Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Guide: Music, Schedule, Food, Camping & More

Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 returns to Ninigret Park in Charlestown for three full days of roots music over Labor Day weekend, September 4–6, with more than 40 performances spread across three stages, on-site camping, dancing, workshops, food vendors, a swimming pond and activities for families.

This year’s headliners include St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Tower of Power, Margo Price, The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, backed by a lineup that stretches from blues and Americana to Cajun, zydeco, bluegrass, soul, country and New Orleans jazz.

But Rhythm & Roots has never really been a festival where you show up for one headliner and leave.

Music begins at 1 p.m. each day and continues until 11 p.m., with performances moving among the Rhythm Stage, Roots Stage and Dance Stage. There are workshops during the afternoon, plenty of room to dance, food from more than a dozen vendors, craft shopping and an entire campground that becomes its own little community for the weekend.

And yes, bring the kids. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Ninigret Park has a playground and Little Nini Pond for swimming, giving families something unusually valuable at a three-day music festival: somewhere for the kids to burn off energy between sets.

Here’s what you need to know before heading to Charlestown.

Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Dates and Hours

The 28th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival takes place Friday through Sunday, September 4–6, 2026, at Ninigret Park in Charlestown.

Festival gates are open:

Friday, September 4: Noon–11 p.m.
Saturday, September 5: Noon–11 p.m.
Sunday, September 6: Noon–11 p.m.

Campers can make a considerably longer weekend of it. The campground opens Thursday morning for campers holding the appropriate early-access camping ticket, and all campsites must be cleared by noon Monday.

Friday: St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Marty Stuart

Friday doesn’t function as a shortened opening night. Rhythm & Roots launches with a full day of music beginning at 1 p.m.

The Rhythm Stage builds toward a particularly strong evening pairing. Futurebirds perform from 5 to 6:20 p.m., followed by Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives from 6:40 to 8:10 p.m.

Then St. Paul & The Broken Bones closes the stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m.

Friday Rhythm Stage

1:00–2:00 p.m. — Paul Gabriel Blues Band
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Adam Ezra Group
3:30–4:45 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo
5:00–6:20 p.m. — Futurebirds
6:40–8:10 p.m. — Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
8:30–10:15 p.m. — St. Paul & The Broken Bones

The Roots Stage takes a different route through the day, moving heavily into zydeco and Louisiana music.

Friday Roots Stage

2:15–3:15 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs Workshop
3:30–4:30 p.m. — Sons of Levin
5:00–6:00 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs
6:30–8:00 p.m. — Kindred Valley
8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Mallett Brothers Band

And then there’s the Dance Stage. This is where Rhythm & Roots begins showing why calling it simply a “concert festival” doesn’t quite capture the weekend.

Friday Dance Stage

1:00–2:30 p.m. — Planet Zydeco
3:00–4:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
5:00–6:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces
7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno
9:00–11:00 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys

You could spend the entire first day at one stage and hear a coherent afternoon of music. Or bounce among all three and make it something completely different.

That’s basically the Rhythm & Roots formula.

Saturday: Tower of Power and Margo Price

Saturday puts Tower of Power at the top of the bill, closing the Rhythm Stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m.

Immediately before them is Margo Price, performing from 6:40 to 8:10 p.m., while Big Bad Voodoo Daddy takes the 5 p.m. slot.

Saturday Rhythm Stage

1:00–2:00 p.m. — Knickerbocker All-Stars
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Johnny Mullenax
3:30–4:45 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs
5:00–6:20 p.m. — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
6:40–8:10 p.m. — Margo Price
8:30–10:15 p.m. — Tower of Power

Saturday Roots Stage

The Roots Stage opens with two workshops before moving into a full afternoon and evening of performances.

1:00–2:00 p.m. — Acoustic Jam Workshop
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Workshop
3:30–4:30 p.m. — The Alpaca Gnomes
5:00–6:00 p.m. — The Quahogs
6:30–8:00 p.m. — Ward Hayden & The Outliers
8:30–10:15 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo

Saturday Dance Stage

1:00–2:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces
3:00–4:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno
5:00–6:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys
7:00–8:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble
9:00–11:00 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys

If dancing is your reason for coming, Saturday night is probably the night to circle. Curley Taylor leads directly into a two-hour closing set from Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys.

Sunday: The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Sunday doesn’t wind the festival down gently.

