PVDFest returns to downtown Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — PVDFest returns to the Capitol City, bringing a weekend full of music, arts, and food.

The festival is back downtown this year after spending last summer by the water, bringing the massive community festival into Kennedy Plaza and the surrounding area.

There will be many traffic closures and reroutes.

Some road closures began on Thursday, and areas like Exchange Street are set to be closed through Sunday.

The city hall stage will open up around 5:30 p.m. tonight, and events are set to continue through Saturday night.

“We don’t have any specific reasons for concern for this weeks festival. We know there have been some public safety challenges in the city over the last couple of weeks and we’re working to address those,” Mayor Smiley said, speaking on safety concerns.

“Those have all been isolated incidents in our neighborhoods and there’s no reason to believe there’s anything targeting a public event or the festival in general,” he said.

For commuters, 40 RIPTA are set to see detours as Kennedy Plaza is occupied with the festival, so any stops there will be temporarily relocated to Dyer Street.

Several no-parking zones are also being set up throughout the area to keep it open for pedestrian traffic.

There are dozens of road closures and bus detours over the next few days, which you can find here.