The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced Wednesday that it will temporarily restrict access to parts of Fort Adams State Park in Newport to ensure the smooth running of the upcoming music festivals. The restrictions, which will be in effect July 22-31, will affect shore access to recreational and commercial fishing and scuba diving within the park boundaries and at the state piers and docks. These restrictions also will affect public access for uses such as walking, biking, and picnicking. The public will continue to have access to the boat ramp and small beach located on the eastern side of the park and the restrictions will not affect public participation in the sailing programs and classes at Sail Newport’s Public Sailing Center.
The Newport Folk Festival, starting July 22 and running through July 24, and The Newport Jazz Festival, set for July 29-31, have been signature celebrations at Fort Adams for decades, attracting thousands of visitors to Rhode Island. Capacity crowds pack the fort every day of the festivals. Fort Adams has the biggest economic impact of any Rhode Island state park, with 1.3 million visitors – including around 775,000 out-of-state visitors annually – generating an estimated $64 million in economic output, according to a 2017 University of Rhode Island study.
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