BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//The CT Beacon - ECPv6.18.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://thectbeacon.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The CT Beacon
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T230000
DTSTAMP:20260816T022849Z
CREATED:20260816T022849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T022849Z
UID:10007201-1788609600-1788649200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Guide: Music\, Schedule\, Food\, Camping & More
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThis 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. \nBut Rhythm & Roots has never really been a festival where you show up for one headliner and leave. \nMusic 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. \nAnd 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. \nHere’s what you need to know before heading to Charlestown. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Dates and Hours\nThe 28th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival takes place Friday through Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026\, at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. \nFestival gates are open: \nFriday\, September 4: Noon–11 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 5: Noon–11 p.m.\nSunday\, September 6: Noon–11 p.m. \nCampers 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. \nFriday: St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Marty Stuart\nFriday doesn’t function as a shortened opening night. Rhythm & Roots launches with a full day of music beginning at 1 p.m. \nThe 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. \nThen St. Paul & The Broken Bones closes the stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nFriday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Paul Gabriel Blues Band\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Adam Ezra Group\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Futurebirds\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — St. Paul & The Broken Bones \nThe Roots Stage takes a different route through the day\, moving heavily into zydeco and Louisiana music. \nFriday Roots Stage\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Sons of Levin\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Kindred Valley\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Mallett Brothers Band \nAnd 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. \nFriday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Planet Zydeco\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys \nYou 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. \nThat’s basically the Rhythm & Roots formula. \nSaturday: Tower of Power and Margo Price\nSaturday puts Tower of Power at the top of the bill\, closing the Rhythm Stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nImmediately 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. \nSaturday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Knickerbocker All-Stars\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Johnny Mullenax\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Margo Price\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Tower of Power \nSaturday Roots Stage\nThe Roots Stage opens with two workshops before moving into a full afternoon and evening of performances. \n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Acoustic Jam Workshop\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — The Alpaca Gnomes\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — The Quahogs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Ward Hayden & The Outliers\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo \nSaturday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys \nIf 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. \nSunday: The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band\nSunday doesn’t wind the festival down gently. \nThe 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. \nSunday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — The Moonrise Cartel\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Canyon Lights\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Roomful of Blues\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Yonder Mountain String Band\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Preservation Hall Jazz Band\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Devil Makes Three \nSunday Roots Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Sunday School with Christine Ohlman\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Accordion Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Blues Jam Workshop\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Jason Ingriselli & The Miles North\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — The Suitcase Junket\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Quinn Sullivan \nSunday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces \nOne thing worth noticing in that schedule is how frequently musicians return on different days or stages. \nThat’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. \nMore Than 40 Performances Across Three Stages\nThe breadth of the lineup is probably the festival’s biggest strength. \nThere’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. \nThen follow the schedule deeper. \nYou’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. \nThat’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. \nRhythm & Roots Has Been Doing This Since 1998\nThere’s some real Rhode Island music history behind the weekend. \nFestival 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. \nIn 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. \nThe