The Rhode Island Foundation is inviting the public to a free concert by the Rhode Island Philharmonic at the Temple to Music in Roger Williams Park Friday, Aug. 10, from 7 to 9 p.m.

“Community is the core of our work. Community begins where people come together to share experiences. There is not a better spot to celebrate the spirit of community than in one of the state’s best-loved gathering places,” said Neil D. Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.

 The 60-piece orchestra will play two 45-minute sets with a 20-minute intermission. The program will feature rousing standards, including the Star Spangled Banner, the 1812 Overture and “Harry’s Wondrous World” from the Harry Potter film series. 

At least 25 food trucks food trucks will be at the Temple to Music and at the park’s normal Food Truck Friday location at Carousel Village, including a beer and wind garden. The trucks will serve everything from gourmet burgers and authentic Chinese street food to vegan ice cream and cannoli from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

Parking is available throughout Roger Williams Park and there will be a secure area to leave bikes at the Temple to Music. Details are posted on the Foundation’s website at rifoundation.org.

For the first time, the concert will be paired with extended hours at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, which will be open until 7 p.m.  The Foundation first brought the Philharmonic to Roger Williams Park to celebrate its Centennial in 2016. It was the first time the orchestra had performed at the Temple to Music in more than a decade. An estimated 7,000 people attend last year’s performance.

“Although we envisioned the Centennial concert as a one-time event, the past two years have been so successful and were enjoyed by so many that we decided to bring the Philharmonic back for a third year,” said Steinberg.

The concert comes just a year after the Foundation concluded a multi-million-dollar campaign to restore Roger Williams Park. The improvements include upgrades to the park’s entrances, new signage and repairs to the Museum of Natural History, the Bandstand and the Casino.