First Annual Folk Fest

On Saturday afternoon, July 15, neighbors gathered in George M. Cohan Square, in Fox Point, for the first annual Fox Point Folk Fest. Organizers closed down Wickenden Street between East and Governor streets to make room for folk performers, neighbors sitting on blankets (and in hammocks!), vendors selling local beer, a games tent, and an enthusiastic cohort of barefooted kids playing in puddles.

The musical lineup included six local performing groups, including Al Diaz Music, the Van Nostrand Sisters, Morgan Johnston Music, Sally Racket, Kate Mick, and the Vox Hunters.

“We had great weather, great turnout, and great music,” said co-organizer Vin Scorziello, of Campus Fine Wines. The festival was organized by the Wickenden Area Merchants Association, the Fox Point Neighborhood Association, the Providence Department of Art Culture + Tourism, and a few local breweries, with contributions from several local businesses.

Organizers raised additional funds through an online campaign. “We're turning to Kickstarter,” wrote co-organizer John Paul Murton of The Shop café on Wickenden, “because too often these events rely on the performers' passions taking precedent over their pockets. We want to pay our performers not just for the hour they play today, but for the hours they've poured into their crafts.”

“It was a pretty amazing day all around,” said Scorziello. When asked about ideas for next year, he added, “Next year? Food trucks!”