Wentworth family operated Rhythm & Roots as an independent family festival for more than two decades. \nIt very nearly ended in 2022. \nWentworth 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. \nThe 2026 festival is the 28th annual Rhythm & Roots. \nBring the Kids\nThis deserves considerably more attention than the usual “family friendly” label buried near the bottom of a festival page. \nChildren 12 and under get into Rhythm & Roots free. \nNinigret 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. \nThat changes the equation for families considering an all-day festival. \nKids 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. \nThe festival grounds also include a Kids Tent and other activities as part of the weekend. \nFood at Rhythm & Roots\nYou could also make a pretty respectable weekend out of eating your way through the festival. \nThe announced food lineup includes: \nNewport Chowder — seafood\nAlaina’s Mobile — American\nGood Karma Cafe — coffee and beverages\nThai Jasmine — Thai\nGinger Love Cafe — Filipino street food\nThe Potato Caboose — loaded baked potatoes\nSunset Farm — hamburgers and barbecue\nThe Breachway Grill — tacos and more\nAtomic Blonde — ice cream\nDel’s Lemonade — frozen lemonade\nTimi’s Greek Food — Greek and Middle Eastern food\nKettle Korn Express — freshly made kettle corn\nTing Ting Dumplings — Asian cuisine\nChili Brothers — Cajun and Creole\nVetrano’s — pizza \nThat 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. \nThere 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. \nCamping at Ninigret Park\nFor some longtime attendees\, camping isn’t simply somewhere to sleep after the music. \nIt’s part of Rhythm & Roots. \nNinigret 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. \nCamping runs from Thursday at 9 a.m. through noon Monday for those holding the appropriate passes. \nThere are no utility hookups. The campground provides potable water\, portable toilets and hand-washing stations\, while showers require a separate shower pass. \nEveryone older than 12 staying in the campground needs a full festival camping ticket\, and every vehicle entering the campground requires an additional vehicle pass. \nOne 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. \n  \nWhat Tickets Cost\nAs of August 15\, standard non-camping tickets remain available. \nSingle-day admission: $102\nTwo-day pass: $185\nThree-day non-camping pass: $269 \nThose prices are listed as all-in pricing\, with fees included. \nChildren 12 and younger are free. \nThree-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. \nThere 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. \n  \nWhat You Can Bring\nFestival-goers may bring food and water in a small soft-sided cooler no larger than 18 by 12 by 12 inches. \nHard coolers and coolers on wheels aren’t allowed. \nNeither are outside alcohol or glass bottles. Potable water is available on the festival grounds for refilling bottles. \nThat’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. \nParking and Getting There\nNinigret Park is in Charlestown\, just off Route 1. \nThe festival address is: \n4890A Old Post Road\nCharlestown\, RI 02813 \nStandard three-day non-camping admission includes free daily parking. Preferred parking is separately ticketed when available. \nFestival organizers specifically ask drivers not to stage or line up on Route 1 before entering the park. \nRain or Shine\nRhythm & Roots takes place rain or shine\, and tickets are non-refundable. The artist lineup is also subject to change. \nGiven that this is three days outdoors in Rhode Island at the end of summer\, checking the forecast before packing isn’t a bad idea. \nThen again\, neither is packing for two different seasons. It’s New England. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 at a Glance\nDates: Friday–Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026 \nHours: Noon–11 p.m. daily \nMusic Begins: 1 p.m. daily \nLocation: Ninigret Park \nAddress: 4890A Old Post Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813 \nStages: Rhythm Stage\, Roots Stage and Dance Stage \nHeadliners 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 \nSingle-Day Tickets: $102 \nTwo-Day Tickets: $185 \nThree-Day Non-Camping Pass: $269 \nChildren: Ages 12 and under admitted free \nParking: Free daily parking included with non-camping festival admission \nCamping: On-site camping available only with appropriate camping passes; primary 2026 camping passes are currently sold out \nFood: More than a dozen food vendors offering seafood\, barbecue\, Cajun and Creole\, Thai\, Filipino\, Greek and Middle Eastern food\, pizza\, tacos\, desserts and more \nFamily Activities: Playground\, Little Nini Pond swimming area and Kids Tent \nWeather: Rain or shine \nRefunds: No refunds \nMore Information\nComplete festival information\, including schedules\, policies\, camping details and updates\, is available on the Rhythm & Roots Festival website. \nTo purchase admission\, click the Event Ticketing link. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/rhythm-roots-festival-2026-guide-music-schedule-food-camping-more/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Ninigret Park\, 5 Park Lane\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ninigret Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Rhythm-and-Roots-Festival-2026-Guide-Music-Schedule-Food-Camping-and-More.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260816T022849Z
CREATED:20260816T022849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T022849Z
UID:10007202-1788696000-1788717600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Guide: Music\, Schedule\, Food\, Camping & More
