Live music, dance, food, and visual art installations transform the city in a four-day, multi-arts take-over of public spaces, parks, and outdoor stages in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island.

PVDFest – June 2-5, 2016 in Downtown Providence

PVDFest – June 2-5, 2016 in Downtown Providence

A signature event that defines the Creative Capital and reaches thousands…

The 17-piece Afro-Cuban All Stars are a dream team of Cuba’s hottest musicians. Musical director Juan de Marcos González, who arranged the famed Buena Vista Social Club, leads a multi-generational line-up drawn from some of the island’s most beloved bands.

The biggest beasts that ever walked the earth stomp their way through Downtown Providence as Close-Act Theatre, a multi-disciplinary street theater company from the Netherlands, makes its East Coast debut with Saurus.

A rich musical stew of Vodou chants and drumming, Rara horns fashioned from sheet metal, Carnevale rhythms, gospel ballads, and folk songs that is hard to describe, but easy to love.

Be a champion for the arts in Providence! Help to kick off Providence’s cultural event of the year, enjoy downtown bites and celebrate the arts.

Rocky Dawuni is a truly unique force in music: he was named one of “Africa’s Top 10 Global Stars” by CNN and was the first artist from Ghana ever nominated for a GRAMMY Award.

Newpoli carries on a tradition so old that it’s hard to date, performing music from the south of Italy that soaks up the diverse influences of surrounding regions.

Chachi Carvalho has established himself as one of the most prolific and enduring local rappers, with positive messages that have made him a fan favorite.

Bhangra funk is the explosive, multicultural dance music of the next generation and Red Baraat are its undisputed kings.

In the hands of master drummer Sidy Maiga the djembe does not just beat—it sings, shouts, whispers, laughs, cries, and electrifies.

Plena and bomba are distinctive musical styles of Puerto Rico, and the virtuoso musicians of Plena Libre are their contemporary masters.

Two is better than one when Rhode Island’s own Doppelgänger Dance Collective (DDC) takes the stage. Co-founding dancers Shura Baryshnikov and Danielle Davidson were drawn together to foster the creation and performance of original, contemporary choreographic work for duet.

Arc Iris’ music is fiercely bold and experimental, yet retains enough folk/pop DNA to be immediately recognizable as something accessible and compelling.

Grupo Afincao uses merengue and salsa to speak to a new generation of listeners.

A Harlem composer on a unique musical journey combines signature violin sounds with electronica and urban influences to create something entirely his own

Salsa Y Gaitas is a reflection of Providence present, with 12 members drawn from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic playing a multicultural blend of music from around the Caribbean and Latin America.

An open band of brass, reeds and drums, there are over 30 musicians and dancers in the ERB family. Their musical influences range from New Orleans jazz to Middle Eastern klezmer, Spanish revolutionary songs to funk, rhythm & blues.

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School take the stage at PVDFest in the form of the Paul Murphy Touring Ensemble, an elite group of high school musicians from all over the state. These inspiring young talents play a mix of contemporary jazz and original compositions with a depth of musical sophistication well beyond their years.