Join the movement and enjoy the ride while helping reduce traffic congestion! Read on for routes, maps, Park & Bike locations, and more.
Enjoy the Ride: Bike to the Festivals
Skip the traffic and parking hassles – and experience the premiere location of bike parking! At Fort Adams, pass the backed up cars and ride right to Bike Parking waterside on the south side of Sail Newport. Bikes have the closest parking possible to the entrance gate!
Whoa! How many bikes is that??
The numbers of people biking to Newport Folk Festival has grown steadily from 200/day in 2012 to an average 1600/day. We saw a peak of 1800 in one day in 2022 (!) Our research indicates that Folk Fest welcomes the highest percentage of people biking to any music festival in the US – Way to go, Folkies!
Safety Reminders for People on Bikes
- Bring a headlight! Yes, we distribute the most awesome blinky lights for every bike but they don’t light up the road at night and the most awesome bike detour has NO STREET LIGHTS.
- Bring a bike lock.
- Nix the flip flops and tie up the flowy fabrics.
- Helmets are cool. Reality check. You’ll be riding with cars.
- Newport has many one way streets. For everyonee’s safety, please don’t ride the wrong way!
Dedicated Bike Supprt
We have a number of efforts in place to help you get to and from Fort Adams on your bicycle.
- Park & Bike Lots
- Signed Bike Routes
- Dedicated Temporary Bike Lanes for Folk Fest Only
- Recommended detour to get you away from the car traffic at the entrance to the venue
- PREMIERE BIKE PARKING at NO COST – the best way to encourage and thank you for biking to the Festivals is to welcome you with bike parking that is far closer than the car parking lots, and with dozens of volunteers to help you get your bikes secured and see you on your way.
Biking to Jazz Fest
Note that there will be no separated bike lane approaching Fort Adams at Jazz Fest as there is at Folk. Come on Jazz Cats, let’s boost our bike numbers – when more of us Get There By Bike, we’ll score dedicated bike lanes for Jazz Fest, too!
Did you bike to Folk or Jazz? Take our survey!
Park & Bike
Coming from out of town? No problem! Park and leave your car anywhere in Newport where long-term parking is permitted (be sure to check signs for restrictions), or you can head to a dedicated Park & Bike location.
- The new surface lot off of the Pell Bridge – right on the new shared use path! Orange route
- (Folk Fest Only) The Young Building on the Salve Regina University Campus. Green Route
- Newport County YMCA. Green Route
- Rogers HS. Green Route
Signed Routes
To Fort Adams
- Newport Park & Ride 3.6 miles, ~ 25 mins
- Rogers HS 1 mile, ~5 mins
- Young Building / Salve University 2 miles, ~ 10 mins
- YMCA 4.6 miles, ~ 30 mins
Returning
- Newport Park & Ride 3.6 miles, ~ 25 mins
- Rogers HS 1 mile, ~5 mins
- Young Building / Salve University 2 miles, ~ 10 mins
- YMCA 4.6 miles, ~ 30 mins
During Jazz Fest, there are NO separated bike lanes approaching Fort Adams.
Use the blue ‘Detour’ if you want to ride quieter streets.
More Helpful Tips
- Bring LIGHTS, a LOCK, and a HELMET. You’ll likely leave after dark; your lights will make you SAFE and VISIBLE.
- Expect heavier traffic during the Festivals. Ride carefully, follow the bike route signs, pay extra attention to motorists, and give yourself time to get there safely.
- Newport is known for its history and beauty – but not so much for the condition of the roads. Watch for pot holes and ruts!
Tell us about your ride!
After you bike to the Festivals, please tell us about your ride – we want to know – We’ll use all of the responses to support plans to make biking a safer, more comfortable, and easier choice for everyone who wants to ride – Thank you!
“Get There by Bike” is Bike Newport’s initiative to make biking a safe, fun, and inviting transportation choice to Aquidneck Island events and destinations. Our goal is to reduce traffic congestion, parking stress, and carbon emissions by making it easier for people to ditch their cars and switch to biking and walking. Thanks to 11th Hour Racing and the de Ramel Foundation for their generous support – helping everyone to Get There By Bike!
11th Hour Racing is the Official Greening Partner for Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival – supporting the events’ sustainability initiatives, including encouraging festival attendees to choose fossil-fuel-free transportation! In addition to underwriting Bike Newport’s bicycle parking and support, 11th Hour provides the awesome blinky lights you’ll find on your bikes each day. Thanks 11th Hour Racing!
Cheers to the Newport Festivals Foundation for being GET THERE BY BIKE partners!
Note about responsibility for your bike and property:
You are cycling to the Festivals and parking your bike at Fort Adams at your own risk. Bike Newport is not responsible for your safety or for theft or damage that may occur to bicycles handled, managed, or parked at Fort Adams during the Folk and Jazz festivals. You are responsible for your personal safety and for the security and protection of your personal belongings, including bicycles, is the responsibility of the owners. By parking your bicycle at Fort Adams during the festivals, you acknowledge and accept that Bike Newport is not responsible for any loss or damage. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
About Bike Newport
Supporting Bike Newport is supporting more and better biking in Newport and beyond. Our mission is to make it possible for more people to bike more often, by ensuring that biking is safe, comfortable and an easy choice for both transportation and recreation. When we’re not bringing Bike Lanes, Park & Bike, Bike Routes, Bike Maps, and Bike Parking to the Festivals – we’re busy teaching bike education in the schools and community, building bike culture, and working hard to make it possible for more people to choose biking! We’re continuously helping to improve and encourage biking for everyone in Rhode Island and beyond – Thank You for being part of the solution!
Bike Newport