East Providence, Rhode Island businesses and organizations located or associated with “The Square” have planned a fun and informative day for young and old.
This year’s annual Watchemoket Square Day is set for Saturday, October 19, 2013 from 9:00am - 3:00pm. The day-long event is a celebration of Watchemoket Square’s past, present and future. Indoor and outdoor activities will take place on or near Warren Avenue (Rt. 6) in East Providence. The event is open to the public with plenty of free parking and no admission fee.
The event opens at 9:00am with the Watchemoket Square Day Parade stepping off from East Providence City Hall,145 Taunton Avenue and traveling on Taunton Avenue to South Broadway. It will turn right onto South Broadway until it reaches Warren Avenue. It will turn right again and travel on Warren Avenue (Rt. 6) down to Waterfront Drive and Tockwotton on the Waterfront. The parade ends at Hot Rides, Inc. located at 30 Veterans Memorial Drive, East Providence. Local schools, sports teams, organizations and businesses are invited to participate in the parade; which will also feature classic cars traveling to the Classic Car Show at Hot Rides at the end of the parade route. Contact Ken Andrade for information at 401.435.4444.
New This Year!
Several new features have been added to this year’s event itinerary. Free, boat ride tours along the East Providence waterfront are scheduled for the morning, and tours in the afternoon will be offered for a nominal charge. The tours are co-hosted by East Providence Yacht Club, Providence River Boats and East Providence Historical Society. The free tours are scheduled for 11:00am, 11:45pm and 12:30pm and will leave from the East Providence Yacht Club at 9 Pier Road. The tours will be narrated by East Providence city planner, Jeanne Boyle, with information about the City’s history, and the plans and projects for developing the City’s waterfront. Seating is very limited and reservations in advance are strongly suggested by contacting the East Providence Historical Society at 401.438.1750.
Afternoon boat ride tours will be conducted between 1:15pm and 3:00pm. There is a nominal fee of $10 per person for the 30-minute rides. Seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. The boats will depart from the East Providence Yacht Club, 9 Pier Road, East Providence.
Throughout the day, an exhibit about the history of Watchemoket Square will be on display at Tockwotton on the Waterfront, located at 500 Waterfront Drive. It is hosted by the East Providence Historical Society.
An exhibit about the vacant Odd Fellows Hall on Warren Avenue will be on display at the building. Last year, the City acquired ownership of the Hall, built in 1889, and they are considering a restoration of the property.
The East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Watchemoket Square Day Information Booth on the lawn of St. Mary’s Church. Souvenir T-shirts and sweatshirts will be available for sale; along with complimentary street maps and giveaways from area businesses.
Self-guided walking tours of the area, mapped out from previous Watchemoket Square Day tours, can be downloaded at www.ephs.org, or picked up at the Information Booth on the day of the event.
Food and Fun
There will be lots of fun activities for kids at Hot Rides, 30 Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Breakfast and lunch specials will be offered at the local establishments: Bridge View Cafe, The Watchemoket Tavern, The 133 Club and East Providence Yacht Club.
The popular, annual church bazaar at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
History of Watchemoket Square
Watchemoket Square (pronounced Watch-uh-Mocket or Watch-Moe-ket) began near Bold Point and was used by the Wampanoag Indians to cross the Seekonk River to what is now Providence. Watchemoket is an Indian word meaning the proximity of the river and the tidal marsh… with the feel and smell of the area.
In the early years of East Providence, which was then known as Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the site was the best place to cross the river. In 1793, John Brown of Providence built a bridge from Fox Point (Providence) to Bold Point. In 1885, an iron bridge was built which led to development in the area; including an inn followed by over one hundred businesses. By 1906, Watchemoket Square became the central business district of East Providence and covered approximately nine acres of land in the central section of the town.
For more information about the Third Annual Watchemoket Square Day, visit the Watchemoket Square Facebook page or their Web site: watchemoketsquareday.com or contact the East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce, 401.438.1212 www.eastprovchamber.com.