The Devil Makes Three gets the final 8:30 p.m. Rhythm Stage slot, preceded by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Yonder Mountain String Band and Roomful of Blues.

Sunday Rhythm Stage

1:00–2:00 p.m. — The Moonrise Cartel
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Canyon Lights
3:30–4:45 p.m. — Roomful of Blues
5:00–6:20 p.m. — Yonder Mountain String Band
6:40–8:10 p.m. — Preservation Hall Jazz Band
8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Devil Makes Three

Sunday Roots Stage

1:00–2:00 p.m. — Sunday School with Christine Ohlman
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Accordion Workshop
3:30–4:30 p.m. — Blues Jam Workshop
5:00–6:00 p.m. — Jason Ingriselli & The Miles North
6:30–8:00 p.m. — The Suitcase Junket
8:30–10:15 p.m. — Quinn Sullivan

Sunday Dance Stage

1:00–2:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys
3:00–4:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble
5:00–6:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno
9:00–11:00 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces

One thing worth noticing in that schedule is how frequently musicians return on different days or stages.

That’s intentional. Rhythm & Roots isn’t built like a typical rock festival where every band gets 45 minutes and disappears. The festival grew from Cajun, zydeco, bluegrass and other roots traditions where workshops, dancing, collaborations and repeat performances are part of the experience.

More Than 40 Performances Across Three Stages

The breadth of the lineup is probably the festival’s biggest strength.

There’s southern soul from St. Paul & The Broken Bones, country and bluegrass history with Marty Stuart, the horn-powered funk and soul of Tower of Power, Americana from Margo Price, traditional New Orleans jazz from Preservation Hall Jazz Band, progressive bluegrass from Yonder Mountain String Band and the genre-blurring acoustic sound of The Devil Makes Three.

Then follow the schedule deeper.

You’ll find Rhode Island’s own Roomful of Blues and Knickerbocker All-Stars, Texas conjunto from Los Texmaniacs, Louisiana zydeco from the Pine Leaf Boys and Curley Taylor, Cajun music from Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys, plus blues, country, folk and regional artists throughout the weekend.

That’s been part of Rhythm & Roots’ identity from the beginning. The festival describes its musical territory broadly, encompassing Cajun, zydeco, blues, country, bluegrass and Americana, rather than forcing everything under one genre.

Rhythm & Roots Has Been Doing This Since 1998

There’s some real Rhode Island music history behind the weekend.

Festival founder Chuck Wentworth spent decades immersed in roots music, including 37 years hosting Traditions on WRIU. He became involved with Rhode Island’s Cajun & Bluegrass Festival in 1981 and eventually took responsibility for booking its performers.

In 1998, Wentworth and festival producer Mary Doub revived the struggling event as Rhythm & Roots. After its first year in Escoheag, they moved it to Ninigret Park, where the flatter and considerably larger property offered room for multiple stages, camping and parking.

The Wentworth family operated Rhythm & Roots as an independent family festival for more than two decades.

It very nearly ended in 2022.

Wentworth announced that health problems were forcing him to shut down Lagniappe Productions and cancel the festival. Instead, Connecticut-based GoodWorks Entertainment acquired Rhythm & Roots and brought it back that same Labor Day weekend, promising to preserve the community and family atmosphere Wentworth had built.

The 2026 festival is the 28th annual Rhythm & Roots.

Bring the Kids

This deserves considerably more attention than the usual “family friendly” label buried near the bottom of a festival page.

Children 12 and under get into Rhythm & Roots free.

Ninigret Park also has a large playground and Little Nini Pond, a freshwater swimming area inside the park. The festival promotes the weekend as something that can work for everyone from toddlers to grandparents.

That changes the equation for families considering an all-day festival.

Kids don’t have to spend ten hours being told to sit quietly next to a folding chair while Mom and Dad watch bands. Break up the music with the playground or swimming, grab something to eat, and then head back toward the stages.

The festival grounds also include a Kids Tent and other activities as part of the weekend.

Food at Rhythm & Roots

You could also make a pretty respectable weekend out of eating your way through the festival.

