FORT ADAMS STATE PARK
Fort Adams is located at 90 Fort Adams Drive, Newport, RI, 02840. One of the park system’s national treasures, Fort Adams is situated at the mouth of Newport Harbor with panoramic views of the Newport Bridge and the East Passage. The festival at the Fort features 4 stages of music, food & crafts, and a number of displays.
GETTING THERE
BY BICYCLE
Getting to the folk fest via bicycle? Our friends at REI have teamed up with Bike Newport and organized “Park & Bike” lots: park for free and skip the traffic!
WATER SHUTTLE
Newport Harbor Shuttle runs continuous service starting at 9 AM between Perotti Park and Fort Adams. It’s a 15 minute trip and reservations are not required.: one way is $5 for adults / $3 for kids (12 and under); round trip is $10 for adults / $6 for kids. More information here.
The Jamestown Newport Ferry runs continuous service to Fort Adams with departures from One East Ferry Wharf in Jamestown and Perotti Park in Newport. Service starts at 8:30 AM and departs every half-hour. One round trip ticket between Jamestown and Fort Adams is $24. More information and tickets can be found here.
SeaStreak is expected to debut a ferry service between Providence and Newport starting July 1. The service will run from India Point in Providence to Perotti Park in Newport, with three departure times on weekdays (Providence: 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 6 PM; Newport: 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM, 7:15 PM) and 4 on weekends (Providence: 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 5 PM, 9:45 PM; Newport: 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM, 6:15 PM, 11 PM). One-way tickets will be $10. More information is expected in the next few weeks.
BY CAR
Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI is about 1.5 hours from Boston and 3.5 hours from New York City. Get directions to the Fort from your location.
DIRECT BUSES
Back by popular demand, Newport Folk Festival has teamed up with our friends at Skedaddle to offer the most fun and affordable way to skip the traffic and save the planet. All Skedaddle routes drop off and pick up directly from the festival, saving time and making your trip easier.
Explore routes from Boston >
Explore routes from New York >
PARKING
There is limited on-site car parking available at Fort Adams State. Motorcycle parking is also available on-site for $10. As parking is limited and we love Mother Earth, carpooling is encouraged!
Parking for vehicles with ADA placards or license plates is available in the Lower Lot. Each vehicle gaining access to the Lower Lot must pay the parking fee; the holder of the placard MUST BE a passenger in the vehicle and produce the issued ADA handicap placard. Violation of any ADA placard or license carries a fine of up to $500.
IN TOWN PARKING
Avoid the Fort traffic and ride in style – park in town and take the ferry. Here are some private parking options:
Lee’s Wharf Parking Lot:
Lee’s Wharf parking lot is a privately-run, 90-space lot that operates 24 hours a day at 433 Thames Street. Rates are $15 per day, with the 24 hours resetting at midnight. Ticket lengths are unlimited, so you can leave your car parked in this lot for the duration of the festival without having to renew your ticket. The lot uses a pay & display meter that accepts coins, bills, MasterCard, and Visa (No American Express). More information at (401) 849-3060.
Mary Street Parking Lot:
The Mary St. parking lot is a public 118-space lot in downtown Newport between Mary St. and Church St. It operates 8 AM – 2 AM Friday & Saturday, and 8 AM – 12 AM Sunday through Thursday. Rates are $2 for the first half-hour, $1.50 for each subsequent half-hour, with a maximum of $24 per day. Vehicles with Newport resident stickers are entitled to three free hours per day.
Long Wharf Lot:
Long Wharf parking lot is a public 35-space lot on Long Wharf near the Newport Yacht Club. A Pay & Display multi-space parking meter accepts coins, bills or credit cards. Select the number of hours you wish to park (up to nine), insert payment and place the receipt on your dashboard. The lot operates daily, with a rate of $1.25 per hour.
The Conference and Visitors Bureau Parking Lot (aka: Gateway Visitors Center Lot):
The public covered garage at Gateway Visitors center at 23 America’s Cup Avenue accommodates 484 vehicles. It operates from 8 AM – 12 AM, with rates at $2 for the first half-hour, and $1.50 for each subsequent half-hour (maximum: $24.50 per day). RV accommodation is limited, and vehicles longer than 24 feet are prohibited. This lot has easy access to Newport’s public transportation.
Booth Parking Inc:
138 Swinburne Row, Newport, RI, (401) 846-7275
See information on the five public lots operated by the city of Newport here.
RULES & FAQS
WHAT TIME DOES EVERYTHING OPEN?
FRIDAY (7/22) & SATURDAY (7/23) & SUNDAY (7/24)
BOX OFFICE opens at 9am
GATES open at 10am
PARKING opens at 8am / Shuttles start at 9am
WATER TAXIS start at 8am
FOOD & CRAFTS start at 10am
MUSIC starts at 11am
MUSIC stops at sundown
LOST & FOUND
The Lost & Found is operated by RI Park Staff and is located in the Visitor’s Center, the brick building located just outside the entrance gates. It will be open during the festival from 9:00 AM until 8:00 PM daily. Items not claimed during the festival will be held at the Visitor’s Center for 30 days. Efforts will be made to contact owners of significant items such as wallets and purses. After 30 days significant items will be turned over to RI DEM. Other items will be discarded or donated.
IS THERE CAMPING ON-SITE?
Sorry, no camping is available at Fort Adams State Park but there are campgrounds not far from the festival grounds. Check out this google map of camp sites in the area. Also, check outwww.visitrhodeisland.com in the Recreation/Camping section for additional suggestions.
WHAT IS ALLOWED INTO THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS?
- Only one small hand held cooler (no larger than 16″ x 12″) – all coolers will be searchED
- An individual blanket (Maximum size 6’x8′)
- Strollers that are reasonably sized and do not obstruct the view of others
- Low-backed chairs (under 30″) to ensure good viewing for your neighbors. These are only allowed outside no chair zones.
