At The Festival: Newport Folk Festival 2025
PLUS: read our interview with Margo Price at Newport Folk Fest 2025 on Substack!
Welcome to “At the Festival,” a blog series where I share my personal music festival experiences, with a focus on the performances of women and gender-diverse artists (that means I’ll be there early and might just completely skip the headliners). I’ll be giving a crowd-level perspective of what makes each festival special. The goal is twofold: to share and spotlight often-overlooked artists, and to illustrate the power of music festivals in bringing people together and fostering communities.
Last year, Newport Folk Festival celebrated the 65th anniversary of its inaugural event. The event was founded in Newport, RI in 1959 by George Wein among others with inspiration from Odetta and Pete Seeger, a sister event to the oldest ongoing music festival in the country, Newport Jazz Festival.
This year, the production of Newport Festivals Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) continued evolving the meaning of “folk” music, inviting artists to help build a place where the focus is on community, collaboration, and change more than any specific sound or style.
This meant that alongside the acoustic guitars and delicate harmonies you could find funk, gospel, rap, indie-rock, and even New Orleans bounce on the three stages built inside and outside of Fort Adams.
2025 also marked the 10th anniversary of my own first visit to Newport Folk. That year included a star-studded revisit to Bob Dylan’s 1965 appearance at the festival when he famously “went electric” for the first time and an unannounced James Taylor set where he picked up and finished his Newport set from 1969 which was interrupted due to the moon landing. I told myself that year that I would never miss this festival again.
THURSDAY, JULY 24th
The weekend kicked off early this year with the first annual Newport Folk charity all-star softball game at historic Cardines Field. S.G. Goodman and Kevin Morby captained two teams of mostly musicians for a fun but competitive 7-inning game. Margo Price kicked off the festivities with the National Anthem and John C. Reilly made his first appearance of the weekend to provide live announcing. Newport pillars Price and Nathaniel Rateliff, along with Big Freedia and photographer Danny Clinch were among those to take the field. Red Sox alumni Bill Lee and Lenny DiNardo were on hand to provide reliable pitching. It was a great way to start the weekend, and I can’t wait to make this part of my tradition.
FRIDAY, JULY 25th
On Friday morning, I took a ferry across the Harbor from downtown Newport to Fort Adams State Park. Arriving via water is just another magical thing about the Fest. Typically, the first official sets begin around 11 AM, highlighting a first-time up and coming artist. But this year began a bit differently with a 10:30 AM Harbor Stage set from Nathaniel Rateliff. As the festival’s first-ever Steward, chosen for his artistry, perseverance, and allyship, Rateliff acted on an idea he had, that if a big name played early, people would show up sooner for the smaller artists. It worked. His set flowed right into Hannah Cohen’s. He joined her for a song, then stepped aside and left her a huge morning crowd to play to.
Arriving to Fort Adams in style
Big Freedia brought a completely different kind of energy to the Fort Stage just after noon. The dance section in front of the stage was already full, a rare sight for such an early Friday slot. Her set started with high-energy bounce tracks (complete with DJ and siren effects) and partway through, she invited several audience members on stage to twerk, a potential Newport first. She then leaned into her latest gospel album, joined by the Resistance Revival Chorus who elevated the songs with their emotional and joyful collective voice.
Mid-afternoon, a shelter-in-place order came from the stages, sending those with cars back to the lots. But for those of us who had arrived by ferry, the fort’s walls became our refuge. At first, most people lingered outside, but as the rain started to pour, the stone rooms quickly filled. It was dark, hot, and crowded, but filled with conversation, games, and positive vibes. About an hour and a half later, the festival was back on. A couple sets were unfortunately lost, but the staff and crew did an amazing job of prioritizing our safety while getting the music going as quickly as possible. As I dealt with Kim Deal and the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s infuriatingly overlapping sets, the Fort Stage squeezed in two short sets by Kenny Loggins and Goose, culminating in the two playing “Danger Zone” together.
Sheltering in the Fort Adams walls
The closing set of the first night was Jack Antonoff and Bleachers’ The Ally Coalition Talent Show. A smaller version of the annual benefit hosted by Antonoff’s foundation, it featured guests joining the band for a mix of Bleachers songs and covers. There were contributions from Weyes Blood, Waxahatchee, Maren Morris, Jeff Tweedy, and Rufus Wainwright, plus a surprise appearance from Hayley Williams, who debuted her new solo single “Mirtazapine” and a cover of “I Melt With You.” Though this long-time Paramore fan was hoping for one of the band’s songs, the moment was further proof that you never know who might take the stage at Newport Folk Fest.
ONLY AT NEWPORT: Thunderstorm warnings cause attendees to seek shelter. Thankfully, there's a 200-year-old Army Fort wrapped around the venue.
Hayley Williams joins Bleachers during Newport Folk Fest 2025
SATURDAY, JULY 26th
One of the unique features at Newport Folk, which was started several years ago by band Illiterate Light, is the bike-powered stage. Essentially just a small platform inside the Fort where rising artists will play between sets on the Quad stage, the sound is powered completely by solar panels and by attendees taking turns to pedal bicycles to generate electricity. Though the summer heat in Rhode Island can be intense, the front row view is worth the work for some. I wandered over to the stage early on Saturday to see the latter half of Diana Silvers’s set. Known as an actress, this was her first ever live musical performance. Playing an acoustic guitar and joined by a second guitarist, she sang several airy folk songs, including a faithful cover of Joni Mitchell’s “California.”