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThis 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. \nBut Rhythm & Roots has never really been a festival where you show up for one headliner and leave. \nMusic 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. \nAnd 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. \nHere’s what you need to know before heading to Charlestown. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Dates and Hours\nThe 28th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival takes place Friday through Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026\, at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. \nFestival gates are open: \nFriday\, September 4: Noon–11 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 5: Noon–11 p.m.\nSunday\, September 6: Noon–11 p.m. \nCampers 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. \nFriday: St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Marty Stuart\nFriday doesn’t function as a shortened opening night. Rhythm & Roots launches with a full day of music beginning at 1 p.m. \nThe 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. \nThen St. Paul & The Broken Bones closes the stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nFriday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Paul Gabriel Blues Band\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Adam Ezra Group\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Futurebirds\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — St. Paul & The Broken Bones \nThe Roots Stage takes a different route through the day\, moving heavily into zydeco and Louisiana music. \nFriday Roots Stage\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Sons of Levin\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Kindred Valley\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Mallett Brothers Band \nAnd 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. \nFriday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Planet Zydeco\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys \nYou 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. \nThat’s basically the Rhythm & Roots formula. \nSaturday: Tower of Power and Margo Price\nSaturday puts Tower of Power at the top of the bill\, closing the Rhythm Stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nImmediately 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. \nSaturday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Knickerbocker All-Stars\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Johnny Mullenax\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Margo Price\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Tower of Power \nSaturday Roots Stage\nThe Roots Stage opens with two workshops before moving into a full afternoon and evening of performances. \n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Acoustic Jam Workshop\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — The Alpaca Gnomes\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — The Quahogs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Ward Hayden & The Outliers\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo \nSaturday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys \nIf 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. \nSunday: The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band\nSunday doesn’t wind the festival down gently. \nThe 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. \nSunday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — The Moonrise Cartel\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Canyon Lights\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Roomful of Blues\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Yonder Mountain String Band\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Preservation Hall Jazz Band\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Devil Makes Three \nSunday Roots Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Sunday School with Christine Ohlman\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Accordion Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Blues Jam Workshop\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Jason Ingriselli & The Miles North\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — The Suitcase Junket\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Quinn Sullivan \nSunday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces \nOne thing worth noticing in that schedule is how frequently musicians return on different days or stages. \nThat’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. \nMore Than 40 Performances Across Three Stages\nThe breadth of the lineup is probably the festival’s biggest strength. \nThere’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. \nThen follow the schedule deeper. \nYou’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. \nThat’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. \nRhythm & Roots Has Been Doing This Since 1998\nThere’s some real Rhode Island music history behind the weekend. \nFestival 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. \nIn 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. \nThe Wentworth family operated Rhythm & Roots as an independent family festival for more than two decades. \nIt very nearly ended in 2022. \nWentworth 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. \nThe 2026 festival is the 28th annual Rhythm & Roots. \nBring the Kids\nThis deserves considerably more attention than the usual “family friendly” label buried near the bottom of a festival page. \nChildren 12 and under get into Rhythm & Roots free. \nNinigret 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. \nThat changes the equation for families considering an all-day