PVDFest: Safety and Transportation Information for Sept 8-10

PROVIDENCE, RI– PVDFest has released the following logistic, safety and transportation information for community members and visitors. For more information on festival programming and scheduling, visit www.pvdfest.com. A full schedule and map will be released in the coming days.

Festival Overview

In the ninth year, PVDFest continues to expand programming and partnerships to showcase Providence as the Creative Capital. This year’s festival includes:

• 500+ Artists
• 5 Stages
• 2 Spectacles
• 30+ Food Trucks
• 200+ Artisan Vendors

PVDFest hours of operation are as follows: 

• Friday: 5:00PM-8:00PM
• Saturday: 12:00PM-7:00PM
• Sunday: 12:00PM-6:00PM

Press Credentials

Any press or media in need of press credentials for the festival footprint should contact Michaela Antunes, Director of Communications for Economic Development, before close of business on September 7 at mantunes@providenceri.gov.

Road Closures Information

There will be multiple road closures throughout the PVDFest footprint from Friday, September 8, through Sunday, September 10. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate means of transportation when possible and are reminded to respect road closures. The PVDFest footprint will be vehicle-free on Saturday, September 8 from 11AM-10PM. All roadways will re-open at Sunday, September 10.

Friday, September 8 road closures:

• East End of Peck St. (looping behind the Brown MBA building)
• South Water St. from Memorial Blvd to Dollar St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.

Saturday, September 9 road closures:

• East End of Peck St. (looping behind the Brown MBA building)
• South Water St. from Memorial Blvd to Wickenden St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Dollar St. from South Main St. to South Water St.

Sunday, September 10 road closures:

• East End of Peck St. (looping behind the Brown MBA building)
• South Water St. from Memorial Blvd to Wickenden St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Dollar St. from South Main St. to South Water St.

Transportation to PVDFest

When using your GPS and map apps, input the following address: Providence Innovation District Park.

• BIKING: bike racks can be found in various locations near the festival. If you don’t have a bike, you can rent one through Spin, Bird Rides, Veo Ride. Find biking directions using the following address in your GPS, use one of the many bikes routes available on our website, or use the Providence-based app Pointz which has a range of different routing options from safest to most direct.
• SCOOTER: PVDFest is partnering with Bird Rides (scooters and bikes) for festival weekend! Bird bikes and scooters cost $1 to unlock and a per-minute fee thereafter. Users can check the Bird app for the most up-to-date pricing in Providence or stop-by the Bird Rides tent on Saturday and Sunday at the corner of Dyer Street and Crawford Street Bridge to learn more.  Please note, bikes and scooters are not allowed inside the footprint but are a fast and convenient way to navigate to the Festival. Help keep the Festival footprint safe and tidy by using Bird’s Community Mode which allows anyone with a Bird account to report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area. For more information, visit bird.co.
• RIDE SHARE APPS: Due to street closures and local traffic, if you plan to use a ride share app to visit the Festival, we recommend using 1 Kennedy Plaza OR 1 Dorrance Street, Providence RI 02903 as drop-off/pick-up addresses. These addresses will take you within a 5-10 minute walk of the footprint and help you avoid anticipated traffic.
• BUS: Most major bus routes service downtown. Plan your trip using RIPTA’s Trip Planner, available on the RIPTA homepage.
• DRIVING/CARPOOLING: There are parking garages in surrounding areas east and west of the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Pedestrian Bridge, which is at the center of the festival footprint. Please plan ahead for traffic.

Parking at PVDFest

Conveniently located just steps away from PVDFest, the South Street Landing Garage is available for parking throughout the festival weekend. Rates vary depending on your stay. More information can be found on their website. Additional paid parking can be found at various downtown lots and garages. Due to road closures, residents in the surrounding neighborhoods should be aware of the following:

Friday, September 8 – No Parking as of 6:00AM on:

• South Water from Memorial Blvd to Wickenden St.
• South Main St. from Wickenden St. to College St.
• Ship St. from Richmond St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Dyer St. from Ship St. to Dorrance St.

