We’re not fooling! April is packed with great things to do on the South Coast — and not just gobbling down that delicious cinnamon roll from Ella’s Wood Burning Oven Restaurant (though that’s high on the list!). Welcome to our monthly 8 Great Things List for the South Coast, listed in order of their dates….
1. Work Hard, Work Hard
It’s time for spring cleaning! That goes for outside, too. The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust gives us many opportunities this month to give back and help clean up their various properties to maximize enjoyment for all in the coming months. They’ll be cleaning up the following places: Wernick Farm (April 2); Smith Farm (April 11); Destruction Brooks Farm (April 16); Shingle Island and Faunce Reserves (April 22); and Allen’s Mill (April 25). There’s gotta be a date and place that works for you. Get outside, breathe the fresh air and feel good about helping the community. See here for more information.
2. A Quarter Century Ride
Get your bike tuned (we recommend Velofix Southcoast who comes straight to your door!) and hit the roads with the Appalachian Mountain Club. They’re doing a 25 mile loop through cranberry bogs, lakes, ponds and country roads in Rochester, Lakeville, and Freetown. April 6, 9 am start. You have to preregister — information to do that is here.
3. Hell on Wheels!
Mass Attack Roller Derby is back in action this month. In honor of their season opener, we’ve reprinted our 2017 story featuring Emily Nolan, one of its team members — you can check that story out right here. Then head on over to Fairhaven on April 6 to see them in action. $10. Saturday, April 6, doors open at 5:15 first whistle at 6:20. Carousel Family Fun Center, 4 David Drown Blvd., Fairhaven. Tickets can be purchased here.
4. Ending Racism in an Hour (!)
We’d say a a comedic, topical exploration of racism in America is super important. We’d also say that the revival of the New Bedford Lyceum (which brought such luminaries as Frederick Douglass, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charles Dickens, and Abraham Lincoln to New Bedford in the 19th century) is a worthwhile endeavor. Support both by attending an evening with Emmy-nominated comedian W. Kamau Bell, host of CNN’s United Shades of Color, presented by the New Bedford Lyceum. April 6, 8 pm. The Zeiterion Theater, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford. Tickets from $25. See more here.
5. A Secret for the Year Round Folks
Pssst. When the summer people are away, Ella’s Wood Burning Oven Restaurant opens its doors on Sunday mornings for a delicious brunch. You’ve got two more months to take advantage of this! There’s everything from classic breakfast loves like omelettes and buttermilk pancakes to inventive takes on brunch like smoked prime rib red flannel hash and kimchi fried rice. Get in there! 3136 Cranberry Highway, Wareham. Sundays in April (and May too!) See the brunch menu here. (Did we mention they make the cinnamon rolls in house?!)
6. Killin’ it at the Kilburn
You know how you get kids to be more open-minded about eating their vegetables by mixing veggies in with other things? (Mac & cheese was what we used in our household as the vegetable delivery system). Sort of in that same vein, the New Bedford Symphony is reaching out to broaden their audience by hosting an innovative Symphony on Tap. Here’s what’s you can expect:
• free munchies before & free desserts after the concert;
• cash bar open all night with craft beers, signature cocktails and fine wines;
• 60 minutes of live music by 61 musicians;
• in the hottest new venue in New Bedford, the Kilburn Mill, with killer views of the harbor.
No stage, no seats, no rules — just fun! All this for just $10 (Way, way, WAY better than broccoli in your macaroni and cheese!) April 13 at 7 pm, Kilburn Mill at Clarks Cove, 127 W. Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford. Tickets may be purchased here.
7. Get Cooking
We’ve been enjoying Jean Lanahan’s cooking classes on Wareham community television and picking up lots of tips there (watch an episode here). Learn with Jean in person before her cooking series takes a hiatus for her busy summer season at East Wind Lobster & Grille. This month, her class features seasonal soups (cream of vegetable soup, wedding soup and seafood stew). $50 (includes dinner, adult beverages and additional soup to take home), April 17, 7:15 to 9:15. East Wind Lobster & Grille, 2 Main Street, Buzzards Bay. Call Chef Jean at 508-759-1857 to register and pay by phone. (Note: her April 11 class is already sold out, so don’t dally!) See more here.
8. ArtWeek!
Local volunteers have been planning a wonderful array of events to take part in the Commonwealth’s ArtWeek (although there’s so many events, it’s actually 2 weeks!!) Visit the Marion Arts Center for everything from Irish Step Dancing to visual arts, from poetry duels to live music and theater. An amazing line-up of cool and exciting things to do, check it all out here!
Wanna keep up with the coolest happenings each month on the South Coast?! Sign up for our free monthly newsletter right here!
We’re getting ready to send our May issue to the printer. It’s popping with great content (a Tiverton farmhouse that flirts with industrial style, the sport of Azorean whaleboating and the people behind it, behind-the-scenes with local dairy and oyster farmers, a fashion shoot in Padanaram Harbor, and lots more). If you want a copy delivered to your door with things you won’t see online, subscribe right here!
Or just spread the word about South Coast Almanac by sharing this post with your friends on facebook, twitter or by email.