Newport Jazz Festival 2019: Patch's Complete Guide

NEWPORT, RI — It's August in Newport, which means only one thing in the world of music: the 2019 Newport Jazz Festival. Featuring dozens of legendary artists including The Late Show's Jon Batiste and more, the three-day festival is a celebration of the best of the jazz world.

The festival comes on the heels of a particularly successful Folk Festival that capped off with a surprise appearance from Kermit the Frog himself.

If you're planning on heading to Fort Adams this weekend, here's everything you need to know from how to get there to where to by tickets.

Getting To The Festival

The festival takes place at Fort Adams State Park, a historic site set right on the water. As such, there are several ways to get there. Traffic heading into the area usually backs up for several miles, so festival attendees are encouraged to take alternate forms of transportation if possible.

The Newport Harbor Shuttle runs between Perotti Park and the fort every 15 minutes. Reservations are not required.

Another ferry runs from Jamestown to Newport, making stops at One East Ferry Wharf in Jamestown, Perotti Park and Fort Adams.

The third option is to take the SeaStreak ferry from Providence. Starting at India Point Park, the ferry goes to the terminal at 39 America's Cup Blvd., making stops in Jamestown on the weekends. Reservations are recommended, as weekend trips frequently sell out.

Parking is available on the festival grounds for those who choose to drive. Carpooling is encouraged as parking space is limited. Parking attendants will only accept cash.

Those looking to bike can leave their cars nearby and ride the rest of the way. Park and bike locations are located at the Newport County YMCA in Middletown and Rogers High School. From the YMCA, it's about a 4.6 mile ride, while it's only 1.5 miles from the high school.

Festival Information

Parking begins bright and early at 8 a.m., one hour before the box office and two hours before the gate opens at 10 a.m. Starting at 9 a.m., shuttles will start running from the parking lots to the main festival site.

Single-day passes are the only tickets that are still available, costing $69 for Friday or $79 for the weekend. Students can get in for just $20, while child tickets run $15 for one day of $45 for three. Tickets can be purchased online.

Attendees should plan to take everything they need for the day with them into the festival, as re-entry is not allowed, a rule festival organizers said is necessary to maintain safety.

What Can I Bring With Me?

Festival attendees can bring the following items into the festival:

• One small, hand-held cooler up to 16 inches by 12 inches. All coolers will be searched.
• One blanket up to six feet by eight feet.
• Small strollers that will not obstruct anyone's view.
• Low-seat chairs less than 30 inches high.
• Small baby beach cabanas.
• Umbrellas (must be closed and stored during musical acts)
• Cameras, provided they do not interfere with other festival attendees. No audio recording is allowed.

The following items are banned:

• Coolers larger than the allowed size
• Flag poles
• Glass containers
• Alcohol
• Illegal substances of any kind
• Noise-making devices
• Laser pointers
• Knives, box cutters or weapons of any kind
• Commercial audio-visual equipment
• Bags larger than 16 inches by 16 inches by 18 inches
• Beach umbrellas or beach balls
• Chairs larger than 34 inches tall or chairs with foot rests or sun shades
• Pop-up tents
• Pets
• Selfie sticks
• Drones

Food and Beverages

Beer and wine gardens will be set up inside the festival. All patrons must be at least 21 years old to enter, with IDs checked at the entrance and wristbands given out. If you plan on attending all weekend, leave the wristband on, as it is good for the duration of the festival. Both cash and credit are accepted.

Food, vendor and merchandise stalls will be set up throughout the festival area as well.

Artist Line-Up

Here's a look at the schedule of artists throughout the weekend.

More information and a full artist line-up is available on the festival's official website.