Newport Folk Festival 2024: Diverse lineup plays Fort Adams – Day 2 recap and highlights

Day two of the 2024 Newport Folk Festival reflected the level of diversity on stage that this festival has achieved.

Where else can you experience a poetry reading from Joan Baez, a gospel-inspired hip-hop set from Killer Mike, a spot on Grateful Dead tribute band in drag (Bertha), and a masked gay cowboy (Orville Peck) leading his band through a honkey tonk laden set? Answer: Nowhere on earth!

There was certainly a lot of traditional folk, roots/bluegrass with Rhiannon Giddens, Billy Bragg and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, inspired new folk with bands like Olver Hazard and Tre Burt, and local magic from Number One Babe.

Check out some photos of the day below from WUN Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams.