A Festival of Festivals and Fests and More: An event for every weekend

Congratulations! You have survived another long, cold winter and wet, rainy spring. Now it’s festival season! RI offers an abundance of festivals, for all ages and interests. Family fun, music, foodies, cultural – RI has it all!

Providence’s art, culture and culinary communities come together each year to kick off summer with PVDFest. Hosted by Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, the City of Providence’s Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and FirstWorks, the four-day event showcases local, national and international artists offering live music, dance, food and visual art installations in multi-arts take-over of the city’s parks, public spaces, and outdoor stages. Jun 6 – 9, 2019. 1 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. pvdfest.com For full story, see page XX.

Celebrating its fifth year in RI is the annual British Motorcar Festival. The event kicks off to the public with the British Street Party at Independence Park on Friday evening, from 6:30 to 9:30pm, with music, food, beverages and close to 100 classic British motorcars. But the main event is Saturday, with multiple best of vehicle class contests. And if you missed last year’s royal wedding, this is your chance to really try out your British accent and be part of the best British attire contest, ladies’ hat contest and more! Jun 7 – 8. Colt State Park, Route 114, Bristol. britishmotorcarfestival.com

The whole family can welcome summer at the 9^th annual Blackstone River Theater Summer Solstice Festival. There’ll be lots of entertainment, with four entertainment stages, three for music and one for dance. The festival will also have a children’s stage and activity area, along with food and crafter booths. Jun 15 (Rain date: Jun 16). Diamond Hill Park, Rte. 114, Cumberland. riverfolk.org/brtssf

Rhode Island PrideFest celebrates its 44^th year with more entertainment, more vendors and more activities! The event promises more than 200 vendors, social resource organizations, food trucks, arts, Hasbro Kid’s Zone and a beer, wine and spirits garden. The all-day event wraps up with the Illuminated Night Parade, a dazzling display of floats, performing artists, marching groups, businesses, and spectators winding through downtown Providence. June 15. South Water Street, PVD. prideri.org See full story page XX

What better way to celebrate the first official weekend of summer than at the Federal Hill Summer Festival? The annual festival showcases the restaurants and shops on historic Federal Hill. Stroll along Atwells Avenue and check out the dozens of food and retail vendors, while the kids have a blast on the amusement rides and games. Jun 21 – 23. Atwells Avenue, PVD. federalhillprov.com/festivals/federal-hill-summer-festival

The 37^th Narragansett Art Festival returns with more than 100 artisans exhibiting their work, including acrylics, oils, pastels, watercolors, drawings, graphics, sculpture, photography and more. Jun 22 – 23. Veterans’ Park, 35 Ocean Rd, Narragansett. wakefieldrotary.com

For everyone who loves flowers and mansions (who doesn’t?), the Newport Flower Show provides both. The three-day event, held at the historic Rosecliff Mansion, offers garden displays, horticulture exhibits, children’s activities, demonstrations, vendors and more. Jun 21 – 23. 548 Bellevue Ave, Newport. newportmansions.org

Wickford Village is well-known for its eclectic shops and colonial homes, and it is also well-known for hosting one of the longest-running outdoor art festivals in New England. The Wickford Art Festival celebrates its 57th year ranked as the #7 fine art festival in the US by Sunshine Magazine. More than 200 artists from across the country will be exhibiting their fine art throughout the village. An added bonus: RI doesn’t collect sales tax on fine art sales, so shop away! Jul 13 – 14. Brown and Main streets, Wickford Village, North Kingstown. wickfordart.org

What’s your favorite thing about festivals? Music? Carnival rides? Food? Art? Vendors? Exhibits? No matter what your favorite festival activity is, HeritageFest has it covered. The festival offers three full days of fun and food, with more than a dozen bands scheduled, including The Rolling Stones and AC/DC tribute bands. Jul 12 – 14. Pierce Memorial Field, 201 Mercer St, East Providence. epheritagedays.com

The Narragansett Lions Club has been hosting the Blessing of the Fleet Celebration since 1972. Over the past 47 years, the event has grown from one day to a full three days of celebrating! The Blessing of the Fleet Celebration includes a three-day festival that offers carnival rides, games, food vendors, live music and a beer tent. The celebration also includes a 10-mile road race on Friday and the blessing of the fleet on Saturday, with hundreds of vessels joining the parade! Jul 25 – 27. Memorial Square, Narragansett. narragansettlionsclub.org

The Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), now in its 23rd year, is a six-day festival with various locations around the state. RIIFF has been a qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences qualifying event in three categories since 2002. Aug 6 – 11. film-festival.org

