deertick and friends newport 2020

Newport Folk Fest announces livestream weekend w/ Jason Isbell, Mavis Staples, Sharon Van Etten & more

Newport Folk Festival 2018 - Friday
Jason Isbell @ Newport 2018 (photo by P Squared)

Like pretty much everything else this year, the 2020 edition of the Newport Folk Festival was canceled. But they’re hoping to bring a little of its spirit to the “Folk On Revival Weekend,” a livestream festival that happening the same weekend as the 2020 edition was supposed to take place, July 31 – August 2.

There are two ticketed livestream concerts. On Friday, July 31 at 8:30 PM ET, video from Mavis Staples‘ 80th Birthday celebration, recorded on May 22, 2019 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, and featuring Mavis, as well as Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Ben Harper, Trombone Shorty, Grace Potter, and Phoebe Bridgers, streams. Tickets for that go on sale July 14 at 10 AM ET.

On Saturday, August 1 at 8:30 PM, it’s “Deer Tick & Friends” with Leon Bridges, Robert Ellis, Sharon Van Etten, The Tallest Man On Earth, and Courtney Marie Andrews. Tickets for that are on sale now.

Both the Mavis Staples and Deer Tick livestream benefit the Newport Festivals Foundation.

On Sunday, August 2 at 8:30 PM ET, there will be a free screening of new concert documentary Our Voices Together on YouTube, featuring never-seen-before performances from Brandi Carlile, Jim James, Roger Waters with Lucius, Jason Isbell and more.

Additionally, there will be Newport Folk Revival Radio, which will feature archived sets from over 60 years of Newport Folk from 11 AM – 7:30 PM ET each day. Learn more about the “Folk On Revival Weekend” here.

Says Newport Executive Producer Jay Sweet: “In the history of this festival, there has never been a time like we’re in now. A global pandemic shuttering our plans to congregate before quickly shifting into the biggest civil rights movement in over 50 years. Many of our lives have drastically changed, financially, emotionally, and/or irrevocably. It has been painful for many of us, on the front lines fighting the pandemic, on the front lines fighting social injustice and especially for those losing loved ones along the way. While it was an emotional gut punch to cancel the festival in a year where it is so clearly needed, we felt it was imperative to our community to do something. Music has always brought our family together, even when we’re divided. The Newport stage has always been a sanctuary for artists to speak their minds on the times in front of us, not with merely one voice alone, but many in unison. This year’s Newport is no exception, collectively representing what it feels like to be human in today’s world by amplifying our convictions. For 2020 these voices will be our megaphone, these events our stage.“

Check out posters for the three streaming events below.

newport-mavis at 80 poster

deertick and friends newport 2020

Our Voices Together

Check out photos from Newport 2018: