Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Awareness & Preservation Weeks (aka Rhode Island Cemetery Weeks) offer dozens of free programs from April 1 through May 31. Programming includes tours, clean-ups, hikes, exhibits, and talks exploring the history, art, ecology, and conservation of the Rhode Island’s historic cemeteries. Rhode Island Cemetery Weeks is organized annually by the Rhode Island Advisory Commission on Historical Cemeteries (RIACHC) and Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) in collaboration with many volunteers and community partners.
Programs range from nature walks to hands-on gravestone preservation, with ample opportunities for attendees to get dirty and make a tangible difference. Talks and tours throughout April and May give the state’s graveyards additional cultural context, highlighting the role of faith communities, the family dynasties, and stone carving traditions in Rhode Island. Several events honor the memory of those who served their country in wartime.
Each year hundreds of Rhode Islanders participate in Rhode Island Cemetery Weeks, producing and attending programs across the state. From the smallest graveyards to the largest landscaped garden-cemeteries, the ground is fully covered over eight weeks of events.
The full event calendar and program descriptions are available on the RIACHC website, and new listings are added weekly as more citizen-led events are finalized. The online calendar has the most up-to-date information about times, locations, tour size limits, registration (if required), and other key details.
Rhode Island Cemetery Weeks ’25 Press Release
