PVDFest Returning, But Coming To Providence In September Instead Of June

PROVIDENCE, RI — Providence Mayor Brett Smiley on Wednesday said PVDFest will return in 2023, but it will be held later in the year.

The city's annual free outdoor arts festival brings artists, musicians and vendors to downtown Providence. It's normally held in June, but this year's PVDFest will take place from Sept. 8 to Sept. 10, as a send-off to summer.

"PVDFest is the moment where we as a community celebrate all the creativity, uniqueness, and diversity that lives here in the creative capital," Smiley said. "I am excited to see our local artists bring their creative talents to this year’s festival and hope to see everyone join us with their family and friends!"

Since debuting in 2015, PVDFest has featured more than 4,800 artists, performers, and curators, and has brought in 596,000-plus attendees during the festival weekend, city officials said.

According to city officials, PVDFest continues to grow each year, providing new and exciting ways to bring people together through the arts and embracing both local and global talent in a way that is "uniquely Providence."

"Belonging, experimentation, and radical joy are three important values at the core of what our department does day in and day out," Director of the Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism Joe Wilson said. "It follows then that PVDFest embraces these values, year after year, helping us realize our collective vision of Providence as a global destination for the arts, where all our neighbors celebrate diverse cultures and artistic experiences. This year’s festival will be one for the books!"

Interest forms are available on the PVDFest website for artists, performers, vendors, and volunteers interested in being a part of the festival.

City officials said additional information about PVDFest will be released in the coming weeks.