Newport Folk Festival 2026

The Newport Folk festival began in 1959 and, though there have been gaps due to lack of funding, controversy over riots at its Jazz counterpart and a pandemic, it is still going strong, even selling out before the full lineup is announced. While it still boasts a good proportion of Folk acts in its lineup, it is by no means limited to that genre and includes Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Bluegrass, Country and World Music acts. In its earlier incarnations, it was known for politically charged performances, especially related to the Civil Rights movement, by such performers as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and the Freedom Singers. It has taken place in Fort Adams State Park since 1985.