Newport Folk Festival
Hop into your RV and visit the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island where you can listen to some of the greatest artists in the world of folk music.
Event information
For all of you folk music lovers, there is a festival in Rhode Island that is a bucket list must. If you are planning what to do during your summer, consider going to the Newport Folk Festival. This fantastic music event is held at Fort Adams State Park, where several thousand visitors gather every year to dance, sing, and listen to some of the best folk music the industry offers.
Become a part of something greater than yourself and visit one of the oldest modern music festivals in the USA. This festival started its annual tradition back in 1959, and even though it didn’t always have an easy path, it managed to survive and now draws some of the greatest performers from the world of folk music. Whether you end up in front of the Fort Stage, the Harbor Stage, the Quad Stage, or the Museum Stage, you are bound to have a memorable music experience.
Even though the Newport Folk Festival is a welcoming event, it does not have camping associated with the event. However, travelers can choose from several RV camping options in Rhode Island west of Fort Adams State Park.
Tickets
When you are attending one of the oldest music festivals in the country, you need to make sure that you get your tickets in time. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the tickets for this festival tend to sell out quickly.
Guests can choose between a three-day, two-day, or one-day ticket, with a limit of six tickets per household per festival day. For example, you can buy up to six three-day tickets or six single-day tickets for every day of the Festival. Another thing to remember is that three-day or two-day tickets cannot be split by day. If you are traveling with your little ones, remember that all children age 2 and under get a free pass.
In recent years, the festival organizers have offered an exchange program. A ticket may be returned if a waiting list exists. Tickets are automatically sold to the first person on the waiting list. This exchange is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The transaction is only allowed if there are people lined up on the waiting list who want to buy that particular ticket that is being returned.
To ensure guest safety, the Newport Folk Festival doesn’t allow daily in-and-out or re-entry, so make sure you have everything you need with you before entering the festival grounds.
Also, it is important to know that regardless of the weather conditions, the Newport Folk Festival will carry on with its prearranged schedule. For more information, visit the Newport Folk Festival website.
Explore Newport Folk Festival RV Rentals
Transportation
Driving
The Newport Folk Festival is held at Fort Adams State Park. The official address of the festival is 90 Fort Adams Drive, which is a 1.5-hour drive from Boston or slightly over that from Hartford. Traveling from New York City, you will likely use I-95 N to get to Rhode Island. Keep in mind that routes to this event are sure to bring you across one or more bridges, and you may encounter signage regarding larger vehicles. Motorists can expect tolls to be in place in some areas.
Parking areas
Tickets for parking can be purchased alongside event tickets. However, since RV parking is not available, it may be desirable to stay parked at the campgrounds and take a ferry to the festival site. If you have friends traveling with you by car, you may want to carpool if you do not plan to take a ferry.
Public Transportation
The Newport Folk Festival is also a very eco-friendly festival. One of the ways this festival shows its care for the environment is by encouraging guests to enjoy ferry services to and from the festival. You can get to Fort Adams during the days of the festival from Perrotti Park, Jamestown, and Providence. Remember to check the weather during the day and inquire if water shuttle schedule variations will be in place.
Where to stay
Onsite
Unfortunately, there are no camping options on the festival grounds. However, you camp just across the Narragansett Bay to the west at several state park locations or possibly to the east, all within about an hour’s drive.
Nearby
Rhode Island offers plenty of campgrounds close to Fort Adams State Park, but keep in mind that they are separate locations with reservations through Rhode Island State Parks. You can opt for campsites filled with greenery or reserve a campground spot near the beach. Some locations may offer minimal services but provide much in the way of beauty and outdoor entertainment.
You can go on a picnic or try your hand at fishing to relax after the festival. Most of these campsites are pet-friendly; remember that no pets are allowed within the festival grounds, so if you are planning to bring your furry friends along, make sure there is someone who will look after it while you are at the festival.
Getting around
Make sure to plan your entry into the festival beforehand, and take one last look on their website to ensure you know what is prohibited and what is allowed within the festival grounds. No rollers, scooters, or skateboards are allowed, so be prepared to get around on foot. If you are bringing a baby or a toddler with you, remember that reasonably sized strollers are permitted.
Although bikes are not allowed within the festival grounds, the Newport Folk Festival, being eco-friendly, organizes free parking spots for bicycles and encourages people to travel by bike.
What to pack
Clothing
Pack light, summer clothes that will make you feel comfortable throughout all the performances. Nevertheless, rain is not unheard of during this time of year, and keep in mind that your RV will not be on the festival grounds and you cannot re-enter once you leave for that day. So dress practically. Bring a spare hoodie or a light jacket as you head to the festival, just in case.
Gear
Other than the ticket and your ID, all you need to bring to a music festival are good vibes. You can bring a bag but make sure its size meets the rules of the festival. You can also bring a stroller for your youngest ones and a chair for yourself, as long as they are of a reasonable size.
If you wish to take a minute and relax on the grass, you can bring an individual blanket. Cameras without any audio recording are permitted as well as hand-held umbrellas, as long as they do not interfere with other guests’ enjoyment of the festival. Small coolers are permitted but will be searched upon entry.
Health & Safety
The Newport Folk Festival does not allow its visitors to re-enter once they leave for the day. All visitors and bags will be searched upon entry, so make sure to check the prohibited items list on the festival’s website. If you or anyone from your group is not feeling well, you can head over to the medical tent which is located behind the Harbor Stage. Also, there is a special breastfeeding area with an outlet for electric pumps.
Where to eat
Cooking
Fill your RV kitchen with each person’s favorite meals and be the favorite campsite chef on your trip. Bring your grill, propane stove, and campfire sticks if your campground allows outdoor cooking. While at the festival, you can take a bite and sate your appetite by trying out meals from the festival food vendors or bring a few prepared items in a small cooler.
Restaurants
Within a 15-minute drive from Fort Adams, you can find wonderful restaurants that serve Italian, French, or local cuisine. But, remember that you are limited to one entry on the festival grounds per day. So, unless you are completely sure you want to leave the show for the day, try some of the food from the vendors inside the festival grounds.
Vendors
The Newport Folk Festival looks after its guests by providing the best possible food and beverage vendors to make sure you don’t have to leave the festival for food. To all the visitors who are 21 years of age and over, the organizers offer an ID wristband for entrance to two beer & wine gardens. These wristbands allow visitors to purchase tokens that can be exchanged for beer, wine, and hard cider. The guests are reminded to drink reasonably.
Safety
Security
Every guest, personal bag, and personal item will be thoroughly searched upon entry, so double check the list of prohibited items. If you bring a bag that is larger than the allowed dimensions, officials will not allow you to bring it inside. Also, make sure that you don’t have with you any kind of illegal substances, fire-arm, laser pointers, knives, or anything that could be used as a weapon.
Any guest behaving in such a manner that interferes with the experience of other visitors will be asked to leave the festival. No harassment of any kind is allowed. Before heading over to the festival, make sure you have properly locked and secured your RV so you can relax on the festival without any worries.
Weather
When packing your clothes or deciding what to wear, consider typical weather for the East Coast in July. Warm temperatures may grace your day, but sudden rain is not that uncommon. So, in addition to sunscreen, shades, lightweight clothing, and comfortable shoes, you may want to have a light rain jacket just in case. The Newport Folk Festival will take place rain or shine, dress accordingly.
Medical
It is always the simplest to bring basic medicines with you to keep in your RV. If you need medical assistance while you are at the festival, there is a medic tent ready to provide you with all the help necessary. As a part of the medic tent, there is a breastfeeding area for women in need of a quiet, private space, as well as an outlet for electric breast pumps.
