The Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc. enjoys the partnership of numerous organizations all working to protect, support and enhance our communities and region. In the following section, we list just a sampling of their activities and events taking place during the coming month.
April 17 - Twin River Casino Event Center
The Beach Boys
You can capsulize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they've had and how many millions of albums they've sold. But these conventional measurements fall short when you're assessing the impact of The Beach Boys.
For more information, visit the web page:
April 18 - Hearthside House
Downton Abbey - style Dinner Party
Hearthside will host a Downton Abbey Dinner Party and you're invited to this elegant event that is inspired by the TV series. Both the setting and the meal will be opulent, certainly meeting the standards of the Crawleys to enjoy on this side of the pond.
Reservations for the Downton Dinner Party may be made by calling Hearthside at
401-726-0597. Seating is limited.
April 18 - Bay State Trail Riders Association and
Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation
Trail Work Day
Douglas State Forest
Bay State Trail Riders Association and the MA Department of Conservation & Recreation will be partnering up to start improvements to part of Ridge Trail. Work will consist of cutting and brushing back. Each person's work that day will go towards the match of a grant BSTRA received. Please wear appropriate clothing for working in the woods, including sturdy shoes and wear gloves. Check-in is 8:30 a.m., trail work begins at 9:00 a.m and continues until 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be served upon completion.
Location: Wallis Street Trailhead parking lot.
Closest house number to parking lot is 124 Wallis Street, Douglas, MA
April 18 - Wintertime Farmers Market
Visit Hope Artiste Village every Saturday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. through May 9 for local products. Don't forget to bring your recycling, and drop off your clean egg cartons for farmers to reuse.
Location: Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street., Pawtucket, RI
For more information, visit the web page:
April 18 - Blackstone River Theatre
The Mairtin O'Connor Trio
The MáirtÃn O'Connor band has been steadily evolving into a cohesive musical entity. Individually recognized figureheads of the tradition, they have built solid reputations as master musicians with astounding skill, diversity and virtuosity. Together they produce a vibrant and musically charged experience that redefines one's concept of brilliance, verging on perfection.
Location: Blackstone River Theatre, 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI
April 18 - Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone (BRWC/FOB)
Earth Day for the BRWC/FOB
General clean-up along the Blackstone River Bikeway and the nearby riverbanks. This will also be the first stage of this year's knotweed control effort at Sycamore Landing.
Clean-up begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 12 p.m. or later.
Location: Friends of the Blackstone Environmental Center,
100 New River Road, Manville, RI
April 18-19 - Twin River Casino Events Center
Annual Southern New England Women's Expo
"Love is Life" Tour
Seminars, fashion shows, beauty pavilion, cooking demos, wine tastings, book signings, live entertainment, shopping.
April 19 - Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA)
Earth Day Cleanup
Support the BRWA's efforts to clean up the Blackstone River Watershed. Join their annual Earth Day event!
Once again, the BRWA will be asking scouts, church groups, families, and local businesses to support the BRWA's efforts to clean up the Blackstone River Watershed. Last year there were more than 200 people assisting in seven towns throughout the watershed!
April 20 - Leicester Historical Society
Wayne Tuskulis on Antiques & Appraisals
Join the Leicester Historical Society in welcoming Mr. Wayne Tuskulis.
He will be discussing antiques and will appraise an item for you.
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: 40 Winslow Avenue, Leicester, MA.
Handicap accessible and free parking are available.
April 24 - Slater Mill
Mills & Mysteries - A Ghostly Experience
Now in its fifth season, Slater Mill's Ghost Hunts are paranormal investigations of what is considered to be one of the most haunted places in New England.
Renowned paranormal investigators Carl L. Johnson, his twin bother Keith E. Johnson, and their associates, present a unique investigation of Slater Mill's historic structures after dark. Slater Mill's haunted past attracted the attention of the T.A.P.S. crew, which featured the mill on an episode of the Sci-Fi Channel show "Ghost Hunters" in 2008.
For more information, visit the web page:
April 25 - Bay State Trail Riders Association
MA DCR Park Serve Day
Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT)
Bay State Trail Riders Association and Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation will be partnering up again this year to celebrate Park Serve Day by cleaning up the SNETT. Work will consist of cutting and brushing back along the trail. Every person's work that day will go towards the match of a grant that BSTRA received.
Please wear appropriate clothing for working in the woods, including sturdy shoes and wear gloves. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m., trail work begins at 9:00 a.m. and continues until 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be served upon completion. Rain date is April 26.
Location: Southern New England Trunkline Trail crossing on Monroe Street.
Use street address 122 Monroe Street, Douglas, MA on GPS.
April 25 - Wintertime Farmers Market
Visit Hope Artiste Village every Saturday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. through May 9 for local products. Don't forget to bring your recycling, and drop off your clean egg cartons for farmers to reuse.