festival. \nKids 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. \nThe festival grounds also include a Kids Tent and other activities as part of the weekend. \nFood at Rhythm & Roots\nYou could also make a pretty respectable weekend out of eating your way through the festival. \nThe announced food lineup includes: \nNewport Chowder — seafood\nAlaina’s Mobile — American\nGood Karma Cafe — coffee and beverages\nThai Jasmine — Thai\nGinger Love Cafe — Filipino street food\nThe Potato Caboose — loaded baked potatoes\nSunset Farm — hamburgers and barbecue\nThe Breachway Grill — tacos and more\nAtomic Blonde — ice cream\nDel’s Lemonade — frozen lemonade\nTimi’s Greek Food — Greek and Middle Eastern food\nKettle Korn Express — freshly made kettle corn\nTing Ting Dumplings — Asian cuisine\nChili Brothers — Cajun and Creole\nVetrano’s — pizza \nThat 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. \nThere 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. \nCamping at Ninigret Park\nFor some longtime attendees\, camping isn’t simply somewhere to sleep after the music. \nIt’s part of Rhythm & Roots. \nNinigret 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. \nCamping runs from Thursday at 9 a.m. through noon Monday for those holding the appropriate passes. \nThere are no utility hookups. The campground provides potable water\, portable toilets and hand-washing stations\, while showers require a separate shower pass. \nEveryone older than 12 staying in the campground needs a full festival camping ticket\, and every vehicle entering the campground requires an additional vehicle pass. \nOne 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. \n  \nWhat Tickets Cost\nAs of August 15\, standard non-camping tickets remain available. \nSingle-day admission: $102\nTwo-day pass: $185\nThree-day non-camping pass: $269 \nThose prices are listed as all-in pricing\, with fees included. \nChildren 12 and younger are free. \nThree-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. \nThere 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. \n  \nWhat You Can Bring\nFestival-goers may bring food and water in a small soft-sided cooler no larger than 18 by 12 by 12 inches. \nHard coolers and coolers on wheels aren’t allowed. \nNeither are outside alcohol or glass bottles. Potable water is available on the festival grounds for refilling bottles. \nThat’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. \nParking and Getting There\nNinigret Park is in Charlestown\, just off Route 1. \nThe festival address is: \n4890A Old Post Road\nCharlestown\, RI 02813 \nStandard three-day non-camping admission includes free daily parking. Preferred parking is separately ticketed when available. \nFestival organizers specifically ask drivers not to stage or line up on Route 1 before entering the park. \nRain or Shine\nRhythm & Roots takes place rain or shine\, and tickets are non-refundable. The artist lineup is also subject to change. \nGiven that this is three days outdoors in Rhode Island at the end of summer\, checking the forecast before packing isn’t a bad idea. \nThen again\, neither is packing for two different seasons. It’s New England. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 at a Glance\nDates: Friday–Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026 \nHours: Noon–11 p.m. daily \nMusic Begins: 1 p.m. daily \nLocation: Ninigret Park \nAddress: 4890A Old Post Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813 \nStages: Rhythm Stage\, Roots Stage and Dance Stage \nHeadliners 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 \nSingle-Day Tickets: $102 \nTwo-Day Tickets: $185 \nThree-Day Non-Camping Pass: $269 \nChildren: Ages 12 and under admitted free \nParking: Free daily parking included with non-camping festival admission \nCamping: On-site camping available only with appropriate camping passes; primary 2026 camping passes are currently sold out \nFood: More than a dozen food vendors offering seafood\, barbecue\, Cajun and Creole\, Thai\, Filipino\, Greek and Middle Eastern food\, pizza\, tacos\, desserts and more \nFamily Activities: Playground\, Little Nini Pond swimming area and Kids Tent \nWeather: Rain or shine \nRefunds: No refunds \nMore Information\nComplete festival information\, including schedules\, policies\, camping details and updates\, is available on the Rhythm & Roots Festival website. \nTo purchase admission\, click the Event Ticketing link. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/rhythm-roots-festival-2026-guide-music-schedule-food-camping-more/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Ninigret Park\, 5 Park Lane\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ninigret Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Rhythm-and-Roots-Festival-2026-Guide-Music-Schedule-Food-Camping-and-More.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260912T003908Z
CREATED:20260912T003908Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T003908Z
UID:10007550-1789894800-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Velvet Mill End-of-Season Indoor Sidewalk Sale
