” –Watford Folk.

January 19

ICCNE Presents:
Adam Agee and Jon Sousa

Irish Cultural Centre of New England
200 New Boston Drive, Canton
2:00 pm | 781 821-8291
irishculture.org

"When it comes to the traditional Irish music genre, the names of Boulder-based Adam Agee and Jon Sousa are being echoed from Denver to Dublin. Having performed on stage with Irish music icons including Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Robbie O’Connell, and John Doyle, the duo has been getting the attention they deserve. Their dedication and joy given to the tradition is abundantly evident, whether they are performing on stage or teaching their art to students of music." - Pat McCullough, Celtic Events & Entertainment

January 20

JFK Library Celebrate!
Benkadi Drum and Dance

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Columbia Point, Boston
10:30-11:30 am | Free Performances For Children Ages 5 and Up
Reservations: 617 514-1644
jfklibrary.org

The multicultural Benkadi Drum and Dance group returns to perform new dances showcasing traditional West African rhythms and movements. With vivid costumes, interpretive dance, and audience participation, folktales come to life before your eyes!
Reservations are required for all visitors to this free program.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers - - direct from Scotland

The Cabot
286 Cabot St., Beverly
8:00 p.m. | 866-811-4111 | Tickets starting at: $29.50
TheCabot.org | Buy Tickets Here

Bagpipes with attitude. Drums with a Scottish accent. A blazing rock band and show so hot, it carries its own health warning! It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock. AC/DC meets the poet Robert Burns. Where rock anthems sit comfortably alongside the great tunes from the glens and the mountains of Scotland. A 9-piece ensemble consisting of pipers, guitarists, keyboards, and drummers -- who have been rocking the world from New York to Beijing to Melbourne and everywhere in between with musicianship of the highest order and a passion for pipes that will leave you breathless. Catch them live at The Cabot on January 25th!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW WINNER OF FREE TIX!

January 25

Blackstone River Theatre Presents:
Yacouba Diabate / Chris Monti Trio

Blackstone River Theatre
549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI
riverfolk.org

Yacouba Diabate is a master Kora player born in Burkina Faso, West Africa. His family, the Griot family, is well-known as musicians and as a young adult, Yacouba studied the Kora in Mali with renown Kora master, Toumani Diabate. Yacouba has performed for several world leaders at the United Nations in New York City. He made an incredible impression at last year's Blackstone River Theatre debut. The Chris Monti Band features bassist Theo Regan and drummer Michael Lewis and they'll play West African Music and West African-inspired songs. Chris learned many of these songs playing in the Double Decker Dance Band from band leader, singer, guitarist, Joe Paye, of Liberia. 

January 25

JFK Library Celebrate! Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academ:
The Lion Dance

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Columbia Point, Boston
10:30-11:30 am | Free Performances For Children Ages 5 and Up
Reservations: 617 514-1644 | jfklibrary.org

Enjoy a traditional Chinese lion dance ceremony dating back more than a thousand years. As a guardian creature coming from the mountains to drive away evil spirits, the lion is believed to bring positive and celebratory energy, and give blessings, good fortunes, happiness, success, and prosperity to all.
Reservations are required for all visitors to this free program.