The annual Black Ships Festival returns to Bristol and Newport from Friday, August 22, through Sunday, August 24, 2025, celebrating the historic ties between Japan and the United States. Most activities are free and open to the public, including the Festival Opening Ceremony at Rockwell Park on Friday at 10:00 AM, a Taiko drum performance at the same venue at 6:30 PM, and the JASRI Cultural Marketplace Fair at Independence Park on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Other complimentary events include the Commodore Perry wreath ceremony at Island Cemetery in Newport on Sunday at 10:00 AM.
Ticketed highlights round out the program. Sushi Sake Sail I boards the schooner Aurora at Goat Island Marina on Friday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for seventy-five dollars per person; Sushi Sake Sail II offers the same experience on Sunday, August 25, from noon to 2:00 PM. Saturday evening’s Black Ships Festival Gala at Ochre Court runs 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM and costs two hundred dollars per person, featuring an open bar, a ceremonial sake barrel, Taiko drumming, and a seated dinner. The weekend schedule spans 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily, with events designed for all ages and interests, providing an immersive look at Japanese culture amid Rhode Island’s coastal setting.
