Happy Birthday! Rhode Island Historical Society & Worcester, MA

Last weekend, I attended birthday celebrations for Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) and the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.

As a Smithsonian Affiliate and member of the New England Museum Association, RIHS is celebrating the 200th anniversary of their founding throughout the this year with parties themed in 50 year intervals. The 1872 Jubilee Birthday Party was held on June 11 at the John Brown House in Providence, RI and was the second in the series. The event was free and open to the public. Kevin Doyle's Roscommon Soles provided live music. Named for a county in Ireland, the four-person group combined traditional Irish music on flute, guitar, uilleann pipes, and bodhrán with intricate tap dance. Doyle is an award-winning dancer who has been recognized by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and National Heritage Fellowship, and his skilled steps brought extra energy to the performance.

Another highlight of the celebration was scoops of historically-inspired ice creams and tasty cake. Four local shops participated in the tasting. Clementine's Homemade Ice Cream of East Greenwich, RI provided their own take on Rocky Road, a chocolate based ice cream with whole almonds and mini marshmallows. Three Sisters of Providence served up an authentic cinnamon, molasses, and corn flavor that would pair perfectly with pumpkin pie. Like No Udder, also of Providence, scooped samples of their vegan peach-coconut ice cream. My personally favorite was the maple walnut flavor of The Wright Scoop, whose usual method of sale are a pair of streamline trailers beside Wright's Dairy Farm & Bakery in North Smithfield, RI and Blount Clam Shack in Warren, RI.

No 19th century celebration would be complete without lawn games. RIHS provided the wooden toys familiar to anyone who has visited Old Sturbridge Village or Colonial Williamsburg, including hoop rolling and "game of graces", where two or more players pass a small wooden hoop using wooden rods. For those who preferred creepy-crawlies to games, Roger Williams Park Zoo brought several species to the party, including tarantulas.

Inside the John Brown House, RIHS debuted their new exhibit "The Gaspee Legacy: Resistance or Treason?", which contains artifacts and signage on the Gaspee Affair of 1772. When the HMS Gaspee ran aground near Newport, RI, colonists led by John Brown took the opportunity to destroy the ship in protest the British Empires ongoing Acts of Trade and Navigation.

The party was a relaxing afternoon event for people of all ages. Between the music, games, and history, RIHS provided an activity to interest every member of the family.

My second birthday celebration of the weekend was the Worcester Tercentennial, or the three hundredth birthday of Worcester. The city provided entertainment throughout the long weekend, beginning with a Canal District Stroll and Fireworks on Friday; a road race, parade, and street festival on Saturday; and culminating with a Worcester Bravehearts baseball game and concert at the DCU center featuring the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra.

I attended the Pops concert, a free event held at the DCU Center, formerly known as the Worcester Centrum. The "Official Program Book" of the weekend featured a message from the mayor and city manager with highlights from Worcester's history. Some of my favorite moments include:

• The first Women's Suffrage Convention held at Mechanics Hall in 1850, featuring the leadership of my favorite suffragist, Abby Kelley Foster.
• The first modern rocket built by Robert Goddard at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), then part of Clark University, and launched in nearby Auburn, MA.
• The Smiley Face was designed by lifelong Worcester resident Harvey Ball.

The Boston Pops are also a major part of Massachusetts history. According to the Official Program Book, the orchestra was created as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and acquired the name "Pops" in 1900. The orchestra has had only seventeen conductors, with the longest tenure by Arthur Fiedler, who held the position from 1930 to 1979. Other notable conductors include John Williams, the most-nominated living person in Academy Award history, and current conductor Keith Lockhart, who has led the orchestra throughout my life.

The guest conductor for the Worcester Tercentennial concert was Damon Gupton. A masterful entertainer, Gupton regaled the crowd with even more historical facts about Worcester and witty humor. The concert featured songs written by American composer Cole Porter, who attended Worcester Academy beginning in 1905. It also featured classic John Williams songs like "Olympic Fanfare", "Flying Theme" from E.T., and the theme from Jaws. The concert concluded with American singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, a singer who debuted in the early 1990s but remains popular due to his wide vocal range.

The concert was a fun opportunity to bring together Worcester County residents in celebration of their city. The free tickets and parking made the event highly accessible. If only Worcester could turn 300 every year so we could do it all over again.