Now celebrating its 25th year, the Pawtucket Arts Festival (Sept. 1–10) highlights the city's creative culture over two weeks. This year's festival focuses on education and public engagement while celebrating the diverse communities of Pawtucket.

The festival kicks off on Friday, Sept. 1 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 10 at locations around the city. Two full weekends bring a variety of family activities, including a farmer's market, plein air painting, theater, live music and lots more. We've rounded up a few activities you don't want to miss:

RI Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival

Stop by Festival Pier on Saturday, Sept. 3 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to catch the dragon boat races and enjoy cultural performances, vendors and interactive activities. Don't miss out on the food trucks — there's even a dumpling eating contest. Who doesn't love a dumpling? (Foodies, be sure to save a little room, though, because Empanada Fest 2023 takes place from 4–6 p.m. on Saturday. Get your tickets in advance to sample the best local empanadas and vote for your favorites.)

McCoy's Final Inning

Say farewell to McCoy Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 3 with a day of food trucks and family fun. Take one last stroll around the bases and then stick around for fireworks. Field seating will be limited to 3,000, but you can still get a great view of the fireworks from the parking lot. 

Slater Park's Fall Festival

Slater Park's Fall Festival on the Sept. 9 and 10 will be home to a market featuring more than 100 crafters and artisans, food trucks, live music from the Rhode Island Philharmonic, and even fireworks on Saturday night. Check out more family fun on Sunday with the Healthy Living Community Event and Scouts in the Park.

With such a wide variety of cultural events, the Pawtucket Arts Festival will be sure to keep everyone entertained. A full calendar of events and locations is available at the festival website. And don't miss Pawtucket Flavor Fest, which runs in conjunction with the arts festival and offers prizes to diners visiting three or more participating restaurants.