Summer Beats with FirstWorks: Afro Rican Jazz with William Cepeda

August 14, 2022 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

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Summer Beats with FirstWorks: Afro Rican Jazz with William Cepeda

Sunday, August 14th 4:00 – 8:00

4:00 – 5:00 PM  FREE, ALL-AGES MUSIC WORKSHOP

In the afternoon before his 6 PM performance, William will share his cultural heritage through a lively, free music workshop for families. Through hands-on activities, participants will explore the genres and evolution of Puerto Rican music (Taíno music, bomba, plena, música jíbara and danza). He will share instruments and select rhythm songs for each genre and participants will play Puerto Rican rhythms. Workshop participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments.

At 6:00 PM  – William Cepeda & Afro-Rican Jazz Band 

FirstWorks Summer Beats celebrates the heritage of Puerto Rican music and its African roots with trombonist William Cepeda from San Juan, who is known as a cultural icon of Puerto Rico. Cepeda’s seven-member Afro-Rican Jazz Band heats up the crowd with an innovative blend of jazz and traditional Puerto Rican musical forms such as bomba, plena, Jibaro, and danza, at an open-air concert at the Roger Williams Park Bandstand. A protégé of Dizzy Gillespie, Cepeda has created a new shade of jazz with a hip flavor. Lydia Perez, an award-winning Afro-Taino artist from Rhode Island, will lead dancers from the Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy in an energetic concert opener.

Details

A friendly heads up to Park-goers: Maple and Pine avenues at Cladastris Avenue are temporarily closed for approximately 4-6 weeks, limiting vehicle access to Park Avenue via FC Greene Memorial Boulevard. 

This temporary closure makes way for boardwalk construction at Cunliff Lake, a public access project that will enhance recreational opportunities at Roger Williams Park!

During this period, traffic will be detoured to park entrance and exit locations at Broad Street and Montgomery Avenue and Elmwood Avenue. Drivers using the Elmwood Avenue exit will follow Cladastris Avenue to FC Greene Memorial Boulevard to Linden Avenue to Elmwood Avenue south to Park Avenue east. Those using the Broad Street and Montgomery Avenue exit will follow Cladastris Avenue to Montgomery Avenue to Broad Street south to Warwick Avenue south to Park Avenue west.

Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain open. However, visitors are advised to follow posted signage and respect all barriers, as a crane will be active weekdays from 7AM to 3PM.

For updates and more information about the project, follow @pvdparks
Thanks to everyone who came out to the RWP Winter Wonderland this past Saturday! From cookies and hot cocoa to a visit from the big man in red, there was much merry-making to be had! Bundle up and swing by Roger Williams Park any evening this month to see all the twinkling lights. 🎄

Shout out to all of our Park partners for putting on the festive event:

@pvdparks 
@rwpmuseum 
@rwpbotanicalcenter 
@rwpgatewaycenter 
@rwpzoo
Happy #GivingTuesday2025! Did you know that Roger Williams Park Conservancy, with the help of our many wonderful partners, brought more than 50 programs to the Park this year? Help us offer even more free or low-cost, family-friendly events in 2026 with a donation!

@pvd_foodtruckevents 
@pvdfilmfestival 
@providencetourism 
@providenceact 
@cityofprovidence 
@pvdparks 
@ricommerce 
@firstworksri 
@rwpzoo 
@rwpbotanicalcenter
@rwpgatewaycenter 
@rwpmuseum
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