Riverfest 2026 – Riverfront Music Festival

No Tickets Needed for this Waterfront Party

Riverfront Music Festival 2026, also referred to as Riverfest, will be hosted on the Salisbury Beach boardwalk on Saturday, August 22nd for a full day of free live concerts. Crowds will line Salisbury Beach to enjoy an impressive lineup of entertainment with picturesque ocean views. Salisbury Beach is the Greater Newburyport summer destination for outdoor concerts and the perfect spot for Riverfest 2026.

Thank you to 92.5 The River for bringing this top-notch group of musicians to Salisbury Beach for Riverfest 2026, the pinnacle oceanfront performance of the summer! Salisbury Beach, MA features a beautiful sandy beach, a great selection of restaurants, beach shops, and of course, Joe’s Playland, a classic arcade. A ride on the beautifully restored, historic carousel is a must! Pick your favorite horse inside the Newburyport Bank pavilion. The Salisbury Beach Partnership deserves special recognition for their ongoing dedication to providing exceptional entertainment, restaurants, shopping and fun things to do in Salisbury Beach. This local nonprofit organization has made Salisbury Beach a popular year round destination.

RiverFest will take place rain or shine, but in the event of extreme weather cancellations there will be information on the Salisbury Beach Partnership facebook page.

Afterwards, make sure to stick around for the weekly Salisbury Beachfront Fireworks show, starting at 10:15 PM!

2026 Riverfest Lineup:

Concert Schedule:
12:15 – 1:00 PM Gavin Marengi
1:30 – 2:30 PM Fantastic Cat
3:00- 4:00 PM Buffalo Tom
4:30 – 6:00 PM Spin Doctors

Date: Saturday, August 22nd, 2026

Time: 12 – 6 PM

Location: Salisbury Beach Boardwalk: Broadway Boardwalk, Salisbury, MA. Click here for the Festival Map, 2026.

Parking: Parking James Hunt Memorial Parking Lot 228 Beach Road, Salisbury, MA

Shuttle Service: View shuttle service details for Newburyport and Haverhill MeVa Transit.

FREE MEVA SHUTTLE!
You can get to Riverfest for FREE via MeVa Transit. Park for free at the Newburyport MBTA station and take MeVa’s free, air-conditioned #20 bus. In addition to regular hourly service starting at 7am, the #20 will leave the MBTA station approximately every 20 minutes from 11am-7pm. The route passes through downtown Newburyport, before heading straight to Riverfest at Salisbury Beach. In addition, MeVa’s #17 bus leaves on the hour starting at 7am from Haverhill via Amesbury direct to Salisbury Beach. To plan your trip and download timetables, visit, http://www.mevatransit.com

SALISBURY BEACH PARKING
On-site parking spots will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.  The special event parking fee for Riverfest is $40 until 6 pm.  The town of Salisbury has four zones to park in at Salisbury Beach. Learn more about the regulations and parking lot locations. Festival attendees are encouraged to rideshare/carpool to the event, use ride hailing services (Uber/Lyft/Taxi), take alternative transportation to the event, and utilize the free shuttle school bus service to/from Salisbury Beach State Reservation parking (see below) to the Salisbury Beach Broadway Boardwalk.

SHUTTLE BUS & SALISBURY BEACH STATE RESERVATION PARKING
The parking lots at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation will be serviced by one free shuttle bus, provided courtesy of 92.5 the River.  The bus will leave every thirty minutes from 11am to 7pm on Saturday, August 24th, 2024.  Parking is $14 per day for Massachusetts residents and $40 per day for non-Massachusetts residents. Credit and debit accepted for parking fee (no cash).  More information about the Reservation parking lots here.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation Parking: 1 State Reservation Road , Salisbury, MA 01952 | 978-462-4481

PEDAL POWER
If you live nearby, why not leave the car at home and ride a bicycle to the festival? After all, riding a bike is good for your health, the environment, your wallet, and your soul!

BROADWAY BOARDWALK POLICIES
■ Help keep the Broadway Boardwalk and Salisbury Beach beautiful! Please do not leave behind cigarette butts, trash, food, etc. Put all trash/recycling in proper barrels.
■ Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Broadway Boardwalk, except within the designated age 21+ area specially permitted during this event.
■ Dogs and other pets must be on a leash at all times.

Enjoy prior year Riverfront Music Festival videos produced by local Newburyport videographer, Jim Reid.