This past weekend some friends and I headed up to Newport, Rhode Island (the heart-of-preppy-darkness) for the Newport Folk Festival. The long running event is held at historic Fort Adams – which sits across the harbor, a short $5 boat ride away from town – and is as well run a festival as I have ever been to.
Newport is a great mix of WASPy rich folks dressed up in everything you’d expect them to be wearing and a the New England equivalent of people you see on Jersey Shore. The people do share a common ground though, alcohol. But that’s the town of Newport, the festival was a different sort of people all together. The folk festival is not overly crowded and everyone we came across was relaxed and polite. The stages were easy to navigate and each set-up had an intimate feeling with amazing views of the boats in the harbor. If you haven’t attended, put it on your list for next year. The highlights of the festival for me were definitely Justin Townes Earle, Mavis Staples and Middle Brother.
Some photos from the weekend are below. Everything here was shot with the Fujifilm X100. A big thanks to Johnny Beach, Josh Moore, Andrew Colvin and Justin Townes Earle for hooking everything up.
Nice Sky behind Bannisters Wharf. Abbotts.
Thanks for the post. Hope you had a blast.
Finally, a New England post. Come to Boston soon!
Boston next week.
Recommend a Middle Brother live show to anyone. They killed it at First Ave earlier this year. Totally different interpretations of their songs.
Del’s! Delicious childhood memories…
old school acl post. the seafoody place is where you went w/ your ma right? #epic. j
Yep. http://acontinuouslean.com/2009/07/08/obsession-abbotts-lobster-in-the-rough/
The wife and I saw JTE down at the Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores, AL and at Bonnaroo. He is the real thing and we loved every second of his sets.
The fact that my buddy Johnny Corndawg just showed up on yer site blew my mind into a million pieces. Thanks for the coverage Michael. It doesn’t get much more American than a cat like JCDawg. Long live the dawg –
Bet there was some of that reefer being smoked there! Hope you checked out Trampled By Turtles!
Michael, are you stopping by the Ball and Buck on your swing up to Boston? Good people over there.
bag of donuts at the mooring is unreal.
Looks super-preptastic but a lot of fun. And, there’s something extra appealing about lobster on a paper plate.
Oh damn, Franklin Spa! Yup—hangover remedies… Man, I miss going to RI. I used to go to Newport somewhat frequently for business and was lucky enough to cover the 2005 Newport Jazz Fest for a national pub that hooked me up w/ a 38-foot boat and a mooring in the harbor…. good memories of swimming in cold Narragansett Bay just off Fort Adams, surrounded by jazz…
Little let down you didn’t mention (maybe didn’t see) Brownbird!!
Guessing we’ll be seeing a Bobby from Boston post next week.
Now that is a summertime post. Made it to the festival last year, stayed in a little apartment on the wharf, clam chowder for breakfast. Chartered a boat one afternoon and listened from the harbor. Really missed not being there this year, thanks for the images.
Next year get someone to loan you a whaler. The best way to experience Folk Fest is tied up to a string of boats, funneling ‘Gansetts on the bow.
whatcha coming to see in Boston?
Can’t tell you, that would ruin the fun.
Makes me regret not getting my tickets now!
ahh, Abbott’s! My father has a boat at Noank Shipyard, right next door! Absolutely amazing photos.
Hey, that’s funny. I flew in from L.A. for the Saturday show, which was awesome and hot and sunny.I caught a guy taking my picture and wondered if it was some blogger, happy to hear you were there. Then down to Mystic and went back to Abbot’s which you recommended two years ago – where I went after a wedding. Then drove up the coast to Maine and Prince Edward Island, Canada. I tried to get some Quoddy’s in Perry,Me. but the Wigwam is now closed. Their operation is out of an old motel, which wasn’t open on Saturday’s.So close to the moccasin grail, but a fail.