The announced food lineup includes:

Newport Chowder — seafood
Alaina’s Mobile — American
Good Karma Cafe — coffee and beverages
Thai Jasmine — Thai
Ginger Love Cafe — Filipino street food
The Potato Caboose — loaded baked potatoes
Sunset Farm — hamburgers and barbecue
The Breachway Grill — tacos and more
Atomic Blonde — ice cream
Del’s Lemonade — frozen lemonade
Timi’s Greek Food — Greek and Middle Eastern food
Kettle Korn Express — freshly made kettle corn
Ting Ting Dumplings — Asian cuisine
Chili Brothers — Cajun and Creole
Vetrano’s — pizza

That range isn’t accidental. Food has long been treated as another part of the Rhythm & Roots experience, with the festival specifically seeking a mix that reflects some of the same cultural variety found on its stages.

There are also craft vendors selling handmade clothing, jewelry, artwork, musical items and other goods, plus official Rhythm & Roots merchandise. The festival says it generally features about 25 artisans.

Camping at Ninigret Park

For some longtime attendees, camping isn’t simply somewhere to sleep after the music.

It’s part of Rhythm & Roots.

Ninigret Park becomes a temporary campground exclusively for the festival, accommodating tents, cars, pop-up campers and RVs on its flat grassy grounds. Festival organizers even note that performers sometimes stay in the campground, which can lead to informal music and late-night jams after the stages shut down.

Camping runs from Thursday at 9 a.m. through noon Monday for those holding the appropriate passes.

There are no utility hookups. The campground provides potable water, portable toilets and hand-washing stations, while showers require a separate shower pass.

Everyone older than 12 staying in the campground needs a full festival camping ticket, and every vehicle entering the campground requires an additional vehicle pass.

One important update for anyone reading this guide while considering a camping weekend: regular 2026 three-day camping passes are currently sold out through the festival’s primary ticket seller. The ticketing page directs buyers to its fan exchange for resale availability.

 

What Tickets Cost

As of August 15, standard non-camping tickets remain available.

Single-day admission: $102
Two-day pass: $185
Three-day non-camping pass: $269

Those prices are listed as all-in pricing, with fees included.

Children 12 and younger are free.

Three-day non-camping admission includes access to all three stages, food and craft vendor areas, Little Nini Pond, the playground and other festival grounds, along with free daily on-site parking.

There is also a paid Lagniappe Lounge upgrade offering early entry, a covered area, private bar, air-conditioned flush toilets and a viewing platform. A regular general admission ticket is still required.

 

What You Can Bring

Festival-goers may bring food and water in a small soft-sided cooler no larger than 18 by 12 by 12 inches.

Hard coolers and coolers on wheels aren’t allowed.

Neither are outside alcohol or glass bottles. Potable water is available on the festival grounds for refilling bottles.

That’s particularly useful if you’re bringing children and planning to stay for most of the day. You don’t have to buy every snack or bottle of water inside the festival.

Parking and Getting There

Ninigret Park is in Charlestown, just off Route 1.

The festival address is:

4890A Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI 02813

Standard three-day non-camping admission includes free daily parking. Preferred parking is separately ticketed when available.

Festival organizers specifically ask drivers not to stage or line up on Route 1 before entering the park.

Rain or Shine

Rhythm & Roots takes place rain or shine, and tickets are non-refundable. The artist lineup is also subject to change.

Given that this is three days outdoors in Rhode Island at the end of summer, checking the forecast before packing isn’t a bad idea.

Then again, neither is packing for two different seasons. It’s New England.

Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 at a Glance

Dates: Friday–Sunday, September 4–6, 2026

Hours: Noon–11 p.m. daily

Music Begins: 1 p.m. daily

Location: Ninigret Park

Address: 4890A Old Post Road, Charlestown, RI 02813

Stages: Rhythm Stage, Roots Stage and Dance Stage

Headliners and Featured Artists: St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Tower of Power, Margo Price, The Devil Makes Three, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Donna The Buffalo, Roomful of Blues and more

Single-Day Tickets: $102

Two-Day Tickets: $185

Three-Day Non-Camping Pass: $269

Children: Ages 12 and under admitted free

Parking: Free daily parking included with non-camping festival admission

Camping: On-site camping available only with appropriate camping passes; primary 2026 camping passes are currently sold out

Food: More than a dozen food vendors offering seafood, barbecue, Cajun and Creole, Thai, Filipino, Greek and Middle Eastern food, pizza, tacos, desserts and more

Family Activities: Playground, Little Nini Pond swimming area and Kids Tent

Weather: Rain or shine

Refunds: No refunds

More Information

Complete festival information, including schedules, policies, camping details and updates, is available on the Rhythm & Roots Festival website.

To purchase admission, click the Event Ticketing link.