The Warren Heritage Foundation’s 12th Annual Gala gathering takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, at Parker Mills off Metacom Avenue, this year's event titled "Harvest to Heritage" with an Oktoberfest-inspired theme.

The gala runs from 5-8 p.m. and offers guests the opportunity to get a rare inside glimpse of the historic, 126-year-old former industrial complex, currently being renovated into various spaces by owner Peter King.

Built in 1899, Parker Mills once powered Warren's thriving textile industry with more than 500 looms and 250 employees. Today it is being transformed into a growing community of businesses, innovation and commerce. Some 10 tenants already calling Parker Mills home with more on the way. The gala celebrates that evolution, recollecting Warren’s industrial roots while looking ahead to what’s in store.

"So what Peter's doing is he's creating all these spaces for small industry and shops and he's even building a restaurant back there," said Sally Barker, co-chair of the gala along with Julie Blount. "Not many know what's happening. They're opening up all the windows. The windows are spectacular. There is a whole another area that people don't often see. It's just amazing."

King, Blount noted, has businesses all over the world. The native of Australia, who resides in town, might be best known to locals as the owner of WaterRower Inc., the rowing machine company whose global headquarters is also located on Metacom Ave.

Blount said of King's efforts to restore Parker Mills, "It's a huge space. He's utilizing it to grow our small business economy here in Warren."

There's a symbiosis between King's redevelopment plans and what the Warren Heritage Foundation does. As outlined in its ethos, the foundation "endeavors to preserve and enhance the quality of life enjoyed by residents by protecting, restoring and maintaining structures, buildings and open spaces with historical and architectural significance in the Town of Warren." In essence, both are trying to restore and reinvigorate some of the town's most historic venues.

As Blount explained, the foundation has in the past aided renovation projects at the George Hail Free Library, the Masonic Temple, the Warren Armory and The Methodist Church in Warren among other endeavors. The foundation also supports the restoration of the town's historic graveyards.

The gala represents the group's singular fundraiser each year. All of its monies are derived from the event. There are no membership dues. Said Blount, "All the proceeds go back to the town. So it's kind of a win-win."

Parker Mills also fits into the mode by which the gala has operated over the years, Blount adding, "We try to find a place that is kind of out in the public eye. We did something at The Barn (in Touisset). We also did something when Tourister (Mill) opened up. We did something there, because no one had seen it at the time. So we kind of go to these places where there's not a lot of public access."

About 150 patrons on average have attended previous galas, including one hosted Julie and Marcia Blount at their Blount Boats facility.

This year, guests will get to enjoy German-style fare as well as the highly-anticipated signature raw bar by Lauren Amos of Elle's Kitchen. Chef Steve Sylvia, from the Love Shack Grille, and Gina Ferrara and George Lefebvre, owners of GG Pretzels, are providing much of the main menu, which also features Charcuterie from Prica Farina. Drinks include various German wines and timely Oktoberfest-style beers by Pivotal Brewing and Vigilant Brewing.

The Paper Moon Jazz Band is the featured performer, playing selections of jazz, waltzes, polkas while guitarists Dylan Harley and John Burt play intermittently throughout the evening. A video highlighting the history of Parker Mill will also be shown.

"I think people get really excited about this annual party we have every year," Barker said. "It's always at a different location. We try to pick out places, as Julie said, that people haven't been to before. So they're very interesting and they're somehow historic. So that's one thing that's kind of fun. And then I think people look forward to getting together with their local townspeople, and celebrating all that we do every year."

Barker continued, "And one of our big goals is bringing people's attention to what we do. We're working on an endangered list of all the buildings that are in pretty bad shape around here."

Added Blount, "And our mission statement really sums up everything we do, and I think that's something that needs to be understood. Preserving our sense of place is important because we have so much history here that needs to be preserved. And we're trying to hold on to these buildings and our heritage as much as possible.

Tickets for the 2026 Warren Heritage Foundation Gala, "Harvest to Heritage," are $100 apiece and can be purchased by visiting the organization's website, warrenheritagefoundationri.org/gala-2026. Sponsorship opportunities also remain available at various levels. More information can also be found on the gala webpage.