Two of Newport’s most beloved summertime institutions return this weekend, much to the delight of both locals and visitors who like to have fun without spending a lot of cash, and an annual salute to our maritime future occurs Saturday morning.
First, tonight the Newport Gulls kick off their 2010 season at historic Cardines Field as the reigning champions of the NECBL league. Tonight’s opponent: the North Shore Navigators. Games throughout the season begin at 6:35 p.m. with wallet-friendly ticket prices (Adults 18 and Over: $4.00 / Children 13 to 18, those with Military ID and Senior Citizens $2.00, Children 12 and under $1.00).
The Newport International Polo Series gets underway tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Portsmouth’s Glen Farm (but get there at least an hour early to get a 
prime tailgating spot and B.Y.O.P. – bring your own party). The thrilling 6-chukker polo matches continue at 5 p.m. Saturday evenings through August and move to 4 p.m. in September. Teams have come from England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Barbados, Canada, and making their debut this year are the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands. General Admission for lawn seating or grandstand seating is $10.00 for adults and children 15 & under are free. Tickets for box seating in the Subscribers Enclosure are $15. For more information about the matches and special events, call (401) 846-0200.
Finally, to get a glimpse of Newport’s future boat builders, pop by the International Yacht Restoration School on Thames Street where students will mark their graduation by showcasing their work and launching the boats they spent the past year refitting and restoring. Graduation ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. inside Restoration Hall, the launching of the fleet immediately follows at the IYRS docks.
Got to get over there. Just wrote a post on The Daily Basics on Polo the other day and it is a totally cool sport to watch. The best part is the tailgating! Been watching the game since I was a kid!
LOVED The Daily Basics thorough article. I wonder how other polo series (Hamptons, Virginia, etc.) are priced compared to Newport’s super affordable $10/head (plus you can bring in all the goodies and libations you like!)