Autumnfest is back in Woonsocket, filling WWII Veterans Memorial State Park with carnival rides, live music and the smell of fried dough for its 48th year running. The four-day celebration kicks off Friday and runs through Columbus Day. FestivalNet lists attendance at 125,000, making it the largest fall festival in Northern Rhode Island.
According to WJAR, the festival bills itself as a family-friendly celebration of the spirit of Northern Rhode Island, with Studio 10's Dave Richards previewing what crowds can expect this year: live music and entertainment, food vendors, artisans and local businesses, amusement rides, family activities, fireworks, and the signature 10-division Autumnfest Parade. Admission to the park itself is free, and the festival runs Friday through Monday.
Parade Steps Off Monday Morning From Diamond Hill Road
The signature Autumnfest Parade steps off Monday morning from Diamond Hill Plaza on Diamond Hill Road, also known as Route 114, before marching down Social Street toward WWII Veterans Memorial State Park, per tourism site Tour Blackstone. Police close roads along the route ahead of step-off, according to coverage by WPRI 12. The Knights of Columbus Columbus Day Parade is also part of the festivities.
Carnival rides and midway attractions this year come from Fanelli Amusements, which runs a $1-per-ticket digital ticketing system valid across rides, games and food stalls. Digital tickets can be purchased online or picked up via kiosks on-site, the company notes. The festival's signature fireworks display anchors the evening programming over the park.
Food and Music
Festival concessions feature more than 20 food vendors serving local and global cuisine, coordinated in part with the Rotary Club of Woonsocket, which also helps organize three live music stages hosting more than 50 acts across the weekend. WWII Veterans Memorial State Park is the festival's setting.
A Tradition Rooted in Civic Pride Since 1979
Autumnfest has been held annually since 1979. The event has run for more than 45 years. FestivalNet lists the Autumnfest Steering Committee as the promoter, while Meet Me at the Fair describes the festival as a volunteer organization and notes that park admission is free.
The free-admission model carries weight beyond nostalgia. A 2026 Hoodline report on United Way of Rhode Island data found that 58% of Woonsocket households fall below the ALICE threshold for financial hardship — ALICE standing for Asset Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed. In a city where nearly six in ten households face that kind of financial strain, a free, four-day civic gathering offers a rare accessible outing for families across the Blackstone Valley.
