Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals: Best Ways to Beat the Traffic and Arrive in Style
If you’re one of the lucky few to have snagged tickets to this year’s Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals, chances are you’ll need to know the best way to get there in time to see your favorite acts.
Luckily, there are several ways to get to Fort Adams State Park without dealing with the headache of festival day traffic.
Newport Folk Festival in particular greatly encourages attendees to visit the festival via bicycle as up to 1,800 visitors take this option to get to Fort Adams each day of the event, according to Newport’s bicycling advocacy nonprofit Bike Newport.
Bike Newport has a great explainer on its website for guidelines and specifics on how to bike to the festival and even offers Park and Bike lots for people who need to drive into Newport but want to bike the rest of the way to the park. This year’s Park and Bike lots will be at Rogers High School, which is about 12 minutes away from the venue by bike, and Newport County YMCA in Middletown, which is about 30 minutes away.
Note that this year, due to the building of a new Rogers, parking is very limited and reserved for bicyclists. Both the Old Fort Road and main Wickham Road parking lots will be closed. There is a small lot at the east end of the high school with limited parking available first come, first served. If there is no space there, it’s advised to park elsewhere.
More information, including bike paths to get to and from the Park and Bike lots, is available on Bike Newport’s website.
Two companies shuttle attendees on the water to and from Fort Adams: Oldport Marina, also known as the Newport Harbor Shuttle, and the Jamestown-Newport Ferry. Oldport Marina has two pick-up locations, one in Perotti Park and one off its dock on America’s Cup Ave. These shuttles will take attendees directly to the festival and are $20 roundtrip for adults, cash only. The trip takes about 15 minutes.
The Jamestown-Newport Ferry on the other hand goes between Jamestown and Fort Adams and costs $41 for a round trip ticket. The trip takes about 40 minutes. Unlike with Oldport Marina, festival-goers can purchase tickets to the Jamestown-Newport Ferry ahead of time.
Those coming from Providence can also take the Seastreak Providence-Newport ferry, which makes a stop in Bristol. It’s $24 roundtrip and arrives in downtown Newport at 39 America’s Cup Avenue, which is a 17-minute bike ride or 13-minute Uber ride from Fort Adams.
Fort Adams State Park’s address is 90 Fort Adams Drive. It takes about an hour to get there from Providence, via either Interstate 95 or Interstate 195, depending on traffic.
Be sure to bring cash if you’re planning to pay to park at Fort Adams during the event. However, since there’s limited parking at the venue, the organizers suggest purchasing a parking pass ahead of time instead. Passes range from $25.75 for a one-day pass to $69.01 for a three-day pass. Two-day passes are also available.
For those interested in traveling around Aquidneck Island before, during, or after the music festivals, bear in mind that there is currently ongoing construction work happening around the Pell Bridge as the RI Department of Transportation works to realign the ramps to the bridge as well as on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. The RIDOT website has more information on these projects.
In conclusion, whether you choose to bike, take a shuttle, or use a ferry, there are numerous transportation options available to help you beat the traffic and arrive in style at the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals. Plan ahead, consider the various routes and prices, and make the most of your festival experience without the hassle of congestion. Enjoy the music and have a fantastic time at Fort Adams State Park!