DESCRIPTION:The Velvet Mill End-of-Season Indoor Sidewalk Sale takes over the sprawling Stonington mill September 19 and 20\, as participating merchants move sale and clearance merchandise out of their shops and into the hallways for a building-wide weekend of browsing. \nThe idea is essentially a sidewalk sale without having to worry about the sidewalk. \nInstead of setting up along Bayview Avenue\, businesses throughout the historic Velvet Mill will place markdowns\, clearance merchandise\, and special finds immediately outside their doors. Shoppers can wander through the building\, discovering sales as they go. \nAnd “wander” is the appropriate word. \nThe Velvet Mill is now home to dozens of independent businesses\, with an unusually eclectic retail mix that includes antiques\, vintage clothing and furniture\, art\, jewelry\, home décor\, books\, bicycles\, crystals\, paper goods\, handmade products\, food\, beer and rum. \nOrganizers recommend coming early for the best selection. \nHere’s What You’ll Find Around the Mill\nThe Velvet Mill has not published a definitive list identifying exactly which tenants will participate in the sidewalk sale. Here is a list of all of the businesses. \nVintage\, Antiques and Collectibles\nThis is probably the strongest shopping category for anyone who likes hunting rather than knowing exactly what they’re going to buy. \n21st Century Antiques deals in antiques and estate items and also handles estate sales and online estate auctions. \na little something is a vintage shop combining older pieces with merchandise selected to work in contemporary homes. \nEpoch Destiny Boutique specializes in collectibles\, antiques and vintage merchandise. \nFun and Funky Vintage lives up to its name with vintage furniture\, housewares\, lighting\, artwork and smaller decorative finds. \nGranary Farmhouse Antiques takes a more refined approach\, concentrating on antique furniture and carefully selected pieces for the home. \nVictoria Clare Vintage is another vintage seller and collector operating from the Mill. \nUnit 88 specializes in vintage and nautical merchandise\, an appropriate combination about a mile from Stonington Harbor. \nBalls of Yarn mixes new\, vintage\, upcycled and consigned merchandise rather than fitting neatly into a single category. \nStevie T’s Treasure Tent adds another treasure-hunting stop to the building. \nBooks & Collectibles is exactly what its name suggests\, adding used and collectible books and other finds to the mix. \nFor a clearance event\, these may be some of the most interesting shops because “sale merchandise” doesn’t necessarily mean last season’s mass-produced inventory. \nAt the Velvet Mill\, it could mean something that hasn’t been in season for 50 years. \nClothing\, Jewelry and Things to Wear\nThe Mill also has several boutiques and makers selling fashion and accessories. \nValomie Boutique offers women’s clothing\, accessories and gift items. \nMountain Hollow combines jewelry and accessories with botanicals\, rocks and minerals\, books\, home décor\, T-shirts and nature-inspired goods. \nNomad’s Novelties sells handmade and novelty merchandise through its Mill studio and online shop. \nThere are also individual artists and makers throughout the building whose work can include wearable art and handcrafted pieces. \nThat’s part of what makes the sale different from a conventional shopping-center clearance event. A significant amount of what’s sold inside the Mill comes from small independent sellers rather than national brands. \nFurniture and Home Décor\nIf you’re looking for something larger\, the Mill has that covered too. \nBali Bungalow specializes in handmade furniture and natural home décor. \nHandcrafted Homestead Furniture produces handcrafted furniture from its Mill workshop. \nFun and Funky Vintage overlaps this category with vintage furniture\, lighting\, housewares and artwork. \nGranary Farmhouse Antiques offers antique and vintage furniture and decorative pieces with a more traditional farmhouse aesthetic. \nInterior Connections works in interior design and furnishings. \nThis is one category where a clearance sale could get interesting quickly. Furniture and décor occupy space\, and end-of-season events give retailers an obvious reason to make room for incoming inventory. \nRocks\, Crystals and Nature-Inspired Finds\nMountain Hollow deserves its own category. \nThe South Studios shop began with rocks and minerals and has grown into a broader nature-oriented store offering polished and natural stones\, crystals\, botanicals\, jewelry\, books\, décor\, clothing and wellness-oriented merchandise. \nIt’s one of those shops where “I’m just going to look around for five minutes” is an optimistic prediction. \nArt Is Everywhere\nThe Velvet Mill isn’t simply a collection of stores. \nIt’s also one of southeastern Connecticut’s larger concentrations of working artists and galleries. \nStonington Gallery and Park Fine Art provide traditional gallery stops. \nAllgood Studios & Gallery combines gallery space with a creative agency and an arcade. \nBlack Star Studio is an artist studio. \nOther painters\, designers and independent artists maintain working spaces throughout the building\, including Mystic Rose Decorative Painting and a number of individual studios. \nThat means shoppers walking the sale can move from vintage merchandise and clothing into original art without ever leaving the building. \nPaper Goods\, Stickers and Handmade Pieces\nShuttle Press & Bindery has been operating since 2014 and produces handcrafted paper goods using traditional printing and binding techniques. \nLaurel Hill Designs specializes in stickers\, decals and customizable creative goods. \nThese smaller items make particularly good sidewalk-sale territory because merchants can easily move selections into the corridor for people to browse without entering every studio. \nEven the Bicycle Shop Is Vintage\nThen there’s Dave’s Bicycles. \nIts specialty stretches from bicycles dating to approximately the 1890s through 2010\, including vintage road\, track and mountain bikes\, three-speeds\, cruisers and youth bicycles. \nThat’s a pretty good illustration of why the Velvet Mill is difficult to describe as simply a shopping center. \nYou can go from antique furniture to crystals to handmade stationery and end up looking at a century-old bicycle. \nThere’s Plenty to Eat While You