1. Today is National Arbor Day! This weekend is a great time to visit a local nursery and plant a tree in your own yard. There will also be a tree planting at 9am at Morton Park in Newport in celebration of Newport Arboretum Week. 

2. Birding for Beginners will take place at Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday at 2 p.m. Participants will learn how to identify birds according to things like size, wing, shape, and flight pattern.

3. A celebration for Middletown's athletes will take place on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. at KJ's Pub. The Middletown Athletic Booster's Spring Social will include light fare, cash bar, and a raffle.

4. The Aquafina Pitch, Hit & Run will kick off at 2 p.m. Sunday at Aquidneck Elementary School. Pitch, Hit & Run is the offical skills competition of Major League Baseball. This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball/softball skills. All participants must complete a registration form with a parent/guardian at the event. Please contact Middletown Recreation with questions: 401-847-1993 or tshaw@middletownri.com.

5. The 2012 Neighborhoods of Newport House Tour is happening on Sunday and begins at 10 a.m. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m., at St. Michael's Country Day School, 180 Rhode Island Avenue, Newport. The tour will provide exclusive entry to six private homes in Newport including, for the first time, Gray Craig Estate in Middletown and Chepstow (1860), a Preservation Society of Newport treasure.