Schedule of Events
9:00am – 10:00am Watchemoket Square Day Parade, steps off from East Providence City Hall
9:00am – 3:00pm Annual Church Bazaar at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue
9:00am – 3:00pm Event Information Booth on lawn of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue
10:00am – 2:00pm Classic Car Show; music, food and more for kids and adults at Hot Rides, 31 Warren Avenue
11:00am, 11:45am and 12:30pm Free boat tours of the waterfront, narrated by East Providence city planner, Jeanne Boyle. Limited seating. Reservations required. Contact East Providence Historical Society at 401.438.1750
1:15pm – 3:00pm Thirty-minute boat rides along the East Providence waterfront. First come, first serve at East Providence Yacht Club, 9 Pier Road. $10 per person
The event opens at 9:00am with the Watchemoket Square Day Parade stepping off from East Providence City Hall,145 Taunton Avenue and traveling on Taunton Avenue to South Broadway. It will turn right onto South Broadway until it reaches Warren Avenue. It will turn right again and travel on Warren Avenue (Rt. 6) down to Waterfront Drive and Tockwotton on the Waterfront. The parade ends at Hot Rides, Inc. located at 30 Veterans Memorial Drive, East Providence. Local schools, sports teams, organizations and businesses are invited to participate in the parade; which will also feature classic cars traveling to the Classic Car Show at Hot Rides at the end of the parade route. Contact Ken Andrade for information at 401.435.4444.
New This Year!
Several new features have been added to this year’s event itinerary. Free, boat ride tours along the East Providence waterfront are scheduled for the morning, and tours in the afternoon will be offered for a nominal charge. The tours are co-hosted by East Providence Yacht Club, Providence River Boats and East Providence Historical Society. The free tours are scheduled for 11:00am, 11:45pm and 12:30pm and will leave from the East Providence Yacht Club at 9 Pier Road. The tours will be narrated by East Providence city planner, Jeanne Boyle, with information about the City’s history, and the plans and projects for developing the City’s waterfront. Seating is very limited and reservations in advance are strongly suggested by contacting the East Providence Historical Society at 401.438.1750.
Afternoon boat ride tours will be conducted between 1:15pm and 3:00pm. There is a nominal fee of $10 per person for the 30-minute rides. Seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. The boats will depart from the East Providence Yacht Club, 9 Pier Road, East Providence.
Throughout the day, an exhibit about the history of Watchemoket Square will be on display at Tockwotton on the Waterfront, located at 500 Waterfront Drive. It is hosted by the East Providence Historical Society.
An exhibit about the vacant Odd Fellows Hall on Warren Avenue will be on display at the building. Last year, the City acquired ownership of the Hall, built in 1889, and they are considering a restoration of the property.
The East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Watchemoket Square Day Information Booth on the lawn of St. Mary’s Church. Souvenir T-shirts and sweatshirts will be available for sale; along with complimentary street maps and giveaways from area businesses.
Self-guided walking tours of the area, mapped out from previous Watchemoket Square Day tours, can be downloaded at www.ephs.org, or picked up at the Information Booth on the day of the event.
Food and Fun
There will be lots of fun activities for kids at Hot Rides, 30 Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Breakfast and lunch specials will be offered at the local establishments: Bridge View Cafe, The Watchemoket Tavern, The 133 Club and East Providence Yacht Club.
The popular, annual church bazaar at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
History of Watchemoket Square
Watchemoket Square (pronounced Watch-uh-Mocket or Watch-Moe-ket) began near Bold Point and was used by the Wampanoag Indians to cross the Seekonk River to what is now Providence. Watchemoket is an Indian word meaning the proximity of the river and the tidal marsh… with the feel and smell of the area.
In the early years of East Providence, which was then known as Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the site was the best place to cross the river. In 1793, John Brown of Providence built a bridge from Fox Point (Providence) to Bold Point. In 1885, an iron bridge was built which led to development in the area; including an inn followed by over one hundred businesses. By 1906, Watchemoket Square became the central business district of East Providence and covered approximately nine acres of land in the central section of the town.
For more information about the Third Annual Watchemoket Square Day, visit the Watchemoket Square Facebook page or their Web site: watchemoketsquareday.com or contact the East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce, 401.438.1212 www.eastprovchamber.com.
Schedule of Events
9:00am – 10:00am Watchemoket Square Day Parade, steps off from East Providence City Hall
9:00am – 3:00pm Annual Church Bazaar at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue
9:00am – 3:00pm Event Information Booth on lawn of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue
10:00am – 2:00pm Classic Car Show; music, food and more for kids and adults at Hot Rides, 31 Warren Avenue
11:00am, 11:45am and 12:30pm Free boat tours of the waterfront, narrated by East Providence city planner, Jeanne Boyle. Limited seating. Reservations required. Contact East Providence Historical Society at 401.438.1750
1:15pm – 3:00pm Thirty-minute boat rides along the East Providence waterfront. First come, first serve at East Providence Yacht Club, 9 Pier Road. $10 per person
