Newport Jazz Festival began back in 1954 as the first outdoor music festival of its kind completely and utterly devoted to Jazz. That year brought big names in the genre like the famed Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. In the 62 years since, the festival has produced some of the most influential performances in jazz history, from Miles Davis's 1955 solo on "'Round Midnight" and the Duke Ellington Orchestra's lengthy 1956 performance of "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue."
This year's festival returns to Fort Adams State Park August 2 - 4, 2019 with an impressive lineup including Herbie Hancock, Kamasi Washington, Corinne Bailey Rae and more.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
GETTING TO THE FORT
BY BIKE
Trade four wheels for two and skip the traffic when you bike to Newport Jazz Festival. Pro Tip: Receive a wristband to the festival when you volunteer with Bike Newport.
Find bike routes
BY CAR
Fort Adams State Park is a 40 minute drive from Providence, 1.5 hour drive from Boston, and 3.5 hour drive from New York City. Allow time for traffic.
Get directions
BY WATER SHUTTLE
Choose among three different harbor shuttle options to get out to the Fort.
Find my shuttle
THE SCHEDULE
Parking: Opens 8:00 AM
Water Shuttles: Begin at 9:00 AM
The Fort: Opens for entry at 10:00 AM
Music: Begins at 11:00 AM
Beer Gardens: Noon - 6:30 PM
THINGS TO NOTE
There is no re-entry into the festival. For safety precautions, once you leave the fort, you cannot re-enter, so pack accordingly! The visitor center will now be inside the festival grounds, and fans will have access to the bathrooms and ATM.
Mind your chair height. There will be a standing/dancing zone in front of the Fort Stage, house left. Low backed chairs (30” or less) and blankets are allowed outside of the no chair zone (house right). Chair height will be checked in the chair zones at the Fort Stage. Chairs or structures over 30” will be moved to the back of the house.
PARKING
There is limited parking on site at Fort Adams. Purchases at the gate are cash only.
- Single day: $15 in advance, $20 at the gate
- 2-day Saturday & Sunday: $30 in advance, not available at gate
- 3-day: $45, not available at gate
Pro Tip: You can park at the Newport Gateway Center Lot located at 23 America's Cup Avenue for $2 for the first half-hour (head inside the Visitor Center to get your ticket validated for the first half-hour free) and $1.50 for each additional half hour. From there, make a quick three-minute walk over to Perrotti Park to catch the Newport Harbor Shuttle over to the fort. The shuttle is a 15-minute trip and doesn't require reservations. Tickets can be purchased for $15 for a round-trip for $8 for one-way. Note: Cash only.
GENERAL FAQ
WHAT IF IT RAINS?
Newport Jazz Festival takes place rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, announcements will be made regarding safety procedures and programming will resume when safe.
CAN I BRING A BAG?
Yes. All bags and personal items are inspected upon entrance to the fort. Bags cannot exceed 16'x16'x8'.
WHAT ELSE CAN I BRING? (per newportjazz.org)
- One small cooler (no larger than 16″ x 12″)
- A blanket (Maximum size: 6’x8′)
- Strollers that are reasonably sized and do not obstruct the view of others
- Small baby beach cabanas are allowed in designated shade areas only as space allows. Chairs between 30″H – 34″H are allowed in these areas as well, and shade covers are allowed to be in the up position. No pop up tents.
- Umbrellas are allowed in the venue and in seating areas but must be closed and stored during sets so as not to obstruct the views of others.
- 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)
WHAT IS PROHIBITED? (per newportjazz.org)
- 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
- No bag larger than 16”X16”X8” will be permitted inside the venue.
- No beach umbrellas or beach balls (because they could end up in the bay and hurt the wildlife)
- No chairs over 34″H are allowed in the park. No recliners or foot rests allowed either.
- No chairs over 30”H are allowed in lawn seating areas
- No chairs are allowed in the “no chair zones.”
- Chairs using roofs and other shade structures are prohibited in lawn seating areas and must be used in designated shade areas only.
- No pop up tents
- No pets
- Please leave your selfie sticks at home. Meet fellow jazz lovers & 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 festival-goers.