PROVIDENCE — PVDFest, the city’s signature arts and culture festival, returned to downtown Providence for the 10th anniversary of the event, and crowds flocked to the city’s center to see the parade and performers. In 2023, Mayor Brett Smiley’s administration decided to make some changes to the festival, scheduling it for September instead of June and moving the location to the area by the pedestrian bridge in an attempt to make the festival more “family friendly” and “sustainable.” Instead, bad weather and a farmers market-like feel marred the event for many , and downtown stores complained about the loss of foot traffic. This year’s events included a mural battle on Kennedy plaza, aerial acrobatics, a parade, and dozens of performers on multiple stages scattered over several city blocks . Here’s a look at what things were like. By Friday, Sept. 6, the festivities were well underway. eVenti Verticali, a gravity-defying Italian troupe of aerialists, delivered a thrilling spectacle as five dancers were suspended by a crane nearly 60 feet above the ground at Kennedy Plaza. Their “stage” was a transparent sphere, which was deflated and shapeless when it was lifted into the air with one aerialist inside. Dramatic music played as the dancers performed choreographed flips while the sphere was inflated into a stunning, lit-up globe to reflect planet earth. On the main stage in front of City Hall, renowned muralist AGONZA painted a canvas while Providence DJ Nyce Hitz took a microphone on the main stage in front of City Hall to highlight a blend of local hip-hop and R&B artists. As the sun went down, Lulada Club, an all-women salsa band wearing neon-colored dresses, took over to close out the night. Saturday afternoon was where local makers had the opportunity to shine. Artisans and creators lined tables with their goods to sell along Washington Street. Curious shoppers could find just about everything: Bold earrings made out of recycled materials, candles, records, quirky prints, vintage clothes, and more. In a parking lot behind buildings on Mathewson Street, a new 85-foot mural dedicated to Providence’s lost Chinatown and the efforts of the LGBTQ+ community over the century was on full display. The mural’s four figures overlooked activities at the Dark Lady, a storied gay nightclub, where a machine spewing white, soapy bubbles along the street attracted families with young children. While politicians and drum troupes marched down Washington Street in PVDFest’s annual parade, a mural “battle” between artists was on display at Kennedy Plaza. The Rhode Island Kung Fu Club performed a lion dance, where their vibrant lion heads sparkled over the heads of those in the crowd. Nearly two dozen food truck vendors surrounded Kennedy Plaza, serving items like tacos, raw oysters, and Jamaican meat patties. Downtown restaurant owners, who had felt snubbed by the location changes in 2023, found their businesses buzzing by mid-afternoon. Local drummer Sidy Maiga returned to PVDFest with the 12th annual Afrika Nyaga Drum & Dance Festival, a celebration of West African music and dance and its influence on the African diaspora. Unlike years past when street parties lasted well into the night, this year’s festival closed out early, around 8 p.m., but with another spellbinding performance from eVenti Verticali, which drew a large crowd along Kennedy Plaza. Until next year, PVDFest.
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