Saturday, September 9 – No Parking as of 6:00AM on:

• College St. from Memorial Blvd to South Main St.
• South Water St. from Memorial Blvd to Wickenden St.
• South Main St. from College St to Wickenden St.
• Ship St. from Richmond St. to Dyer St.
• Dyer St. from Ship St to Elm St.
• Dyer St. from Ship St to Dorrance St.
• Dyer St. from Hay St to Custom House St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• South Main St. From Wickenden St. to College St.

Sunday, September 10 – No Parking as of 6:00 am on: 

• College St. from Memorial Blvd to South Main St.
• South Water St. from Memorial Blvd to Wickenden St.
• South Main St. from College St. to Wickenden St.
• Ship St. from Richmond St. to Dyer St.
• Dyer St. from Ship St. to Elm St
• Dyer St. from Ship St. to Dorrance St.
• Dyer St. from Hay St. to Custom House St.
• Packett St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Planet St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Power St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• Doubloon St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• James St. from South Water St. to South Main St.
• South Main St. From Wickenden St. to College St.

ADA accessible parking will be available at the below locations (please look for signage):

On Friday 9/8: 

• Dyer St. from Ship St. to Dorrance St.
• South Water St. from James St. to Dollar St.

On Saturday 9/9 and Sunday 9/10:

• Dyer St. from Ship St. to Dorrance St.
• South Main St. from Packett St. to Memorial Park

Wheelchairs will be available for free at the PVDFest Information Booth in District Park, adjacent to the Pedestrian Bridge. Please bring a form of ID to reserve.

See Something, Say Something

The festival footprint will be secured by Providence Police Department and private security staff to ensure public safety and traffic flow. Throughout the duration of the festival public safety, Providence Emergency Management and first aid services will be located on the festival footprint.

In an emergency or to report a suspicious person, activity or item (a suspicious backpack, package or container) notify a police officer immediately or call 9-1-1. In the event of a lost child, children should be brought to the nearest information booth.

PVDFest is an all-ages event. However, you must be 21+ and have valid photo ID to purchase and drink alcoholic beverages. The use of tobacco and marijuana is not permitted on the festival footprint. Items NOT allowed inside the festival include but are not limited to:

• Weapons and contraband of any kind
• Outside alcoholic beverages
• Marijuana
• Vapes
• Fireworks or explosives
• Illegal or illicit substances of any kind
• Motorized vehicles including dirt bikes, electric bicycles, ATVs and scooters
• Laser pointers

PVDFest is a “No Drone Zone” and the use of drones over groups of people is prohibited without approval by the FAA.

PVDFest is made possible in large part by the generous sponsors who continue to support Providence’s creative culture year-round, including Providence Tourism Council, RI Commerce, The Boston Globe Rhode Island, Waste Management, Breeze, ProvPort, Waterson Terminal Services LLC, WPRI, iHeart Media, Brown University, Delta Dental, Dimeo Construction Company, Dunkin’, Rhode Island Energy, RISD, Surv, Amica, Fidelity Investments, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Conduent, Cornish Associates, Evolis, First Bristol Corporation/Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites, Johnson & Wales University, BankNewport, The Foundry, PLDO Strategies, Withum, Verizon, Wexford Science & Technology, AARP Rhode Island, America News, Bird Rides, Half Street Group, Matunuck Oyster Bar, Providence Monthly, The Public’s Radio, Regency Plaza/Chestnut Hill Realty, Rhode Island Monthly, RIPTA, and Santander. In addition to sponsors, PVDFest relies on the contributions of the hard-working volunteers to make the event a memorable experience for everyone. If you can volunteer for a few hours or a whole day, please sign up here.

More information about PVDFest will be released in the days leading up to the waterfront celebration. For more information about PVDFest please visit pvdfest.com and follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter