Whether you live on Block Island or are planning a visit, some “can’t miss” dates for your calendar are June 12 through June 17. Beginning with the 1st Annual “Bite of Block Island” food show on June 12, combined with Restaurant Week running from June 12 to June 17, you’ll find plenty for everyone.  There’ll be food (lots of food), shops full of new merchandise, fun events and, of course, all of beautiful Block Island.
At the Bite of Block Island on June 12, sponsored by The Block Island Times, many of the island’s finest dining establishments will offer tastes of items from their 2016 menus. The event, held from 4 to 6 p.m., will be located at the Block Island Maritime Institute center in New Harbor. Tickets (a limited number are available) and more detailed information can be obtained at the B. I. Chamber of Commerce (located across the parking lot from the ferry docks).  They are $15 with proceeds benefiting Helping Hands, an island food bank. Admission includes a drawing for gift certificates to island restaurants.    
During Restaurant Week from June 12 to June 17, which is sponsored by the B. I. Chamber of Commerce, participating restaurants will offer specially priced lunches and dinners. In addition, island businesses will have their doors open for shoppers, and a list of fun events including tours and tastings are planned.   At the end of the week, drawings will be held for cash prizes.
Kathy Szabo, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, said, “It’s the perfect time for everyone to come out and sample our best, and, if you’re lucky, win one of the prizes.”
For lunches, participating restaurants will offer a whole meal for $14 to $15 per person.  For entire dinners, the prices will range from $28 to $30 per person.  All menus will be posted on the Chamber web site at blockislandchamber.com.  To note, none of the prices will include gratuity or alcoholic beverages.
It’s all about the red logo
So how do you participate in this busy Restaurant Week?  To get started, stop by the Chamber of Commerce Information Center and pick up a list of participating restaurants, businesses and special events.  Island maps are also available.  Each site, whether on the main street (Water Street) or further around the island, will display a red logo (like the one pictured here) in its window.
Blue tickets for the drawings
      In addition to all of the food and fun, there’s a chance for everyone to win cash prizes.  For every $25 spent at any of the venues, participants will receive a blue ticket. There will be a clear, acrylic drop box for your tickets at each location.  At the end of the week the tickets will be collected and drawings held for prizes of $500, $250 and $100.  Winners will be posted on the Chamber web site (see above) on June 18.
Special events
And there’s more. Throughout the week there will be plenty of additional events. Look for everything from wine and beer tastings, taxi and lighthouse tours, paddle board tours of the oyster farms, a bacon contest at Poor People’s Pub, an Oyster Fest at Kimberly’s and on and on. New England Airlines and rental bikes, kayaks, mopeds and cars will have special rates. The Chamber of Commerce will help you schedule those events.  
So come for a day or the whole week and enjoy Block Island, its businesses and its people.   “They’re all great reasons to come out and spend a nice time on Block Island,” said Molly O’Neill, the social media member of the Chamber.