PVDFest
SEPTEMBER 5–6, 2025
PVDFest is Providence’s signature outdoor arts festival. Each year, the city comes alive for a two-day festival celebrating arts, culture, food and more from around the globe and our very own backyard. Downtown Providence will host world-class performance stages, cutting-edge art, savory food options and much more. PVDFest is brought to you by the City of Providence and FirstWorks.
The festival promises multiple stages of live music and art installations from local and international artists representing a variety of genres and disciplines. Craft markets and global food vendors will showcase the eclectic creativity of the capital city.
Below are just some of PVDFest's highlights. Festival programming and schedules will be updated as more information becomes available. For an interactive map and a full schedule of events, visit pvdfest.com.
Be sure to sign up for the GoPVD e-newsletter to get details delivered right to your inbox!
***Find street closure and restricted parking info here.***
Event Highlights
Headlining Act: Moonlight Benjamin
Haitian-born singer and Vodou priestess Moonlight Benjamin blends fiery Caribbean melodies with gritty '70s blues and rock. Praised by legends like Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) and Iggy Pop, her music is equal parts rock, resistance and ritual.
People's Parade
The People's Parade will travel down Washington Street to City Hall with Grand Marshals Agonza, Ramona Bass-Kolobe and Chip Douglas on Saturday afternoon.
FirstWorks Spectacle: Squonk's "Brouhaha"
Taking center stage at this year's PVDFest, "Brouhaha" features the Squonkcordion, a musical creation that towers, bellows and beckons. The audience participates by helping to inflate the massive accordion, parading through the streets and summoning a 30-foot puppet head for a combination of sound, spectacle and communal joy.
Collaborative and Commemorative Murals
In celebration of AS220's 40th anniversary, PVDFest and The Avenue Concept will unveil a new large-scale mural commemorating four decades of artistic experimentation. The PVDFest Mural Battle will feature local artists competing in a live paint-off produced by Providence artist AGONZA.
Illuminated Experiences
A new illuminated installation by Pneuhaus will transform Burnside Park with lights and inflatables, and Haus of Codec will host an Illuminated Market on Friday night, showcasing LGBTQIA+ vendors, artists and performers.
Music Battles
Motif Magazine's Battle of the Bands will culminate at PVDFest, featuring bands that qualify at qualifying rounds throughout the summer. Hip hop competition #MVTHACRWD: The Road to PVDFest will highlight rising emcees in featured performances.
Frequencies of PVD
Featuring three unique groups, Frequencies of PVDFest will celebrate Providence's ever-evolving DJ scene, shining a light on innovators and tastemakers. LOWKEY will produce four hours of globally-inspired sound, Keep it Movin' brings a mix of house, afrohouse, freestyle and more, and The Collective PVD will create a space where DJs, artists and the skating community combine to represent the pulse of Providence nightlife.
Creative Collaborators
Frog & Toad joins PVDFest with special 2025 PVDFest merchandise and a commemorative poster, while Gather Glass brings glassblowing demonstrations and the Gather ice cream cart with a signature PVDFest flavor!
More than 200 vendors, artisans and community groups will be featured at markets including BLKMKT in the Mathewson Street lot and the PVDFest Market, curated by Juicy Market, on Washington Street and Burnside Park.
Plan Your PVDFest Getaway
