The Newport Independent Music Festival is back for another summer of free waterfront concerts, with eight Sunday afternoon shows on tap at the King Park Gazebo in July and August.
Better known as NIMFest, the series will run from 3 to 6 p.m. each Sunday, weather permitting, at the gazebo at 125 Wellington Ave. The festival is produced by the New England Music Organization with support from the Hamilton Family Foundation and the city of Newport.
Set against a backdrop of Newport Harbor, Goat Island and the Newport Bridge, the 2026 season features a mix of emerging voices, established acts and collaborative showcases. Concertgoers can also arrive by paddleboat via the harbor, organizers said.
The summer kicks off July 5 with Madison Curbelo, a New England-based singer-songwriter who finished in the top 9 on season 25 of NBC’s “The Voice,” joined by Atticus Allen. Other headliners across the season include New England Music Award winner Avi Jacob’s Hawk In The Nest, saxophonist and composer Seba Molnar, and the Groove Merchants, a soul-funk-groove instrumental collective that grew out of Newport’s local music scene.
The full 2026 NIMFest schedule is as follows: July 5, Madison Curbelo with Atticus Allen; July 12, Lazy Trail with Hey Rel; July 19, Hawk In The Nest with Poppy in the Beet Patch; July 26, a songwriter showcase with Lainey Dionne, Sweet Petunia and Natalie Paige; Aug. 2, Seba Molnar with The John Monllos Trio; Aug. 9, The Coe Street Co-Op with Lily Rhodes; Aug. 16, Soul City; and Aug. 23, Groove Merchants with Olivia Nied.
All performances are free and open to the public. Organizers are encouraging attendees to carpool, noting that parking in the area is limited. Alcohol is not permitted in the park, and there are no scheduled rain dates.
More information is available at NewEnglandMusic.org or on Instagram at @NewEnglandMusicOrganization.