Dogapalooza Family Festival is a two-day festival with live music, children’s entertainment, food, vendors, crafts, raffles and contests – pie eating contests, photo contests and even a (woof!) canine costume contest! The festival offers free admission and free parking, with all committee tent proceeds benefiting the Pawtucket Dog Park. Aug 3 – 4. Pawtucket Dog Park at Slater Memorial Park, Newport Avenue, Pawtucket. pawtucketdogpark.com

CumberlandFest, celebrating its 28th year, is one of the larger family entertainment events in Northern RI. Carnival rides, fireworks, food and fun for the whole family! Some of the featured events include a 5K road race, Battle of the Bands and hot-rod car show. Aug 9 – 11. Diamond Hill State Park, Route 114, Cumberland. cumberlandfest.org

The 5th annual Looff Arts Festival brings together artists, authors, live entertainment and more along the scenic EP waterfront. The Looff showcases all types of art and a Writers Row. And don’t forget to take a spin on the Looff carousel! Tentative date: Aug 10. Crescent Park, 700 Bullocks Point Ave, Riverside. eastprovidencearts.org

Head on down to the 53^rd annual Washington County Fair! Giant midway rides, live music, adult games, 4H exhibits and events, fireworks, food and more! Aug 14 – 18. Washington County Fairgrounds, Route 112, Richmond. washingtoncountyfair-ri.com

Food Festivals

Food glorious food! Summer food festivals offer the best excuses to indulge!

And if two of your favorite indulges are bacon and beer, then get yourself to the Bacon and Beer Fest! More than two dozen restaurants create their favorite bacon-inspired dishes, paired with 25 world-class breweries. Awards for the yummiest, live music and more! Jun 16. Cranston Print Works, 1381 Cranston St, Cranston.

Crave RI is a two-day, family-friendly food festival, offering sample tastings from more than 100 local restaurants, samples from more than 150 beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverage profiles, and a variety of live demonstrations from the areas most notable chefs! Jun 20 – 21. Dunkin Donuts Center. One LaSalle Square, Providence. cvshealthcharityclassic.com See full story page XX.

Quahogs, chowders, clams, live entertainment, vendors, and arts and crafts all at the 37th annual Warren Quahog Festival! Presented by the Rotary Club of Warren. Jul 20 – 21. Burrs Hill Park, S. Water St, Warren. facebook.com/Warren-Quahog-Festival-1481328952090514

Attention all seafood lovers! The Charlestown Seafood Festival is a must-attend event – lobsters, steamers, fish and chips, chowder, a raw bar and more! Don’t like seafood?? No problem! The festival offers foods for every taste. Come and enjoy the carnival rides, entertainment, car show, vendors and a variety of other fun activities. Aug 2 – 4. Ninigret Park, Park Old Post Rd, Charlestown. charlestownrichamber.com/seafoodfestival.html

As summer winds down, check out the 9th annual Rhode Island Seafood Festival. Enjoy the delicious offerings from a wide variety of seafood vendors, live music, beer, wine and spirits, and planned activities the whole family can enjoy. Sep 7 – 8. India Point Park, 201 India St, PVD. riseafoodfest.com

Music Festivals

No matter what your taste in music is, Rhode Island has a summer music festival for you.

You don’t have to travel to the South to get the best BBQ! Head over to the Rhode Island BBQ & Blues Festival! BBQ, blues and beer – is there a better way to kick off summer? Jun 22 – 23. India Point Park, 201 India St, PVD. ribbqblues.com

The Newport Music Festival’s 23-day schedule includes 43 concerts and events. So much to choose from. Jul 4 – 28. newportmusic.org

Newport also offers the Live Local Music Festival. The event is in its third year, providing a celebration of the art and culture that defines Newport and Rhode Island. Come enjoy the 11 bands, 40 artists and small businesses, and a huge beer garden, and groove to the Newport vibe! Jul 20 – 21 Farewell Street, Newport. livelocalnpt.com

The Newport Folk Fest, recognized as one of the first modern music festivals in the country, celebrates its 50^th year. Jul 26 – 28. Fort Adams State Park, 90 Fort Adams Dr, Newport. newportfolk.org

Punk rock makes its RI summer festival debut with the Roadblock Music Festival, featuring legendary and groundbreaking punk rock and hardcore icons – both old and new! Jul 27. Bold Point Park, 1 Pier Road, East Providence. waterfrontconcerts.com

Back to Newport for the Newport Jazz Festival, which celebrates its 65th anniversary. The two-day event features four stages, beer and wine gardens, food and crafts. Aug 2 – 4. Fort Adams State Park, 90 Fort Adams Dr, Newport. newportjazz.org

