Best things to do in Rhode Island: March 1-9

M-OCEAN STATE

It’s Motion State in the Ocean State. Dance fans, leap to the 4th Annual Motion State Dance Festival running now through March 2 with live performance, film, and “artist/audience interactions” according to billing. At Wilbury Theatre Group, 475 Valley St. Providence. Tickets, passes and details here.

MURDER MYSTERY!

I’m an Agatha Christie nerd, but any way you choose to frame it: Clue, Sherlock Holmes, “Glass Onion” vibes — it’s an immersive whodunit murder-mystery dinner in Cranston March 1. 39 West Restaurant & Lounge hosts “Murder Mystery Dinner — Death of a Gangster!” and you’ll witness a crime and put your detective skills to the test, according to billing. I’ve already got my magnifying glass out. 39 Phoenix Ave., Cranston. Details here.

10 DAYS OF CRAFT BEER

Cheers, Rhody! The Rhode Island Brewers Guild’s Rhode Island Craft Beer Week kicks off March 1, and the amount of events happening this week could be their own column. Here are some highlights from around the state. Note that you might want to download the passport to get “stamped” at various breweries and earn a chance at winning prizes.

• March 1-3, it’s a Northern RI beer crawl: get stamped at Pascoag’s Bravo Brewing, (75 Pascoag Main St.) Woonsocket’s Lops Brewing (122 N Main St Unit #1A, Woonsocket,) and Cumberland’s Ravenous Brewing (10 Industrial Road) for a chance “to win an epic prize pack.”
• Pawtucket’s Smug Brewing Company parties with karaoke (6:30) and ABCD Brother’s Kitchen March 1. (100 Carver St.)
• That’s hot! LineSider hosts its 2nd Annual Chili Fest March 2. Unlimited chili from eight vendors. $20. (1485 South County Trail, East Greenwich) Details here.
• Narragansett Taproom hosts free-admission “Lager Con” March 2 at noon, with brewery tours, food pop-ups, vendors and live entertainment. (271 Tockwotton St., Providence) Details here.
• Take an Irish Dance class March 3 as Newport’s Grey Sail Brewery hosts “Jigs & Swigs” at 11:30 a.m. (63 Canal St., Westerly) $25. Details here.
• Trivia buffs: Narragansett Taproom hosts a trivia game March 4 at 6 p.m. — and winning team gets to name a draft line for the week. (271 Tockwotton St., Providence)
• It’s cupcakes x beer pairings in East Greenwich. LineSider teams with Silver Spoon Bakery March 6. Your pairings include: “Irish Twins” (Snickerdoodle Stout with cinnamon roll) “Wicked Taht” (Dark Cherry Sour with a Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcake; “Battle Scar,” Irish Red Ale paired with Caramel Macchiato Cupcake; “White Knuckles,” Wheat Ale w/ coriander paired with Mimosa Zested Cheesecake. (1485 South County Trail) $25. Tickets here.
• Ragged Island hosts live music in its Greenhouse (5:30-8:30 p.m.) plus Teddi’s Food Truck on March 8. (54 Bristol Ferry Road, Portsmouth)
• All Craft Beer Week details here.

A NIGHT AT THE CIRCUS

The circus is in town, folks! Take in the spectacle of the Grand Shanghai Circus at the Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre & Conservatory March 1. Presented by the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai, the show honors the essence of the old historic Shanghai culture, according to billing. Think acrobatics, dance, comedy, magic, and aerial feats of strength. From $31. 28 Monument Square. Details here.

SHOP VINTAGE

Treasure hunters, hop on it: Little City Thrifty Vintage Market, a curated gathering of some 90 vendors hits WaterFire Arts Center this weekend, and all but one session has sold out. As of this writing, there are still tickets left for Sunday’s 3 p.m. entry. Tickets will not be available at the door. Grab ‘em now if you’re looking to shop vintage clothing, vinyl, books, art, furniture, home decor, jewelry, etc. 475 Valley Street Providence. Details here and here.

IMPROV JONES

Those two words just make me happy. Way back in the early 2000s when my cousin went to PC, we discovered Improv Jones and quickly became obsessed. The Rhody improv troupe is still going strong. Catch “Improv Jones & Friends” at Bristol’s Borealis Coffee Company, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. 500 Wood Street #Unit 113. From $15. Details here.

TAP INTO THE SWEET LIFE

Bristol’s Coggeshall Farm hosts its annual “Maple Sugaring Days” March 2 and 3. Learn about the centuries-old practice of maple sugaring, its historical connections to land usage, trade, and early abolitionist movements, according to billing. You’ll see each step of the maple sugaring process, from carving spiles to collecting sap, and sugaring down the sap to remove the water. Plus scavenger hunts, maple crafts, and kid-friendly games. $10 adults, $5 for kids over 4; kids 4-and-under free. 1 Colt Drive, Bristol. Details here.

ST. PADDY’S DAY PARADE

Rhody kicks off the season with Pawtucket’s 42nd Annual Saint Patrick’s Parade. It steps off at noon at the corner of Division Street and South Bend, ending at City Hall. The post-parade party at the Armory on Exchange Street runs 1-5 p.m., with food, drink, vendors and live Irish music from the Corclin Boys of Dongle Bay. Slainte! Party admission $3. Parade details here.

OSCAR PREP

The Oscars are next weekend, and it’s time to cram so you can know what you’re talking about at your Oscar party. See the 2024 Oscar Shorts at PVD’s Columbus: Documentary Shorts (March 2, 3 p.m., March 3, 7 p.m.); Animation Shorts (March 2, 6 p.m; March 3, 5 p.m.) Live Action Shorts (March 2, 8 p.m., March 3, 2 p.m.) $12. 270 Broadway. Watch trailers and all details here.

KNITTING KNIGHT

Pearl one, stitch two, zen out. Whether you’re looking to knit with pals or pick up a new hobby, head to Jamestown Arts Center March 7 for a cozy knitting circle. BYO thermos of cocoa for an adult night of community building. $30, all materials provided. 18 Valley St., Jamestown. 6-8 p.m. Details here.

COOKIES & COCKTAILS

What pairs with Thin Mints? The Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England’s host its 8th annual Cookies & Cocktails. Local restaurants and bars will create treats using Girl Scout Cookies. The Jefferson Speakeasy creates eight cocktail samples, while Narragansett Brewery provides beer samples paired to chef creations, according to event billing. Plus hors d’oeuvres, live music, and silent and live auctions. March 7, 5:30 p.m. at Farm Fresh RI. 10 Sims Ave. $100. (Proceeds support programming focusing on mental health and well-being, camperships for youth in foster care, and making Girl Scouting accessible to all who want to participate, according to billing.) Details here.

‘80s PROM NIGHT

Get your “Pretty in Pink” on: it’s time to party like it’s 1986. Dance to ‘80s hits, spray your hair, and add lots of eye shadow when Providence Brewing Company hosts a costumed “retro bash” March 8. 8-11 p.m, 10 Sims Avenue #Unit 110, Providence. From $10. Details here.

QUINN & TAZ

Don’t miss this one. New Bedford’s guitar hero Quinn Sullivan takes stage at The Met March 8 with fellow Gen Z guitar whiz Brandon “Taz” Niederauer.

When Sullivan was 6 years old, he wowed Ellen DeGeneres with his cover of the Beatles’ “Twist and Shout.” Some 16 years later, Paul McCartney’s drummer, Abe Laboriel Jr., appeared on the New Bedford blues-rocker’s 2021 album, “Wide Awake.” Taken under the wing of Buddy Guy, Sullivan has grown into his own talent. The Guy-Sullivan relationship became a 2019 film, “The Torch.” I interviewed Sullivan about his journey here.

Meanwhile, Niederauer, based in New York, according to his website, also made his TV debut via Ellen at age 10. He’s since appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Good Morning America,” and “The View.” Between the two, this show will be fire. $25. 8 p.m. 1005 Main St., Pawtucket. Details here.

Until next week, Rhody: Keep rockin’.

Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.