For more information, visit the web page:
April 25 - Mass Audubon 
Statewide Volunteer Day
Enjoy getting outdoors, re-connecting with nature, and helping one of our wildlife sanctuaries tackle their spring "to do" list. We'll have a variety of volunteer projects at 16 sites across Massachusetts.
Join our corps of volunteers and find out where you can volunteer and how you can make a difference in just one morning.
For more information, visit the web page:
April 25 - Rhode Island Historic Preservation Conference
"Sticks & Stones"
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC)
presents the Annual Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in different communities around the state. This year's statewide preservation conference, "Sticks and Stones", examines historic rural landscapes and the long-term impact of changes on the land. The event gets underway at St. Eugene's Church in historic Chepachet Village with a keynote speech on the geology and cultural history of New England's stone walls. The speech is followed by 10 workshops, 6 films, and 11 bus and walking tours of historic places around Rhode Island's northwest corner, including farms and forests, mid-century modern residences, and village centers from Harrisville to North Scituate. Starts at 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. $40 includes all activities, plus morning coffee, lunch, closing reception.
April 25 - Slater Mill's Stone Soup Coffeehouse
Featuring Ronnie Cox
For more information, visit the web page:
April 25 - Friends of Upton State Forest (FUSF)
MA Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR)
Park Serve Day
Many hands make light work so please join us for the annual MA DCR spring work party.
Youth over 12 are welcome with a parent's signature. Youth groups are required to pre-register. Contact us for registration forms. Bring tools such as rakes, shovels and loppers. No power tools. Dress for work and the weather. Don't forget gloves, insect repellent and sunscreen. Water will be provided.
Location: Meet at the Headquarters Building at Upton State Forest near the intersection of Westborough and Southborough Roads in Upton, MA.
(GPS 205 Westboro Rd, Upton, MA).
For more information about Park Serve Day visit the web page:
April 25 - Blackstone River Theatre
Burning Bridget Cleary
Known for their captivating sound and engaging stage presence, Burning Bridget Cleary is currently one of the hottest young acts on the Celtic and folk music circuits with a reputation for presenting high-spirited Celtic music.
Location: Blackstone River Theatre
549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI
For more information, visit the web page:
April 25 - Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket
Pawtucket/Central Falls Earth Day Clean-up:
Pride in Our Three Rivers
Help show neighborhood pride with clean-ups in both Central Falls and
Pawtucket and along the rivers for a spring start after a rugged winter.
Clean-up starts at 9 a.m. and will continue until 12 p.m.
Location: Galego Court, 483 Weeden Avenue and Calcutt High School, Central Falls, RI
April 29 - Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
Lunch & Learn - The Year of the Fiduciary
As the government continues to focus more and more on the retirement plan market place, what does this mean for you as an employer running a benefits package? We will discuss the increased regulations, how it affects your day to day responsibilities and how to protect yourself and your business.
For more information, visit the web page:
April 29 - Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary 
Dance of the Woodcock
Love is in the air as the sun sets in early spring and the male American woodcock performs his aerial mating display. We will visit breeding grounds at the sanctuary to view the performance of this spring ritual. As sunset nears, you can hear the male woodcock's peent before he spirals 300 feet up into the night sky. Open to ages 8 and up.
Location: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester, MA.
Adults: $5 members, $7 non-members
Children: $3 members, $5 non-members
April 30 - Captain Planet Foundation
Grant Application Deadline
The Captain Planet Foundation is accepting applications from schools and nonprofit organizations for its Ecotech Grant program, a new initiative to support projects that motivate children through the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields while challenging them to reimagine the way their world can be.
Sixteen grants of $2,500 each will be awarded to schools and nonprofit organizations in support of projects that use innovation, nature-based design, or technology to address local environmental problems. Ideal projects will integrate environmental education with opportunities for children to solve real-world problems by using science practices and technology to help care for the environment. Preference will be given to applicants who have secured $2,500 in matching funds or in-kind contributions. In addition, priority will be given to student-directed projects that provide materials that make the project easy to replicate, including lesson plans, protocols, videos, adaptations, and examples of student work.
For more information, visit the web page:
May 1 - The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA)
Service and Volunteerism Awards
The MSA is currently seeking nominations for the 2015 Massachusetts Service and Volunteerism Awards.
The MSA invites you to nominate an outstanding Blackstone Heritage Corridor individual in either of two categories: Getting Things Done, and Lifetime Achievement. Alternatively, you may nominate a nonprofit organization or business for the Higher Ed/Community Service Partnership, Service-Learning Partnership, Corporate Partnership, or Nonprofit Volunteer Program Award.
MSA will pay tribute to the winners during a special Awards Luncheon Ceremony at the 2015 Massachusetts Conference on Service and Volunteering on Monday, June 1st at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel.
For more information, visit the web page:
volunteers, and invite new volunteers to experience the unique opportunities that the Blackstone Heritage Corridor's Volunteers In Parks program has to offer!
