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 presents R.I. Historical Cemeteries Awareness and Preservation Weeks each 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

  • 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 Clean-up | Rhode Island Training School Cemetery, Cranston
  • 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 Stone resetting/Clean-up | Old Phenix Cemetery, West Warwick
  • 4/27 Clean-up | Babcock Lot, Westerly
  • 4/28 Walking Tour | Moshassuck Cemetery, Central Falls
  • 4/28 Stone resetting/Clean-up | Old Phenix Cemetery, West Warwick
  • 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

  • 5/2 Gilded Age Graves in Newport Presentation | Edward King House, Newport
  • 5/4 Clean-up | Oakland Cemetery, Cranston
  • 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 Clean-up | Grace Church Cemetery, Providence
  • 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
  • 5/6 Rev. War Patriots Buried in Wash. Cty. Discussion | URI, South Kingstown
  • 5/11 Monument repair | Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry
  • 5/11 Clean-up | Common Burying Ground, Newport
  • 5/11 Walking Tour | St. Mary's Cemetery, 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 Gravestone conservation/clean-up | Clayville Cemetery, Foster
  • 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
  • 5/19 "Zinkies" tour | Locust Grove Cemetery, Providence
  • 5/25 Flagging | Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry
  • 5/25 Tour | Silas Casey Cemetery, Casey Farm, North Kingstown
  • 5/25 Tour | Hotchkiss Cemetery, North Smithfield
  • 5/25 Memorial Day tour | North Burial Ground, Providence 
  • 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
  • 5/28 Photo presentation | Swan Point Cemetery, Providence
  • 5/29 Tour | Trinity Churchyard, Newport
  • 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