In the room
The experience
Newport Jazz is older than every other festival on the international circuit. George Wein founded it in 1954. The festival moved into the granite ramparts of Fort Adams in 1981 and the venue has been the same since: a five-pointed star fort built in 1841 to defend Narragansett Bay, the festival stages set inside the ramparts and on the green outside. The Quad Stage (inside the actual fort walls) has the best acoustics, the most shade, and the hardest to find approach. Three days every August. Crowd ages 6 to 96.
Insider tip
Walk in knowing
The Quad Stage inside the fort walls is the magic. Best acoustics, best shade, hardest to find.
Why it fits
Why it is in the atlas
The original jazz festival, in a venue that is itself a national landmark.
Plan the trip
When to go, hours, getting there
Best time to go
Annual, three days first weekend of August. Fort Adams catches afternoon sun; the Quad Stage inside the fort walls is the acoustically richest. Friday is the easier-to-ticket day, Saturday and Sunday sell out months ahead.
Hours
Annual three-day festival, first weekend of August. Gates open 11:30 each day, music runs to 19:30. Fort Adams State Park itself is open year-round for daytime visits.
Getting there
Drive from Boston (1h 30m south) or from New York City (3 hours north-east). From Newport, take the festival shuttle from the visitor centre on Memorial Boulevard. Limited parking at Fort Adams; carpool or shuttle.
Straight from the source
Official site and tickets
Dates, line-ups and tickets come from the organiser. Opens newportjazz.org in a new tab.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Where is Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams?
Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams is in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. Coordinates: 41.4757, -71.3399.
What kind of music is at Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams?
Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams programmes Jazz, Soul, R&B. George Wein's 1954 jazz festival, the world's first, held inside the granite ramparts of an 1841 coastal artillery fort overlooking Narragansett Bay.
When is the best time to visit Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams?
Annual, three days first weekend of August. Fort Adams catches afternoon sun; the Quad Stage inside the fort walls is the acoustically richest. Friday is the easier-to-ticket day, Saturday and Sunday sell out months ahead.
How do I get to Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams?
Drive from Boston (1h 30m south) or from New York City (3 hours north-east). From Newport, take the festival shuttle from the visitor centre on Memorial Boulevard. Limited parking at Fort Adams; carpool or shuttle.
Why is Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams in the Sonic Paths atlas?
The original jazz festival, in a venue that is itself a national landmark.
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