Music, dancing, food, vendors and fun with camping options. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? The only drawback, at least for me, is it is dry camping. Or “camping in the rough” as they call it.

Camping without the full hook-ups is really not my gig. My husband was sure we would be fine. We have a generator with the camper. But I know I like my amenities. This is especially true in the hot summer months.

This music fest’s camping setup does not include full hook-ups. They have a pump-out truck for black tanks. It drives around if you wish to do the pump out for a fee. This service is available before hitting the road after the music fest.

There are camping showers for a fee and porta-potty setups for rent if desired. They offer free portable water refill stations.

Despite my apprehensions, my husband convinced me into signing up for the Rhythm & Roots festival. It is held in September in Charleston, Rhode Island. He assured me the camper generator would be fine. He said we’d have enough water in our camper’s holding tank. And all that jazz.

I was glad I purchased two shower passes as a precaution. Our camper tank water did run out rather quickly. This didn’t surprise me. But then we had an issue with our refrigerator, and some of our food got spoiled. I learned to take these situations in stride. There are many food options at the fest so that is good. We would not starve. LOL. And it was a good idea to have a cooler on hand.

THE MUSIC FEST

The Rhythm and Roots Festival is a big one. They have 3 large stages. One is for the main acts, and another stage is covered by a white tent. A third stage is all about dancing, and some of the attendees really can dance. It is super fun to watch them dance all day and all night! There are Cajun, zydeco, blues and more styles. All the music fest stages are spread out on a very large property. Plenty of lawn to find a spot to put your chair and enjoy the music. The camping area is off in the background of the fest setup. It is very walk-able from the camping areas to the festival areas. It can be a longer walk depending on the camping site you picked upon your entry. Bikes are allowed in the camping areas.

There are plenty of food vendors, wine and beer, and craft vendors at the music fest. We found the prices of the drinks to be rather high. They do not allow outside alcohol in the concert field, and all bags are thoroughly searched. This is mostly due to the town’s regulations of the park’s property. You can bring snacks in a small cooler.

No open fires are allowed at the campground. This didn’t really impact us because we didn’t hang out at the campsite too long other than to sleep. We were mostly there for the music shows. I liked returning to the campsite occasionally during breaks. Having extra outdoor lights, maybe solar, is helpful. They help you find your way back to your camper after dancing and listening to the music all day. Bring a small flashlight with you too. I actually used the small flashlight at the music fest’s porta-potty in one area. It was dark, and it helped me see! A battery-operated lamp to put outside of your camper on a table is a good idea as well. We usually listened to the music into the evening, so it was dark walking back.

The camper generator use was limited. I remember we used it for lights and such at night until we were ready to crash out. The fest site indicates the time which generator use is allowed. No one likes a loud generator noise all night. We kept it on for maybe an hour at night.

WATER

As mentioned, we did run out of water because we had a smaller camper. It was our first time trying to judge how long the water in the holding tank would last. Luckily, the camper festival showers provided by the fest for a fee were setup nicely at the campground. A camper neighbor heard we ran out of water. They offered us a 5-gallon container of drinking water they had extra. Very generous of them. I had water bottles but that wasn’t enough. I learned buying a refillable 5-gallon jug was a good idea. I always take one of those with us for dry camping situations now. It’s also wise to have a shower robe. You’ll need it for walking through the camping area to and from the showers!

PRIOR CAMPING ARRIVAL TIME

The way the camping is set up as first come first serve after purchasing your camping passes from their website. There are no reserved spots. You drive in after waiting in a long line of campers. You can arrive the day before the fest starts or during the fest. We waited in line for at least an hour or two with the campers to enter the park’s grounds. This was the day before the weekend show starts. We left our house early. By the time we arrived to get in line, there were many campers there ahead of us. So, arrive early! We found a spot that was paved once we entered and received our wrist bands. We backed in easily to the location we selected in a paved area. There are some paved areas and some lawn areas to set up camp. It was well organized, so it didn’t feel hectic.

When it comes to attending music fests, there is no beating having your sleeping arrangements right on site. I love that part. Being capable of walking back to the camping areas was perfect. It is so convenient. What’s not to love? But for me, I love a nice shower after dancing all day and cold refreshments at my site. Thus, dry camping is not really my thing. I try to be as organized as possible. After a few camping trips, I learned to take a lot in stride. I also try to do my best. It is a good thing I am an over-thinker. I often think of things like flashlights. I brought a battery-operated fan for air circulation in the camper. I also think of other simple things. Like light weight blanket for the fest to sit on, etc. Maybe some hand sanitizer or hand wipes for clean up at your camper, etc. Sometimes it is the little things to help dry camping situations.

THE TYPE OF MUSIC

This fest has top acts. There is a mix of blues, zydeco, Cajun, and many more. See the festivals website for the line up schedule. There are many to enjoy. It is spaced out really well. Lots of volunteers direct you to the appropriate lines. All of that is good. The food is good too. The acts are excellent, so my opinion on the cost, is just my opinion. Some would definitely feel it is suited for the quality of the acts. It is not that – it is just we like to save money and some of the extras feel pricey. There are a few more restrictions at this festival compared to others we have attended.

ALL THE OPTIONS

For us, we find the overall fest pricing high. I personally get confused at the options. You pay for camping, and it includes a ticket to the fest for 3 days of the fest. I am confused by that. Does one cover the two people in one camper? Or do you each have to buy that 3-day pass? And then there are the extras. Extra price for the shower passes (which did save us when we ran out of water). Extra for separate vehicles (some people camp in a car or van). Extra if you want a porta-potty set-up. They are providing many options which is a good thing for festivals of this size. At times, however, I found it confusing.

CAMPING PEOPLE

It was fun to walk around and see the different set ups. And fun to see the decorations. People are so creative with showcasing their personal style at each tent, camper, van, you name it. We did not experience any loud party animals where we set up. It was mostly quiet. And we did select a camping spot in what they called the RV “quiet area”.

THE CAMPING MAP

Here is the festival map: https://rhythmandroots.com/faqs/festival-map/

One of our camping neighbors was a musician and he and a friend quietly played guitar tunes one night. I often have trouble sleeping. The next day, I told him that his gentle guitar music serenaded me to sleep. I listened to it from our camper window.

Walking from the fest grounds to the camping area is easy. They do not allow non-campers in the camping areas. Someone checks wrist bands as you walk into the camping sections. Depending on where you camp, the walk can be longer. Bikes are allowed but not into the music fest area. Bring a lock.

THE GENERAL RHODE ISLAND AREA

Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, RI is not too far from the fest area. If you were to make a week trip out of it for some beach time around the fest. I did not research camping options around the beach.

And if you like plants, check out a place called The Umbrella Factory! It is not far from the fest area either. Very cool plant place.

By the way, I believe the fest camping sells out fast. It is a popular fest and a fun one. Just be aware of the need to sign up early if you give it a go!

Cathy Testa
Date of Post: 1/21/2026

Sorry no photos on this one either – They have been already deleted from my i-Phone. We attended this fest in 2023. Even thought it was September, it was hot. I remember I was happy to have my umbrella with me for some shade at the fest!