Pawtucket goes all-in for Arts Festival: 11 days of music, food, culture, community

The Pawtucket Arts Festival returns August 28 through September 7 with more than 100 artists and makers, five-cent carousel rides, dragon boats, empanadas and a citywide celebration of culture.

RINewsToday is proud to be a Media Sponsor of the Looff Carousel at Slater Park Heritage Festival, part of the 2026 Pawtucket Arts Festival!

The Planners have been busy!

For 11 days, Pawtucket will turn parks, downtown streets, Festival Pier and even a historic carousel into stages for art, music, food and culture.

The 28th Pawtucket Arts Festival begins Friday, August 28, and continues through Labor Day, September 7, serving as the grand finale of the city’s months-long Summer of Celebration.

Nearly all festival programming is free and designed for families.

The sprawling celebration will bring back some of Pawtucket’s most popular traditions—the Slater Park Fest, Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat Races, Empanada Fest and Kretcheu Cabo Verde Festival—while introducing a new Heritage Festival centered around the historic Looff Carousel.

“This year’s Pawtucket Arts Festival is especially meaningful because it serves as the culmination of our Summer of Celebration,” Mayor Donald R. Grebien said.

During the summer, Pawtucket hosted events marking America’s 250th anniversary, international soccer watch parties and celebrations representing the many cultures that call the city home.

Pawtucket is saving one of its biggest celebrations for last.

Friday, August 28: The artists start the party

The Pawtucket Arts Collaborative will open the festival with its “Arts Fest Party” at The Guild.

Part artist mixer and part community celebration, the gathering will spotlight the collaborative’s continuing work on behalf of local artists and public art throughout Pawtucket.

August 29–30: Slater Park takes center stage

The festival moves into Slater Memorial Park on Saturday and Sunday, August 29 and 30, as more than 100 artists, crafters and makers fill the park alongside food vendors, entertainers and family activities.

The free Slater Park Fest has become the signature event of the Pawtucket Arts Festival, drawing as many as 12,000 visitors in a year.

Two additional Saturday events will make the opening weekend especially busy.

The Empowerment Factory will present its 10th Annual Healthy Living Community Event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering wellness activities, games, entertainment and educational resources for children and adults.

Then Pawtucket turns back the clock.

The new Heritage Festival will take place from noon to 5 p.m. near the Looff Carousel, inviting visitors to explore the history, art and traditions of Slater Park and Pawtucket.

And for one afternoon, a ride on the carousel will cost just five cents.

The throwback price is a nod to the carousel’s early years. The day will also include historic tours, vintage photography, cultural exhibits, art, presentations and stories from Pawtucket’s past.

The event is being organized by the Friends of the Looff Carousel in partnership with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

RINewsToday is a proud Media Sponsor!

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September 5: Dragon Boats—and an Empanada showdown

The second festival weekend begins with two celebrations in two different parts of the city.

At Festival Pier, 21 Tim Healey Way, the 25th Annual Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat Races & Taiwan Day Festival will send teams racing across the water in brilliantly decorated boats.

The day will also feature cultural performances, children’s activities and food vendors.

Downtown, the Pawtucket Empanada Fest & Block Party returns to the municipal parking lot at 150 Roosevelt Avenue from 4 to 8 p.m.

Local restaurants will compete for empanada honors while visitors enjoy live entertainment, food vendors and cultural performances. Come hungry—choosing a favorite may require some serious research.

September 6–7: Cabo Verdean culture closes the festival

The final two days belong to Pawtucket’s vibrant Cabo Verdean community.

The Kretcheu Cabo Verde Festival returns to Festival Pier on Sunday and Monday, September 6 and 7, with music, dance, food, art and cultural traditions carrying the celebration through Labor Day.

“For nearly three decades, the Pawtucket Arts Festival has celebrated the creativity, talent and community spirit that define our city,” said Jennifer Kilsey, Pawtucket’s Cultural Affairs Program Coordinator.

The festival’s evolution, she said, reflects both the artists and organizations that built its legacy and the many cultures and creative voices shaping Pawtucket today.

Whether the attraction is art, music, history, dragon boats, a five-cent carousel ride—or the search for Rhode Island’s best empanada—the city is offering plenty of reasons to make more than one trip.

The Pawtucket Arts Festival is supported by RINewsToday, the Pawtucket Teachers Alliance, Centreville Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank and other community sponsors, businesses, organizations and volunteers.

Festival details, additions and schedule updates can be found at the Pawtucket Arts Festival website.