OFF THE BLOCK

OFF THE BLOCK A preview of upcoming off-island events...

Spring plant sale Saturday at URI

The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society's (www.riwps.org) Spring Plant Sale will be held Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the University of Rhode Island Greenhouses on Flagg Rd., Kingston. This sale is unique because it features a wide variety of wildflowers and native shrubs not available in local nurseries. There will be plants available for every location, wet (bogs), dry, acid soils and shady areas. A silent auction of rare and collectible plants will take place at 10:30 a.m.

Cell phone recycling

Is your old cell phone collecting dust? Help The Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County by donating your old and unused cell phones. You will help maintain the vitality of this organization while getting rid unnecessary clutter. It is estimated that about 50 million cell phones are sitting in drawers and closets nationwide. Cell phones in any condition may be dropped off at the Domestic Violence Resource Center, 61 Main St., Wakefield. 782-3995.

Great Chowder Cook-off in Newport

Don't miss your chance to taste all kinds of chowda at the Great Chowder Cook-Off at the Newport Yachting Center (www.newportfestivals.com), Saturday, June 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $20 and free for children under 12 with an adult. Fine restaurants from all over the country and even globe come to this cook-off to prove their chowder skills! There will be live entertainment, a silent auction and craft marketplace.

Lead Hazard Mitigation classes offered

Most owners of pre-1978 rental properties are required by law to take a Lead Hazard Mitigation class. There will be two, three-hour classes Wednesday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to noon and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. as well as a 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. class Wednesday, June 28, at Gibbs College in Cranston. To register and get directions, contact the Childhood Lead Action Project at 785-1310, ext. 201 or visit www.leadsafekids.org.

Sunset cruise aboard Block Island ferry

Take a sunset cruise aboard the Block Island Ferry Wednesday, June 7, and have cocktails and hor d'oeuvres while networking with local chamber members and potential clients. Ferry leaves Pt. Judith at 5 p.m. and arrives on the island at 6 p.m. Hang out on the island for a few hours and then cruise back to Pt. Judith at 8 p.m. Registration is from 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the cost is $20.

Sea Music Festival at Mystic Seaport

The 27th annual Sea Music Festival will take place Thursday, June 8, through Sunday, June 11, at Mystic Seaport. Listen to storytellers, traditional African-American music, English folk music and performers from Bangladesh and Ireland. Musicians will perform aboard ships and on stage. There will also be evening concerts at Lighthouse Point at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets, call 860-572-5315 or visit www.mysticseaport.org. Also be sure to see the newest exhibit at the Museum of America and the Sea, "Black Hands, Blue Seas: The Maritime Heritage of African Americans."

Free lectures on environmental reporting

The Michael P. Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting (www.metcalfinstitute.org) is presenting a public lecture series Monday, June 12 to Friday, June 16, at the URI Narragansett Bay Campus Coastal Institute Auditorium. Monday: "Biological Invasions in the Sea: Science, History and Policy." Tuesday: "A World Without Sharks: Consequences of Global Loss of Ocean Predators." Wednesday: "The Shifting Landscape of Environmental Reporting." Thursday: "The Ocean's Role in the Future of the Planet." Friday: "Science in the Political Arena." All lectures take place at 3:30 p.m. except for Friday's, which is at 11 a.m. Free and open to the public.

Sunset Music Festival

The Newport Yachting Club will host the 9th annual Snapple Sunset Music Festival Thursday, June 22, through Sunday, July 3. Enjoy renowned musicians under the waterfront tent, raffles and a variety of exhibitors. For prices visit www.newportfestivals.com or call 846-1600. Hours will be from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night.