The Secret Garden Tour is making its comeback this fall after a five-year absence, with the September edition scheduled for Sept. 5-7 in Newport.
The “Bellevue & Beyond” tour will be hosted by FabNewport in partnership with the Benefactors of the Arts, marking a shift toward what organizers call a “youth-led social venture.” Proceeds will support public education and provide paid internships, mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities for Newport County youth.
The September tour follows a successful June edition that sold out for the second consecutive year. The June 27-29 tour raised funds for art education and cultural programs in Aquidneck Island’s public schools, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1984.
“Step behind the gates of Newport’s most enchanting private gardens during this beloved community event, returning with fresh energy and purpose after a several year hiatus,” organizers said in announcing the September tour.
The three-day September tour will feature gardens on and off Bellevue Avenue, including properties along Newport’s Ocean Drive. Tours run daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Advance tickets are available online at secretgardentours.org for $40, with a limited capacity of 350 tickets per day. Day-of tickets, if still available, will cost $45.
Since its inception in 1984, the Secret Garden Tour has contributed more than $1 million to Aquidneck Island public school students for arts, music, theater and cultural programming. The Benefactors of the Arts has organized dozens of programs in music, theater and fine arts for local schoolchildren over the past four decades.
Organizers are seeking volunteers to help with four-hour shifts during the three-day event. Those interested can contact kalei@fabnewport.org.
The tour represents a partnership between established arts education advocates and a new generation focused on youth development and hands-on learning opportunities in what organizers describe as a countywide “ecosystem of learning.”