Wander\nThe weekend doesn’t have to be an exercise in continuous shopping. \nMeryl + Masa is a sourdough bakery and Latin eatery making its food by hand with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. \nThe Back Door Kitchen & Pizzeria specializes in wood-fired sourdough pizza alongside salads\, sandwiches and desserts. \nWhitecrest Eatery is the Mill’s bistro-style restaurant\, with a seasonal menu ranging from burgers and salads to seafood\, pasta and specialty cuts. \nBeer’d Brewing Co. – The Mill operates its original brewery and taproom here\, while Rum Tropic Distillery produces rum and serves cocktails\, flights and bottles. \nBorough Bagel Co. handles the breakfast end of things with fresh bagels and breakfast sandwiches. \nAnd Dock 9 adds cocktails and a restaurant menu at the rear of the Mill. \nThat makes it fairly easy to turn the sidewalk sale into a half-day visit rather than a quick shopping stop. \nSaturday Comes With a Farmers Market\nSaturday morning adds another reason to arrive early. \nThe Stonington Village Farmers Market operates inside the Velvet Mill from 9 a.m. to noon\, bringing local farmers\, food producers and makers into the building. \nThat means Saturday visitors can effectively shop two events at once. \nStart with the farmers market\, wander into the Mill’s shops and studios\, see what participating businesses have put into the hallways for the sidewalk sale\, stop for lunch and keep exploring. \nIt’s difficult to think of many places where the shopping list could plausibly include vegetables\, sourdough bread\, an antique lamp\, a crystal\, an original painting\, a vintage bicycle and a locally brewed IPA. \nThe Velvet Mill can get weird that way. \nFrom Velvet Factory to Indoor Main Street\nThe building itself makes the sale more interesting. \nThe Velvet Mill was constructed in 1888 and became home to the American Velvet Company\, which produced textiles here for more than a century before manufacturing ceased in Stonington in 1996. \nRather than demolishing the enormous industrial complex or converting the entire building into residences\, it gradually became something resembling an indoor neighborhood. \nArtists moved in. \nThen galleries. \nMakers. \nSmall retailers. \nRestaurants. \nFitness and wellness studios. \nA brewery. \nA distillery. \nAnd more businesses followed. \nThe old industrial corridors now function almost like streets connecting them. \nFor one weekend in September\, that analogy becomes literal. \nThe merchants are putting their merchandise out on the “sidewalk.” \nThe sidewalk just happens to be inside a 19th-century velvet factory. \nDetails\nEvent: The Velvet Mill End-of-Season Indoor Sidewalk Sale\nDates: Saturday\, September 19 and Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nVenue: The Velvet Mill\nAddress: 22 Bayview Avenue\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nAdmission: Free\nFormat: Participating businesses place sale\, clearance and promotional merchandise in the hallways outside their shops\nMerchants: The Velvet Mill has not published a definitive list of participating sidewalk-sale businesses; not every tenant should be assumed to be offering sale merchandise\nShopping: Vintage and antiques\, clothing\, jewelry\, furniture\, home décor\, art\, collectibles\, books\, bicycles\, rocks and minerals\, handmade goods and more\nFood & Drink: Multiple restaurants\, bakeries and beverage businesses operate inside the Mill\nSaturday Farmers Market: 9 a.m.–noon\nTip: Organizers recommend arriving early for the best selection\nSetting: Indoors; the sale takes place throughout the Mill’s interior hallways \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-velvet-mill-end-of-season-indoor-sidewalk-sale/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Velvet Mill\, 22 Bayview Ave\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Velvet Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Velvet-Mill-End-of-Season-Indoor-Sidewalk-Sale.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260817T031056Z
CREATED:20260817T030947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T031056Z
UID:10007207-1789909200-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Grey Sail Fall Market
DESCRIPTION:The Grey Sail Fall Market takes place Sunday\, September 20\, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island in Westerly. The market brings local makers and small businesses together with food\, drinks and live music from Casey Rivers & High Plains\, an elemental folk and Americana band. \nGrey Sail is particularly well suited for this kind of event. Alan and Jennifer Brinton founded the Westerly brewery in 2011\, converting a 1920s building that originally housed the Westerly Macaroni Factory. The first batch of Grey Sail’s Flagship Ale was brewed there on November 11\, 2011. \nToday\, the Canal Street property has grown into considerably more than a production brewery. Next door is Grey Sail’s taproom\, housed in another historic building and surrounded by an outdoor beer garden with picnic and bistro tables\, lawn space\, bocce and cornhole. The taproom serves Grey Sail beers along with wine\, nonalcoholic choices and cocktails from sister company South County Distillers. \nFor the Fall Market\, that indoor-outdoor setup becomes a gathering place for shopping\, food and music as Grey Sail celebrates the beginning of fall. \nThe vendor lineup shown by Grey Sail includes Sun & Sage\, Salty Sea Decor\, Wood & Ink\, Bruto’s Sandwiches\, Pretty & Pink Bakery\, Michelle Zito Art\, Coastal Cure\, Sippy Pretty\, Elegance and Mr.\, Pompelmo Gelateria\, My Claire Marie\, Freedom Farm\, The Cheese Corner\, Coastline Lettering\, Hauser Chocolates\, One of One Athletics\, High Tide Juice Co. and others. \nThe promotional material also lists a food truck\, locally made goods\, cocktails and beer alongside the market vendors. Based on Grey Sail’s current setup\, visitors can expect the event to spread through a space designed for lingering rather than simply walking down a row of vendor tables. Grey Sail describes its property as family-friendly\, with board games and outdoor yard games available. \nEvent Details\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 1–5 p.m.\nLocation: Grey Sail Brewing\nAddress: 63 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\nAdmission: No admission charged\nFeaturing: Local vendors\, food\, beer\, cocktails and live music\nLive Music: Casey Rivers & High Plains \nMore information about the brewery and taproom is available from Grey Sail Brewing. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-grey-sail-fall-market/
LOCATION:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island\, 63 Canal St\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-Grey-Sail-Fall-Market.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T130000
DTSTAMP:20260928T002534Z
CREATED:20260914T000428Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260928T002534Z
UID:10007596-1790240400-1790254800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:YMCA Garden Club Annual Fall Plant Sale Brings Mums\, Fall Décor and Hidden Treasures to Westerly
DESCRIPTION:YMCA Garden Club Annual Fall Plant Sale returns to the Westerly-Pawcatuck Branch Thursday\, September 24\, with plants\, seasonal arrangements\, fall decorations and an assortment of donated treasures\, all raising money to help local children attend YMCA summer camp. \nThe sale runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ocean Community YMCA at 95 High Street in Westerly. \nThis is more than a chance to pick up a mum for the front steps. \nThe Garden Club turns the annual sale into a seasonal marketplace\, with plants\, floral arrangements\, fall décor and treasures offered alongside one another. Credit cards will be accepted\, and every purchase benefits the YMCA’s Campership Scholarship Program. \nIn other words\, buying a plant can help send a child to camp. \nThe Garden Club Works Year-Round for This\nThe Ocean Community YMCA Garden Club isn’t assembled just for the fall sale. \nIt’s an ongoing adult club at the Westerly-Pawcatuck Branch devoted to gardening\, education and community service. \nThe group meets monthly\, typically on the third Wednesday\, with presentations devoted to particular gardening subjects. Members also participate in activities and fundraising projects throughout the year. \nThe YMCA’s program materials make one point particularly clear: \nAll money raised by the Garden Club goes toward camperships. \nThat gives the September sale a purpose beyond clearing out the greenhouse before cold weather arrives. \nThe plants go home with shoppers. \nThe proceeds go to kids. \nExpect Plenty of Plants for the Beginning of Fall\nThe sale falls just two days after the autumnal equinox\, making the timing almost perfect for anyone ready to replace tired summer containers and annuals. \nThe YMCA is advertising simply “plants\,” rather than publishing a complete inventory in advance\, so shoppers shouldn’t assume that any particular variety will be available. \nPromotional images do\, however\, show the kind of colorful fall material that has become synonymous with this time of year\, including large flowering mums and seasonal container arrangements. \nAnd because plant sales are dependent on what is available and what other shoppers have already bought\, there’s an advantage to arriving early. \nIf you see something unusual at 9:15\, don’t necessarily expect it to be waiting at noon. \nFall Arrangements Do Some of the Work for You\nNot everyone wants to buy individual plants and assemble a fall container from scratch. \nThat’s where the fall arrangements come in. \nGarden Club members can combine plants and seasonal material into ready-made displays\, giving shoppers something that can go directly onto a porch\, patio\, front steps or table. \nFall containers also tend to be more forgiving than their summer counterparts. \nCooler September and October temperatures reduce the stress that comes with July heat\, and many traditional autumn plants perform well into the season. \nFor someone whose summer planters have reached the “we had a good run” stage\, September 24 provides an opportunity to start over. \nThen There Are the Treasures\nThe word that makes this more interesting than a conventional nursery sale is “treasures.” \nThe YMCA specifically advertises plants\, treasures and décor\, expanding the sale beyond living plants. \nThat means the inventory can vary substantially depending on what Garden Club members and supporters have assembled for the fundraiser. \nGarden accessories\, decorative pieces and other donated or repurposed finds can turn the treasure portion into a browse rather than a shopping trip with a predetermined list. \nIt’s also another reason to come early. \nPlants can sometimes be replenished. \nThere’s usually only one of a treasure. \nA Garden Club With Deep Community Roots\nGarden clubs have a long tradition of combining horticulture with civic service. \nThey’re places to trade practical knowledge about what actually grows locally\, but they’re also volunteer organizations. \nThat second part is especially evident here. \nThe Westerly-Pawcatuck Garden Club doesn’t simply hold meetings about gardening. Its fundraising is specifically directed toward helping children participate in YMCA camping programs. \nThat connection makes sense within the larger mission of the Ocean Community YMCA. \nThe association operates multiple branches in Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut along with summer camping programs including Camp Watchaug in Charlestown and Camp Cove in Mystic. \nFor many families\, however\, the cost of camp can be a barrier. \nThat’s where financial assistance and camperships come in. \nWhat Is a Campership?