The best music festival in all the land finally has a family music stage.
The famed Newport Folk Festival has long been family-friendly – my girls have been several times from when the Bear was a mere 5-months-old – but now there is a proper place to score some shade and hear some tunes written with little ones in mind.
The LEGO DUPLO KidZone will debut at the 2011 Newport Folk Fest with Elizabeth Mitchell as ringleader. Expect DUPLO-centric activities, musical surprises and, hopefully, some adult acts hoping over to entertain festival-going families (I’m looking at you Colin Meloy and Ellis Paul).
I expect the LEGO DUPLO KidZone tent to be located directly across from the Fort stage, somewhere near the water/on the way to the beer garden and the sets to be short ones in between the main stage acts. Families should not have to make musical choices, and will miss none of their faves on the big stage.
The DUPLO sponsorship makes perfect sense. The youthful LEGO brand of building blocks recently launched DUPLO JAMS, a free monthly kid’s music download proving that music is an important component in their branding strategy. Subscribe to the DUPLO JAMS iTunes channel here to start getting your free songs (they’re very good, btw).
The Bear at her 1st Newport Folk Festival (2004)
I reviewed the Newport Folk Fest experience from a young family perspective many years ago. Some things may have changed, but most of this info should still be helpful to you when planning your festival weekend with your kids. One update: we now stay a little closer, at a Hampton Inn in South Kingston, to the water shuttle to Fort Adams. Never again will I drive through town and park at the Fort. The Conanicut ferry service is scenic, affordable and super convenient – with or without kids. One more thing: eat at TRIO in Narragansett and order the Tortelloni + Lobster. Best. meal. ever. You’re welcome.
