EAST PROVIDENCE — If first impressions were any indication, then the staff of the East Providence Public Libraries have another summer hit on their hands.

Weaver Library, on Grove Avenue, was the home of a armers arket for eight successful seasons prior to this one, but difficulties with booking area growers and an ever-changing scene made continuing an unlikely option.

For 2023, the new library administration of director Meredith Bonds-Harmon and assistant director Pam Schwieger opted to go in a different direction but at the same location: themed Block Parties on the Weaver grounds.

The Block Party series, which kicked off two weeks ago with a "Wild West" angle, are set to take place the third Thursday of each month from June to September. They replace the Farmers Market, which took place weekly at Weaver during the same 4-7 p.m. timeframe.

"As you know we stopped having our Farmers Market, so we wanted to have something in its place for the community, something fun, something outside. And so we thought about it a lot, and we decided on block parties," Schwieger explained during the June 22 kick-off event where several hundred patrons came to and fro during the three-hour affair.

She continued, "Every party we'll have live music, a couple of food trucks, kids' activities and then activities for adults as well. The parties are not just for kids. It's not just for families. Adults can come without children and enjoy themselves, too."

The highlights of the June event were a performance from the "High Tone Jug Ensemble" and a petting zoo provided by Sheffield Way Farm from Exeter, including horses, a donkey, alpacas and goats.

Next up at the July 22 Block Party is a "Sport" night, with a traveling miniature golf course as the focal point. On August 17, the theme is "East Providence," Schwieger saying the hope is to have tastings from local restaurants being the feature component. She admitted, "We do not have that one completely planned yet, so that will be a bit of a surprise."

To the contrary, the September 21 finale is planned to the hilt with a "Pirates and Mermaids" theme. Events will include a blow-up bouncy pirate ship with a slide and a live mermaid, sitting on a shell throne, whom Schwieger said will be available for photo ops and that the actor is also a comedienne who tells jokes.

Schwieger said the ideas for the party themes came from a committee of staff members "brain-storming...We were just trying to think what's popular in the culture right now, what would be popular in the community...We just want to offer the community a chance to come by the library and have a good time."