\nThink scholarship\, but for camp. \nA campership provides financial assistance to help a child attend summer camp when the cost would otherwise make participation difficult or impossible. \nThat can turn what seems like a small fundraiser into something tangible. \nMoney from a mum. \nMoney from an arrangement. \nMoney from a piece of fall décor someone takes home. \nCombined with all the other purchases during the four-hour sale\, those dollars can help cover the cost of sending children to camp. \nThe YMCA’s broader financial-assistance programs are designed around the same principle: a family’s finances shouldn’t automatically prevent someone from participating in programs that could benefit them. \nCamp Watchaug Has Been Giving Kids Summers Outdoors for Generations\nOne of the YMCA’s major camping programs is Camp Watchaug\, located on Watchaug Pond in Charlestown. \nThe day camp combines the classic ingredients of summer camp with an unusually good waterfront setting. \nSwimming\, boating and water activities are joined by outdoor recreation and adventure programming\, including activities such as climbing\, zip lining and archery. \nThe emphasis isn’t simply on keeping children occupied while school is out. \nSummer camp gives kids an opportunity to become more independent\, make friends\, try unfamiliar activities and spend long stretches of the day outdoors. \nFor a child who has never paddled a canoe\, climbed a wall or spent a summer day on a lake\, those experiences can become the part of childhood they remember decades later. \nCamp Cove Brings the Experience to Mystic\nThe Ocean Community YMCA also operates Camp Cove from its Naik Family Branch on the Mystic River. \nIts waterfront location provides another outdoor summer setting\, with swimming\, recreation and traditional camp programming backed by the facilities of the YMCA branch itself. \nTogether\, the camps help explain why the Garden Club has made campership fundraising an ongoing mission rather than attaching the money to a different cause each year. \nThe club knows where its proceeds are going. \nBack into the YMCA community. \nAnd specifically toward children who need help getting to camp. \nThe Westerly-Pawcatuck YMCA Goes Back Nearly a Century\nThe plant sale also takes place at an organization with unusually deep roots in Westerly. \nThe Westerly-Pawcatuck Branch was founded in 1928 at its present location next to Wilcox Park. \nOver nearly a century\, the facility has expanded considerably beyond the traditional image of a YMCA. \nToday the branch includes indoor pools\, a gymnasium\, wellness facilities\, group exercise spaces\, racquetball\, pickleball\, youth programs and community gathering spaces. \nBut clubs like the Garden Club illustrate another side of the Y. \nNot everything there involves a treadmill\, basketball or swimming pool. \nAdult enrichment\, volunteering and community service are part of the mix\, too. \nThe Garden Club happens to combine all three. \nYou Don’t Have to Be a Serious Gardener\nA plant sale can sound intimidating if your horticultural expertise amounts to remembering to water something before it turns brown. \nThat’s fine. \nYou don’t need a greenhouse. \nYou don’t need a perennial border. \nYou don’t need to know the Latin name of anything. \nFall plants are an easy way to add color to a porch or entrance as summer flowers begin to fade\, and a premade arrangement removes most of the creative decision-making. \nThe décor and treasure tables make the sale worthwhile even for people who don’t want another plant at all. \nAnd if you do have questions about what you’re buying\, you’re purchasing it from a club built around people who actually enjoy talking about gardening. \nAsk. \nFour Hours to Shop\, One Larger Purpose\nThe annual sale has the basic ingredients of a good community fundraiser. \nIt raises money by selling things people actually want. \nThere are plants for gardeners. \nArrangements for people who want somebody else to do the arranging. \nDecorations for people ready for fall. \nTreasures for people who would rather hunt for something unexpected. \nAnd the money doesn’t disappear into a vague fundraising bucket. \nIt helps provide camperships for children. \nThat’s a pretty good return on a mum. \nDetails\nEvent: YMCA Garden Club Annual Fall Plant Sale\nDate: Thursday\, September 24\, 2026\nTime: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.\nLocation: Ocean Community YMCA Westerly-Pawcatuck Branch\nAddress: 95 High Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nOrganizer: Ocean Community YMCA Garden Club\nFor Sale: Plants\, treasures\, fall décor and fall arrangements\nPayment: Credit cards accepted\nBeneficiary: Ocean Community YMCA Campership Scholarship Program\nPurpose: Proceeds help provide financial assistance for children to attend YMCA camp\nShopping Tip: Selection may change throughout the four-hour sale; arrive early for the broadest choice. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/ymca-garden-club-annual-fall-plant-sale-brings-mums-fall-decor-and-hidden-treasures-to-westerly/
LOCATION:Ocean Community YMCA Westerly/Pawcatuck\, 95 High Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ocean Community YMCA Westerly/Pawcatuck
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/YMCA-Garden-Club-Annual-Fall-Plant-Sale-Brings-Mums-Fall-Decor-and-Hidden-Treasures-to-Westerly.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR