On September 7, the Ca' del Bosco Wine Garden at The Chanler shut down for the season, just ten days ahead of what is typically Newport's busiest visitor weekend. And this year, the third weekend of September isn't one event. It's two, running on separate schedules in different corners of town.

Two Big Events Sharing the Same Roads

The 55th Annual Newport International Boat Show takes over the downtown waterfront from Thursday, September 17, through Sunday, September 20. It spreads across Newport Yachting Center, Perry Mill Wharf, Bowen's Wharf, Bannister's Wharf, Market Square and the Below-Deck space at Hammetts, and it ranks among the biggest in-water boat shows in the country.

The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, hosted by the Preservation Society of Newport County, runs Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 20, at Rosecliff on Bellevue Avenue. Expect a Grand Tasting, seminars led by experts and a jazz brunch on Sunday.

Three of those four days overlap. With essentially one main route on and off the peninsula, the stretch from Aquidneck Avenue to Memorial Boulevard turns into a bottleneck that both crowds have to share.

Thursday Is the Quiet Day

Only the boat show is running on Thursday, so Bellevue Avenue stays close to normal. Friday through Sunday is when the events overlap, and Saturday is the busiest of all.

  • Thursday, Sept. 17: Boat show open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; festival hasn't started. Activity is limited to the downtown wharves.
  • Friday, Sept. 18: Boat show 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; festival opens. First day of overlap.
  • Saturday, Sept. 19: Boat show 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; festival in full swing. The heaviest day.
  • Sunday, Sept. 20: Boat show 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as Resident Day; festival wraps up with its jazz brunch.

How to Get Around Without Getting Stuck

Parking for the Show

The recommended lot is at Easton's Beach, 175 Memorial Boulevard. It costs $40 per vehicle per day, and shuttles run continuously from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., covering the roughly mile-and-a-half trip to the show entrance.

Taking the Ferry

This year, both the Jamestown-Newport Ferry and the Providence-Newport Ferry are offering express boat show service. The Providence boat lands at Perrotti Park, a short walk from the show. The Jamestown option comes with free parking and a free shuttle to the ferry terminal.

Riding the Bus

RIPTA Route 67 runs along the Bellevue corridor past Salve Regina and is free through October 31, 2026. Heads up: during the festival, the Cliff Walk trailheads at Narragansett Avenue and Ruggles Avenue tend to fill up by mid-morning.

A Discount Meant for Locals

Sunday, September 20, is Newport Resident and Military Personnel Day at the boat show. Admission is $22 with ID, available only at kiosk row, and kids under 10 get in free with an adult. Even if you're not shopping for a boat, 17 acres of waterfront exhibits make for a great outing.

Timing tip: Visit the boat show Thursday afternoon or Sunday morning. On Friday and Saturday evenings, plan dinner away from the busiest areas, because restaurants around Bowen's Wharf and Rosecliff will be packed.

What the Following Weeks Reveal

The wine garden's early closing is a good clue to how Newport's calendar really works: it's less one long season and more a series of short, intense bursts. Next up is the Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week, October 1 through 4, presented by A. Lange & Söhne. Named Motoring Event of the Year at the 2025 International Historic Motoring Awards, it brings a car-loving crowd to the Bellevue mansion district.

For most of September, daily life is business as usual. It's really just that Friday-to-Sunday stretch you'll want to plan around.

Living Through It

By Tuesday, things settle back to normal and parking along Bellevue eases up. If you're exploring Newport neighborhoods and wondering how a specific street's seasonal activity might affect your day-to-day life, reach out. I'm happy to walk you through it.