Ten Must-Do’s at the Rhode Island Folk Festival

Music fans - get ready for one of the best days of the summer! The Rhode Island Folk Festival is back at Crescent Park in Riverside, East Providence on Sunday, August 30, from noon to 6pm. The free, family-friendly festival showcases folk, acoustic, and Americana performers across three stages plus a kids' stage, featuring well-known favorites and emerging songwriters. Bring a lawn chair, blanket, and snacks for a late-summer afternoon by the bay. 

1. It’s free! It’s hard to beat this distinctly Rhode Island event – six hours of live music on three stages, plus a kid’s stage on the waterfront across the street from Crescent Park, with its historic Looff Carousel. Music starts at Noon and runs till about 6pm.

2. John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson. The husband-wife duo includes Cowsill, from the Newport family band The Cowsills (and longtime Beach Boys touring drummer), alongside guitarist Peterson, a founding member of The Bangles.

3. Tracy Bonham. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and Boston Music Award winner, best known for the 90s alternative hit "Mother Mother," will rock the Bandshell Stage in a rare local performance. 

4. Gilberto Rivera and Rumbanama. The Boston-area band brings originals and covers in genres including salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia to the Bandshell Stage, enriching the festival's musical diversity.

5. Over 50 Artisans and Vendors. Get some early holiday shopping done (I know, too soon), with artisans and vendors featuring original art, handmade jewelry, new and vintage clothing, home goods, and more. Click here for the complete list of sellers.

6. The Songbird Stage. Designed for a more focused, intimate listening experience, this stage, run by Allysen Callery and Ted Hayes, leans toward the festival's more eclectic and experimental side, including artists LIGHTS OUT!, Gary Higgins, Clay Camero, and ORION.

7. Mark Cutler's Songwriter Workshop. Fresh off an appearance at the Newport Folk Festival, Rhode Island music legend Mark Cutler will lead a Same Thing Project workshop, with the newly-penned song performed later in the day on the Songbird Stage.

8. The Gazebo Stage. Co-hosted by Anthony Loffredio and Kim Petrarca, the Gazebo Stage features distinctive sets from veteran and emerging artists including Michael James, Space Cowboy Newt, Prairie Bird and Princess June. 

9. The Song Circle. Folk icon Pete Seeger said “Participation - that's what's gonna save the human race.” Follow that tradition, and “sing out” with host Pete Vendettuoli, sharing original songs and covers of protest music and social consciousness. 

10. Support the Festival. Want to help keep this festival free to attend? Buy festival merch, support the food trucks, visit the beer garden and craft vendors onsite. Learn more at RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com.