Mayor Brett Smiley, FirstWorks Kick Off PVDFest 2026

September 17, 2026

Providence’s signature arts and culture festival brings music, performances, skating, public art, local vendors and community programming to Creative Capital

PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Brett P. Smiley, Councilman John Goncalves, founding producing partner FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher, President of Real Access Motivates Progress (RAMP) Tina Guenette, and Department of Art, Culture and Tourism Director Joe Wilson Jr. today kicked off PVDFest 2026, Providence’s signature celebration of art, culture and community.

Programming begins Thursday, September 17 with a free skating party at the Providence Rink, followed by the main festival on Friday, September 18 from 5 to 10 pm and Saturday, September 19 from noon to 10 pm.

PVDFest will fill Downtown Providence with live music, dance, public art, maker spaces, artisan markets, food, skating and activities celebrating the cultures and creative communities that make Providence the Creative Capital. This year’s footprint includes Kennedy Plaza, the Providence Rink, Burnside Park and the streets surrounding City Hall.

“PVDFest is one of the best opportunities we have to come together and celebrate the artists, performers, makers and cultural organizations that make Providence such a special place,” said Mayor Brett Smiley. “We have an incredible weekend planned, with something happening around every corner. I invite neighbors and visitors to meet us Downtown and experience the talent, energy and creativity of our city.”

Thursday: Providence Video Disco Skate Party

The celebration begins Thursday, September 17 with Providence Video Disco: Skate Party Edition, presented by The Juice FM at the Providence Rink.

The free, all-ages event will run from 5 to 10 pm, with music and entertainment curated by The Juice from 6 to 9 pm. The party will bring together music and video from across generations, spanning classic favorites through today’s biggest hits. Skate rentals will be available, and the PVDFest Bar will be open throughout the event.

Friday: LUV U BETTER, La Excelencia and the Illuminated Night Market

PVDFest officially opens Friday at 5 pm with performances and activities across Downtown.

Stay Silent will return to the Providence Rink with its free LUV U BETTER Block Party from 5 to 10 pm. The all-R&B party will feature Slick Vick, King Marie, Mozes, Charlie Tunes and Where’s Nasty, with music spanning different eras of R&B, soul, dance and hip-hop.

In Burnside Park, the Illuminated Night Market will feature local artists, makers and small businesses from 5 to 9 pm. Friday programming will also include Art Piano installations in Burnside Park and Kennedy Plaza and performances by Hill House The Band, Grace Darko, Lamine Touré and Group Saloum, PVD World Music, WattzBeatz, Ashley Soto con Mariachi Tequila, Yoo-norlan, Cultura Dance Arts and Séga Genn.

International salsa orchestra La Excelencia will close Friday night on the Plaza Stage with a performance from 9 to 10 pm.

“FirstWorks is proud to carry PVDFest forward as a one-of-a-kind celebration of Providence’s creative energy, nurturing enduring relationships with hundreds of Rhode Island artists and creatives, said Kathleen Pletcher, Executive Artistic Director of FirstWorks. “This year, we’re delighted to support the vision and innovation of local curators. Festival-goers will encounter pocket spectacles around every corner, inviting them to jump in and join the celebration.”

Saturday: Big Freedia Headlines a Full Day Downtown

Programming resumes Saturday at noon, with performances and activities on multiple stages and throughout the festival footprint.

New Orleans bounce icon Big Freedia will headline the Plaza Stage beginning at 8:30 pm. Providence’s own Earl Bright & Elevated Choir will join Big Freedia during the set, continuing a PVDFest tradition of connecting local artists with nationally and internationally recognized performers. The choir will also present its own Plaza Stage performance at 12:40 pm.

Saturday’s featured performers also include Grammy Award-winning musician and Fox Point native Butch Tavares, Linda EPO, Sidy Maïga & The Bridge Where We Meet, the Kim Trusty Band, Flamenco Rhode Island, Rhode Island Kung Fu & Lion Dance Club, the Harris Family Narragansett Dance Troupe, Extraordinary Rendition Band and Blackout Drum Squad, and many more.
The Providence Rink will host a full day of programming, including the Soul Lounge: Family Reunion.

The Motif Battle of the Bands will bring emerging local musicians to the Burnside Park Stage beginning at 5:20 pm.

Art, Fashion and Hands-On Activities

PVDFest will offer art and creative activities across Downtown throughout the day Saturday.

Artist AGONZA will lead the return of the PVDFest Mural Battle near City Hall from 2 to 5 pm, bringing artists together for a live chalk art competition.

On Washington Street, AS220 and Rhode Island Fashion Week will present “DRIP,” a six-hour showcase bringing fashion, music and culture together. Additional attractions include live glassblowing by Gather Glass, a community LEGO build, Cypher Pressure, Art Piano installations and the Tuft Lounge in Burnside Park.

This year’s maker spaces include Alley Cat, Design RI, LEGO Mosaic Community Build, Now or Never, DWRI Letterpress, PrintFest, Weave Your Part and AGONZA’s Mural Battle.

Markets, Food and Downtown Businesses

Local artists, makers, small businesses and community organizations will be located throughout the festival footprint. The Black Marketplace will return to the Mathewson Street lot on Saturday from noon to 6 pm., followed by an open mic on the Mathewson Street Stage beginning at 3:10 pm.

Food trucks will serve local and international cuisine during the festival, and nearby restaurants and bars will be open throughout the weekend. Attendees are encouraged to explore Downtown businesses while enjoying PVDFest.

The PVDFest Bar at the Providence Rink will be open Friday and Saturday. The Rink remains open to all ages, with identification required to purchase alcoholic beverages.

People’s Parade and 2026 Grand Marshals

The PVDFest People’s Parade will step off Saturday at 3 pm from the intersection of Greene and Washington Streets and travel along Washington Street to the Plaza Stage in Kennedy Plaza.

This year’s Grand Marshals are Grammy Award-winning musician Butch Tavares, cultural leader Rommel Montes de Oca and Mount Pleasant High School music teacher Danielle Lucini. Together, they represent the artistic talent, cultural leadership and commitment to young people that strengthen Providence’s creative community.

Planning Your Visit

PVDFest is free and open to all ages. Attendees should expect loud music, bright lights and large crowds, particularly Saturday afternoon and evening. Visitors are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket, refillable water bottle and sunscreen.

The full performance schedule, map, accessibility information, transportation updates and other event details are available at PVDFest.com.

About PVDFest

Mayor Brett P. Smiley, the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism and producing partner FirstWorks host PVDFest, Providence’s signature outdoor arts festival. Returning September 18-19, 2026, PVDFest transforms Downtown Providence into a citywide celebration of music, art, performance, food and culture, welcoming thousands of residents and visitors to experience the creativity and energy of the Creative Capital.

About FirstWorks

FirstWorks is a nonprofit arts organization based in Providence, Rhode Island whose mission is to connect art with audiences through world-class performances, educational programs and community partnerships. As the founding partner of PVDFest, FirstWorks has collaborated with the City of Providence to curate and produce the festival since its inception in 2015.