Explore Westport Woods for Leap Year, then warm up with cocoa: Things To Do

“What do you want to do?”

If you need an answer to this age-old question for making plans, we’ve got you covered.

In Things To Do, we take a look at, well, things to do, happening every week in the Greater Fall River area and around the SouthCoast.

From weekdays to weekends, there’s always plenty going on.

And we’re not only taking a look at what’s happening this week, we’re also giving you a heads up for events that are coming soon.

This week, we’ve got a way for you to get outside for Leap Year, and enjoy some hot cocoa while you're at it. Plus, we've got live music, free movies, a poetry slam, and even a chance to learn how to play the ukulele.

So when someone asks you what you want to do, you’ve got your plans ready to go.

Here are Things To Do around Fall River, the SouthCoast, and beyond this week:

Cozy With Cocoa Leap Year trail hike in Westport

Spend your Leap Year Day doing something a little special. On Thursday, Feb. 29, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a Cozy With Cocoa trail hike at Westport Woods, 573 Adamsville Rd. Enjoy a late afternoon walk, and warm up with some cocoa. It’s free to sign up. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/bdfm28ft.

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Bill Frisell THREE at Narrows Center for the Arts

The Bill Frisell THREE, featuring Gregory Tardy & Rudy Royston, will be performing on Saturday, March 2, at the Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River. The concert will be from 8 to 10 p.m., and doors open at 7 p.m. Frisell’s career as a guitarist has spanned more than 40 years. Tickets are $55 in advance and $58 on the day of the show. Find tickets online at https://tinyurl.com/5be8fa7t.

Jeans and Jazz in the J at Bristol Community College

Bristol Community College, 777 Elsbree St., Fall River, will be hosting Jeans and Jazz in the J on Friday, March 1, from 6 to 9 p.m., to support student scholarships. No need for fancy clothes: you can wear your jeans and your dancing shoes. The GroovaLottos will be providing live music, and there will be food and drink from Bristol’s Culinary Arts program. There will also be a silent auction. This event will be held in the John J. Sbrega Health and Science Building. Tickets are $75 per person, and be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/mewt4hhv or by calling  774-357-2007. If you can’t make it in person, you can still bid on items in the silent auction at https://tinyurl.com/4u4jezhb. For more information, send an email to [email protected], or visit bristolcc.edu/jeansandjazz.

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Learn to play ukulele at the Fall River Public Library

Learn how to play the ukulele on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m., at the Fall River Public Library, 104 N. Main St. This introductory workshop welcomes all ages and experience levels. If you have your own ukulele, please bring it. If you don’t, there will be some there that you can use. Ukulele player Trevor Santana will lead the workshop, and would like to start an ongoing ukulele club so that players can meet up at the library. Sign up at the Adult Circulation desk, and let them know if you will need a ukulele, or will be bringing your own. For more information, email Kate at [email protected], or call the library at 508-324-2700, Ext. 2.

Unplugged at The Marion Art Center

The Marion Art Center, 80 Pleasant St., presents Unplugged in The MAC’s Patsy Francis Gallery, with Matt Richard and Daniel Ian Smith, on Friday, March 1. There will be two jazz performances, about 45 minutes each, and mainly acoustic, at 7 and 8:15 p.m. Guests may bring their own beverages and snacks to enjoy. The cost is $12 for MAC members, and $15 for non-members. There are only 24 guests per seating, so reservations are strongly recommended. For tickets and more information, visit marionartcenter.org/events.

Free movie night at Tiverton Public Library

The next free movie night at the Tiverton Public Library, 34 Roosevelt Ave., will be on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. They’ll be screening the 2023 film, “The Miracle Club,” about a group of women who dream of making a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes. The movie is rated PG-13 and has a run time of one hour and thirty minutes. Popcorn and drinks will be provided.

Poetry slam at New Bedford Art Museum

There will be a poetry slam at the New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. In recognition of Black History Month, the night will open with a reading of a Black poet’s work, to celebrate Black voices and talent. Join in as a speaker, or as a listener. Founded and led by New Bedford-based queer/latinx healing artist, poet, and Museum Education & Audience Engagement Manager Marisol Rosa. Sign up online at newbedfordart.org/peoples-poetry. This event is free to attend.

First Fridays at New Bedford Whaling Museum

First Fridays at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, presents West African Fusion and Caribbean Soul, on Friday, March 1. This is an after-hours experience, for guests age 21 and older. The museum will host internationally renowned djembefola Sidy Ma?ga, from Mali, and steel drummer Becky Bass, from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Between performances, guests can experience learning some djembe drum beats. Bring your own djembe or borrow one of the drums provided (early ticket buyers get first pick). Doors open at 5 p.m., and the performance begins at 6 p.m. The cost is $10 for members, and $20 for non-members. Find tickets online at https://tinyurl.com/bp8br34e.

Enjoy the beauty of nature with Audubon Society of Rhode Island

“Seals and Society,” the traveling exhibit at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope St., Bristol, will be saying goodbye on Friday, March 1. There’s still time to see it; you can visit between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Learn how different people and cultures relate to seals, how these mammals forage, sense their world, where they travel, and more. This exhibit is free with admission.

The Used Nature Book Sale returns to the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol, on Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They’ll have gently-used nature books including field guides, fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. This free event is for all ages.

Another art exhibit is opening on Sunday, March 3, at the Nature Center and Aquarium: “Small Wonders,” by Katie Khan. From the lives of insects, the colors found in several seconds worth of sunset, to the texture of a bird’s feather, Khan’s work focuses on things in nature that astound us when we take the time to look. This exhibit will be on display until April 30. It’s suitable for all ages, and free with admission.

Saturday STEAM session at Four Corners Arts Center

There will be a Saturday STEAM session at the Four Corners Arts Center, 3848 Main Rd., Tiverton, on March 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. Youth ages 7 to 11 will learn about the inventions of cartoonist Rube Goldberg, then design and build their own Goldberg-inspired marble roller coasters out of creative household materials. The instructor for this workshop will be Desiree Brunton, and the cost is $40. Registration is required at FourCornersArts.org.

Have a community event or activity you’d like to see featured? Send us an email at  [email protected] or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Things To Do: Cozy With Cocoa Leap Year trail hike in Westport Woods