Newport Folk Festival opens with Hayley Williams, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Courtney Barnett and more

The 2026 Newport Folk Festival kicked off Friday at the sold-out Fort Adams State Park, delivering a full day of music across more than three stages from morning through evening.

The Fort Stage headliners set the tone for the weekend, with Courtney Barnett, Lucy Dacus, and Hayley Williams & Friends closing out the night. Ms. Lauryn Hill brought her commanding presence to the Quad Stage in the early evening, while Hot Tuna held down the Harbor Stage in the late afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Courtney Marie Andrews, Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover, and Tiny Habits drew strong crowds, with smaller stages spotlighting emerging artists throughout the afternoon.

Among the day’s notable performers was Honest Charlie, a Newport native and Berklee-educated singer-songwriter who opened the Fort Stage. Now Arkansas-based, the Rhode Island-born, Nashville-trained multi-instrumentalist and producer has built his resume touring the country with Rayland Baxter, Okey Dokey, and Grace Potter before bringing his roots back to the Folk Fest stage.

The festival continues Saturday with The Lumineers headlining the Fort Stage, joined by Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Lizzy McAlpine, Cat Power, and Vulfpeck, among others. Sunday’s closing night features Nathaniel Rateliff & Friends, Brandi Carlile, Father John Misty, and Brandon Flowers.

What’sUpNewp photographer Rick Farrell was on hand to capture the day. Look for Day 2 and Day 3 photo galleries Sunday night. Here’s a look at Day 1.