- Cameras are permitted but cannot be used to reproduce the event and must not interfere with other fans’ enjoyment of the festival (NO AUDIO CAPTURING IS ALLOWED)
- Good attitude
- Open mind
- Love of music
WHAT IS PROHIBITED?
- Large coolers, glass containers of any kind, alcoholic beverages, illegal substances of any kind, firearms, noise-making devices, laser pointers, knives, box cutters, tools of any kind (including Leathermen) pepper spray, Mace, or any kind of item that could be used as a weapon. Beverages in plastic bottles or cans must be factory-sealed.
- flag poles
- commercial audio visual equipment
- Beach umbrellas or beach balls (because they could end up in the bay and hurt the wildlife)
- No chairs over 30” are allowed and no chairs under 30” are allowed in the “no chair zones.”
- No pets
- Please leave your selfie sticks at home. Meet fellow folk & have them take the photo for you!
- No drones. Any use of drones/UAS in the vicinity of any public open air event would violate Rhode Island’s Uniform Aeronautical Regulator Act (UAR) and Aeronautics Regulations, constituting a misdemeanor. Please leave them at home for the safety of all our folk.
GENERAL POLICIES
All persons, bags and personal items are subject to inspection before entering the festival. No bag larger than 16”X16”X8” will be permitted inside the venue.
Any ticket holder that directly or indirectly interferes with the enjoyment of the festival may be asked to leave the venue and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by State/Local Authorities.
The festival will continue to make every effort to ensure socially acceptable behavior in order to allow ticket holders to enjoy the event.
Newport Folk Festival encourages a smoke-free environment and asks that you respect the health of your neighbors at the festival and refrain from smoking in any area where it may affect someone else. Smoking is prohibited under all tents and inside buildings. Please find an isolated area if you must smoke, and dispose of your butts properly.
BEER, WINE, CIDER AND TOKENS
New this year we will be offering one free drink token with the purchase of a branded reusable stainless steel pint. Purchase your pint at the first token booth while supplies last.
For all you thirsty folk, over 21 ID wristbands and tokens will be available during the morning hours so you can get them before the gates open, and before the gardens open, and be ready for the starting bell. Please drink responsibly.
Beer/Wine Garden Rules & Regs: Must be 21 to enter gardens. IDs will be checked at all token sales locations and over 21 wristbands will be issued. Over 21 wristbands are good all weekend so get one once and keep it on.
Drink tokens: Drink tokens can be redeemed for beer, wine or hard cider, and will be sold at all ID checkpoints as well as inside the gardens. Tokens are good all weekend but they are NON-REFUNDABLE. Plan to use them up before the weekend is over. Cash and credit cards are also accepted in the gardens but only in specified lines. Food & other beverages are also available. Read all signs carefully.
Beer Garden Hours: Noon – 6:30 PM Daily
Advance Token Sales: Tokens will be available outside the gate beginning one hour before gates open each day and will also be sold at the entrance to each garden.
ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE
To ensure sure you enjoy the festival to its fullest, we thought it would be helpful to share these helpful facts and suggestions:
FOOD & CRAFT VENDORS
We have some great food trucks and craft vendors on-site.
2016 FOOD VENDORS
2016 CRAFT VENDORS
COMING WITH YOUR LITTLEST FOLKS?
Make sure to use the Family Gate if you have purchased Children’s Tickets. Children’s tickets can only be scanned at Family Gate. Inside, The Late July Family Tent will feature many surprise performances by artists from the 2016 lineup.
COMING WITH FRIENDS?
Trek to the Quad Beer Garden and hang out. You and your buds can play pong and corn hole while you cool off with a Lagunitas or Newport Storm ale.
WANNA TRY YOUR HAND AT FOLK MUSIC?
Festival attendees get a chance to share their tunes at the Martin Open Mic on the Museum Stage! Don’t worry, we’ll provide the guitars and banjos, you just provide the tunes!
WATER STATIONS
Stay cool and stay hydrated by frequenting our water stations provided by our friends at Klean Kanteen.
CHARGING STATIONS
Keep your phone batteries at full strength by visiting our multiple charging stations located inside the festival grounds. Stations are marked on the map. (which will be released this summer).
OFFICIAL MERCH STATIONS
Bring a piece of the folk fest home with you! Stop by our merch booth on the way to the Fort Stage to grab official 2016 gear.
NO CHAIR ZONE
There will be a standing/dancing zone in front of the Fort Stage. Chairs and blankets are allowed outside of the no chair zone and in most other areas of the park. Although we do not clear out the standing/dancing area in between sets, we do make sure that this area remains a standing-only zone while artists are performing. The audience is welcome to sit down in this area in between performances, but we do not permit anyone to put out blankets, chairs, or other personal items as a means of spot-saving.
ADA ACCESSIBILITY
PARKING
Parking for vehicles with ADA placards or license plates is available in the Lower Lot. Each vehicle gaining access to the Lower Lot must pay the parking fee; the holder of the placard MUST BE a passenger in the vehicle and produce the issued ADA handicap placard. Violation of any ADA placard or license carries a fine of up to $500. ADA parking is available.
SEATING AREA
An area on the lawn at the Fort Stage is reserved for disabled patrons. This section is located in a roped off area to the side of the sound board. This area is accessible by a paved road from the festival entrance. Because space is limited, each disabled patron is allowed one guest to accompany. Seating is not provided in this area so guests should bring blankets or low-backed lawn chairs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For ticket questions email folktickets@newportfestivals.org.
For press requests, please complete this form.
To submit your artist or band for consideration, please complete this form.
For general questions email newportfolkfest@gmail.com.
info courtesy Newport Folk Festival