Diana Silvers on the Bike-Powered stage
In the middle of a busy Saturday, I was fortunate to have a conversation with one of the first artists to follow Book More Women way back in 2018: Margo Price. She graciously made time for a 10-minute chat. We talked about Newport, festivals in general, representation in music, and her ongoing activism. One bit that stood out was when she shared with me a piece of advice that Joan Baez had given her for getting through hard times like these: just do one thing each day to move the needle in the right direction. The full conversation is on our Substack now!
The day’s standout moment for me was the Remi Wolf’s & Friends set on the Quad Stage. According to Remi, Festival Producer Jay Sweet had asked her to curate one of the festival’s signature “& Friends” set, and she wasn’t sure she could, thinking she didn’t have enough friends. But she ultimately put together an impressive circle of both old friends and new. The guests included Saya Gray, Jeff Tweedy, Tiny Habits, Maren Morris, Jesse Welles, John C. Reilly, and more. The setlist was a fun, joyful slate of covers: “Dreams”, “I’m a Believer”, “Angel from Montgomery” (a duet with Maren), “Just the Two of Us” (duet with John C. Reilly), and a Beatles “Don’t Let Me Down” finale with everyone together. The energy was electric—on stage and off—and my only gripe was that this party wasn’t held on the main stage.
ONLY AT NEWPORT: Festival attendees willingly line up to pedal a bicycle on a cloudless 90° day and power an off-the-grid stage.
Remi Wolf wraps up her triumphant set, joined by all her friends
SUNDAY, JULY 27th
The final day at the Fort Stage began with Nova One, a Rhode Island indie-rock band with clear ‘60s girl group influences to their sound and look. It was a dreamy morning set that felt like a big moment for an already locally-loved band.
NOVA ONE — WEBSITE INSTAGRAM APPLE SPOTIFY
Next up on the Harbor Stage was another Newport Folk Debut, one I had been personally lobbying for for the last four years. Jensen McRae played solo with her acoustic guitar, delivering songs mostly from her latest album. The crowd shared a knowing laugh when she asked “Do you guys like Jason Isbell here?”, a sarcastic reference to his near-royal status at the festival. She proceeded to deliver a passionate cover of Isbell’s “Cover Me Up” that left me in tears. She closed her set with viral hit “Massachusetts,” which had much of the crowd singing along. I waited longer than I thought I would to see Jensen’s Newport debut. After that set, I don’t think I’ll have to wait long to see her back again.
Jensen McRae makes her Newport Folk debut
Mary Chapin Carpenter’s return to Newport was a long time coming, after a three-decade absence. Backed by a full band, including the producer of her 2025 album, Josh Kaufman, she performed new material before mixing in older favorites. She sounded and commanded the stage as if no time at all had passed. Next, Margo Price took the Fort Stage with a new band, marking her own ten-year Newport anniversary. She was joined by Jesse Welles for their newly released duet. Later, John C. Reilly came out for a cover of “Maggie’s Farm” and “Making Plans to Leave,” a Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner song that fit them and the festival perfectly.
Over on the Harbor Stage, Lucius played to one of the largest Harbor stage crowds of the weekend, spilling well beyond the small tent as Coast Guard and security helped manage foot traffic. Festival Producer Jay Sweet introduced them with, “My favorite words to say at this festival: will you please welcome back, Lucius.” Their set was pure Newport. They opened with cuts from their 2025 album, joined by S.G. Goodman for one. They then began one of their oldest songs “Go Home,” and though as a huge fan I knew enough to anticipate it, the moment still sent me easily to tears. Just as she did at Lucius’ first appearance at Newport in 2014, Mavis Staples walked out mid-song to join them. It was pure love between current Newport mainstays and an all-time musical legend. Next, they began “Jesus Etc.”, joined mid-song, of course, by Jeff Tweedy himself. They ended with “Everybody Hurts,” joined by Nathaniel Rateliff around a single mic.
Lucius joined by Mavis Staples at Newport Folk 2025
The festival concluded on the Fort Stage with a set called Songs for the People, hosted by John C. Reilly, and curated by Josh Kaufman. The idea, as Reilly put it, was to give songs back to the crowd like showcasing found treasures. Selections included Alynda Segarra leading “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”, Trombone Shorty and Amy Helm performing “Yes We Can”, and Margo Price, Sarah Jarosz, and Logan Ledger leading “Deportee.” Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy joined forces on an unofficial Newport anthem, “Friendship,” written by her father, Pops Staples. Lucius sang “God Only Knows” and Mary Chapin Carpenter, S.G. Goodman, and Sarah Jarosz tore into “All You Fascists”. As is tradition, the finale featured all of the artists on stage singing “Irene, Goodnight.” Between songs, Reilly alternated between humor and serious pleas for peace and activism. He reminded us that when we look around during these hard times and ask ourselves who is going to help us that: “You are the help. We are the help.”
ONLY AT NEWPORT: Your favorite band recreates a magical moment 11 years later, returning to the same small stage they played then and bringing out the same living legend to join them for a moving performance of the same song.
“Goodnight Irene” finale at Newport Folk Festival 2025
Check out our interview with Margo Price, up on our Substack now! Subscribe to get future stories straight to your inbox.
Thank you to Newport Folk Festival, the staff, and volunteers for another great year at the Fort!
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