R.I. Cemetery Weeks Events

2024 RI Cemetery Weeks

The R.I. Advisory Commission on Historical Cemeteries and the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission present R.I. Historical Cemeteries Awareness and Preservation Weeks this April and May. Discover Rhode Island’s historic cemeteries and burial grounds through clean-ups, tours, open houses, gravestone conservation workshops, talks, and other programs. All events are free and open to the public. Events are added weekly, so come on back!

See all the details in the pdf program calendar to gather descriptions, times, addresses, RSVPs (if required):

Detailed program calendar

APRIL (40+ events)

  • 4/1 Clean-up | Three burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/2 Clean-up | Two burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/3 Clean-up | Two burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/3 Birds & Burials Tour | Norman Bird Sanctuary, Middletown
  • 4/4 Clean-up | Three burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/4 Colonial Newport Burial Sites & Stones Presentation | Edward King House, Newport 
  • 4/5 Clean-up | Four burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/5 Clean-up | Three burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/6 Clean-up | Riverside Cemetery, Burrillville
  • 4/6 Geology tour | Woodland Cemetery, Coventry (rain date 4/13)
  • 4/6 Clean-up | Three burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/6 Clean-up/Flagging | Isaac Collins Lot, Richmond
  • 4/6 Pokanoket Royal Burial Ground Tour | Burr’s Hill Park, Warren (rain date 4/7)
  • 4/7 Clean-up | Five+ burial lots, Cumberland
  • 4/8 The Poorhouse Graves of Route 37 Panel Discussion| Central Cranston Public Library
  • 4/13 Clean-up | Hopkins/Potter/Marsh Cemetery, Burrillville
  • 4/13 Geology tour | Woodland Cemetery, Coventry
  • 4/13 Clean-up, stone cleaning, self-guided tours | Newman Cemetery, East Providence
  • 4/13 Clean-up | Jonathan Foster Ground, Westerly
  • 4/17 Clean-up, stone cleaning, self-guided tours | Newman Cemetery, East Providence
  • 4/20 Clean-up | Old Baptist Church Yard, Exeter
  • 4/20 Clean-up | Governor King/Borden Lot, Johnston
  • 4/20 Arnold Burying Ground and Alice Brayton Tour | Arnold Burying Ground, Newport
  • 4/20 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield 
  • 4/20 Clean-up | Tillinghast Cemetery, Providence
  • 4/21 Hike/Clean-up | John Gardner Lot, Exeter
  • 4/23 Birds & Burials Tour | Norman Bird Sanctuary, Middletown
  • 4/24 Living with the Dead in Rhode Island Talk | Central Cranston Public Library
  • 4/27 Flagging | (meet at) Exeter Public Library
  • 4/27 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield 
  • 4/27 Tour | Common Burying Ground, Newport
  • 4/27 Clean-up/data verification | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 4/27 Clean-up | Nicholas Thomas Lot, Scituate
  • 4/27 Clean-up | Mowry Lot at Bryant University, Smithfield (rain date 5/4)
  • 4/27 Clean-up | Brayton Cemetery, Warwick
  • 4/27 Clean-up | Babcock Lot, Westerly
  • 4/28 Walking Tour | Moshassuck Cemetery, Central Falls
  • 4/28 "Zinkies" walking Tour | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 4/28 Walking Tour | River Bend Cemetery, Westerly
  • 4/28 Walking Tour | Precious Blood Cemetery, Woonsocket (rain date 5/5)

MAY (33+ events)

  • 5/2 Gilded Age Graves in Newport Presentation | Edward King House, Newport
  • 5/4 Friends Meeting House and Burial Ground tour | Saylesville Meeting House, Lincoln
  • 5/4 Colonial stone carvers tour | Trinity Church Yard, Newport
  • 5/4 Volunteer projects | Common Burying Ground, Newport
  • 5/4 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield 
  • 5/4 Wildlife tour | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 5/4 Hike/Flagging | (meet at) Clark Library, Richmond
  • 5/4 Tour | Old Congregational Church Cemetery, Tiverton
  • 5/5 "Zinkies" tour | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 5/6 Rev. War Patriots Buried in Wash. Cty. Discussion | URI, South Kingstown
  • 5/11 Clean-up | Common Burying Ground, Newport
  • 5/11 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/11 Notable internments tour | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 5/11 Hike | George Beverly Lot and Unknown Lot, Richmond
  • 5/11 Stone cleaning and repair | Daniel Dwelly Lot, Tiverton
  • 5/15 Clean-up, stone cleaning, self-guided tour | Ancient Little Neck Cemetery, East Providence
  • 5/18 Clean-up, stone cleaning, self-guided tour | Newman Cemetery, East Providence
  • 5/18 Clean-up | Common Burying Ground, Newport
  • 5/18 Tour | Silas Casey Cemetery, Casey Farm, North Kingstown
  • 5/18 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/18 Headstone cleaning workshop | North Burial Ground, Providence
  • 5/18 Stone cleaning and repair | Daniel Dwelly Lot, Tiverton
  • 5/18 Clean-up | Hall-Vars Ground, Westerly
  • 5/18-19 Intro to gravestone restoration workshop | Trinity Church Yard, Newport
  • 5/23 Memorial Day tour | Locust Grove Cemetery, Providence
  • 5/25 Tour | Silas Casey Cemetery, Casey Farm, North Kingstown
  • 5/25 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/26 Decoration Day Tour | Island Cemetery, Newport
  • 5/26 Local Veterans’ Service Stories Tour | Slatersville Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/26 Memorial Day service | Slatersville Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/26 Memorial Day tour | North Burial Ground, Providence 
  • 5/30 The Power of Nature Hike | Lincoln Woods (including Olney Burial Ground), Lincoln

ONGOING (3 events)

  • 4/2 - 5/31 Newport Historic Cemeteries Exhibit | Newport Public Library, Newport  
  • 4/10 - 5/18 Middletown Historic Cemeteries Exhibit | Middletown Public Library, Middletown 
  • 5/26 - 6/14 Self-guided tours of veterans' graves | Trinity Church Yard, Newport

DATES TBD

  • Programs in Block Island, Little Compton, Smithfield, and many more to come