Blues, food, drink and the outdoors! The perfect summer weekend at the Rhode Island Blues Festival, celebrating its second year. Offering everything from traditional to modern blues, the event showcases both established and up-and-coming blues musicians from across New England. Free and fun for the whole family! Aug 10 – 11. Mulligan’s Island, 1000 New London Ave, Cranston. ribluesfest.com

There’s Labor Day weekend fun for the whole family at the Rhythm & Roots Festival. The annual event attracts attendees from all across the US and Canada. A great sendoff of summer, R&R offers great music, covered dance floors, delicious food, children’s activities, workshops and more! Aug 30 – Sep 1.  Ninigret Park, 5 Park Ln, Charlestown. rhythmandroots.com

The Providence Folk Festival celebrates its sixth year with a new location. The free music event – and the 2017 Motif Magazine Award winner for Best American Festival — features two stages of acoustic-themed music. The festival also offers attendees an Intention Peace booth. Aug 25. Rose Larisa Park, 701 Bullocks Point Ave, Riverside. providencefolkfestival.com

Say goodbye to the last days of summer at the Rhode Island Own Music and Arts Festival. The event features live music, artists, local food and beverages – all on the waterfront! Sep 14. India Point Park Playground, 201 India St, PVD. littlestatebigmusic.com

Cultural Festivals

RI truly is a melting pot, offering dozens of festivals and events celebrating the many diverse cultures in the state.

The 41st annual St. Anthony’s Feast celebrates Italian culture with live music, rides, games and – of course – authentic Italian food! Jun 7 – 9. St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, 1413 Mineral Spring Ave, N. Providence. saintanthonychurch.org

For 113 years, St. Mary’s Feast has been providing another premiere celebration of Italian culture, with rides, games, live music, fireworks, parades and delicious Italian food. Date and details TBA. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 15 Phenix Ave, Cranston. stmarysfeast.com

The 42nd Day of Portugal weekend offers live entertainment, food, dance, a parade and a spectacular sunset torch procession. Jun 7 – 10. Alex and Ani Center, 2 Kennedy Plaza, PVD. ridayofportugal.org

The 44th annual Cape Verdean Independence Day Festival is the oldest celebration of the Cape Verdean community in the US. The festival showcases the music, dance, food and art of the Cape Verdean culture. There will also be multiple cultural and health and wellness tents for attendees to peruse. Jul 7. India Point Park, 201 India St, PVD. ricapeverdeanheritage.org

Get your Greek on at the Hellenic Fest! For more than three decades, attendees have enjoyed experiencing the food, music, dancing and culture of Greece. Jul 26 – 28. St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 390 Thames St, Newport. hellenicfest.org

The Cultural Survival Bazaar is a series of cultural festivals that celebrate a variety of indigenous cultures from dozens of countries. For almost two decades, the festivals have showcased authentic food, clothing, jewelry, crafts, artwork, home goods and live performances. All sales directly benefit the indigenous artists and co-ops offering their wares. Jul 27 – 28. Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center, 3852 Main Rd, Tiverton. bazaar.culturalsurvival.org

The Japan America Society of Rhode Island presents the 36th annual Black Ships Festival, celebrating the friendship between Japan and RI. The event is marked with Japanese arts, music, martial arts and more, and even offers a Japanese tea ceremony.  Aug 10. Independence Park, Thames Street, Bristol. blackshipsfestival.com

The Dominican Parade and Festival of RI will begin at the corner of Thurbers and Broad streets, winding through Providence, ending at Roger Williams Park Temple to Music. Enjoy the rest of the day celebrating the Dominican culture with music, food and more! Aug 11. F C Greene Memorial Blvd, PVD. qiausa.org

The 30th annual Rhode Island Virgen de Urkupiña Festival, hosted by the RI Bolivian-American Association, takes place on August 17 – 18. Watch for more details. Dates and details will also soon be announced for the Colombian Independence Day Festival, the Ecuadorian Independence Day Flag Raising, Puerto Rican Flag Raising, and Venezuelan Independence Day Flag Raising.

Save the date for the 92nd Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Grecian Festival! Enjoy Greek cuisine, pastries, kafenio, cooking demonstrations, Greek dance and even a Greek agora (marketplace)! Aug 16 – 18. 97 Walcott St, Pawtucket. assumptionri.org/festival

Summer winds down with the French Heritage Festival and Soirée. Hosted by the Northern Rhode Island Council of the Arts, the event is a celebration of French culture, offering visitors music, food, arts, crafts and more! Sep 7. River Island Park. Bernon St, Woonsocket. nrica.org