Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival (Photo provided by Bowen's Wharf)

Whether you’re celebrating calamari, the grape harvest, German beer, or pumpkin spice, fall festivals have officially arrived in southern New England. It’s time for “Six Picks Festivals,” our preview of some of the best in the state over the next few weekends, along with a few honorable mentions. Have a great fall season!

September 13-15: Misquamicut Fallfest is an annual family event which includes carnival rides, concessions, a classic car show, 400 feet of food trucks, over 50 vendors, and beer and wine from Grey Sail Brewery. There’s also live music with Caswell & The Peel N’ Eats, David Tessier All-Star Stars, Tim Charron, and more all weekend long. Westerly. Click here for details.

September 21: The 7th Annual RI Calamari Festival and Cook-Off celebrates Rhode Island’s official state appetizer at Veteran’s Park with more than 1,500 pounds of calamari, food trucks, a beer garden, and live music from Springsteen tribute band Tramps Like Us. Narragansett, Click here for details.

October 5-6: Rejects Beer has its seasonal Festbier front and center, along with other refreshing season brews, served alongside German brats for that authentic Oktoberfest feel. There will be games for the kids, food trucks, and live music from top local bands. Middletown, Click here for details.

October 5-6: The 50th annual Harvest Fair at the Norman Bird Sanctuary is a weekend of family fun with activities like hayrides, face painting, sack races, and tug-of-war. Food trucks, a beer tent, and live music add to the good vibes. Middletown, Click here for details.

October 12-14: The Scituate Art Festival is a long weekend tradition featuring over 200 artists, craftspeople, and antique dealers selling their wares in an open-air market with live music, a food court, raffles, and local vendors. Scituate, Click here for details.

October 13: Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day at PRONK!, the Providence Honk Fest, a free, family-friendly, outdoor music and art festival, featuring activist-centered brass bands from around the country, percussion ensembles, street performers, and more along the streets of the capital city. Providence, Click here for details.

October 19-20: The 33rd annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival returns to Newport for a weekend focused on fresh, local seafood. Fish tacos, lobster rolls, stuffies, chowder, fried calamari, clams, oysters, signature cocktails, and cold beer will be available, along with live music from Angelus Hall, Randy Robbins, and The Groove Merchants. Newport. Click here for details.

MORE FESTIVALS:

Sept. 28: Harvest Festival & Tractor Show, Cumberland

Sept. 28-29: Pawtucket Oktoberfest, Pawtucket

Sept. 29: 2024 Rain Harvest Festival, Providence

Oct. 11-14: Autumnfest, Woonsocket

Oct. 11-14: Federal Hill Columbus Day Festival, Providence

Oct. 19: Witches Parade, North Kingstown

Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams writes about music, the arts and more for What'sUpNewp. He is also an Editor and Writer for Hey Rhody Media. Ken DJ's "The Kingston Coffeehouse," a roots/folk/rock radio show every Tuesday, 6-9 PM on WRIU 90.3 FM. He is a former educator in the Scituate, RI school system where he taught Social Studies for over 30 years. He is on the board of the Rhode Island Folk Festival and Newport Live (formerly Common Fence Music), a non-profit that brings diverse musical acts to...

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